South Korea

38 North | English | AcademicThink | Oct. 17, 2025 | North Korea

Kim Jong Un’s last-minute decision to visit Beijing for the 80th Victory Day celebrations caused surprise and logistical challenges for Chinese hosts but demonstrated a new efficiency and flexibility in his foreign travel approach. North Korea announced the trip just five days before his arrival, and Kim stayed at the DPRK Embassy rather than a state guesthouse, likely for privacy reasons. His meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was arranged only after arrival, reflecting a deliberate and fluid itinerary.

The visit marked a shift in Pyongyang's diplomatic engagement style, with Kim Jong Un keeping foreign leaders in suspense about his schedule, a tactic previously reserved for domestic affairs. This flexibility may signal a new precedent for how Kim conducts international diplomacy, with an emphasis on strategic timing and messaging.

The trip also highlighted the rising influence of Ju Chang Il, head of the Workers Party of Korea’s Propaganda and Agitation Department, who accompanied Kim as part of a close advisory group despite not attending all meetings. Ju’s participation signals his growing role in strategic decision-making amid a turbulent year for North Korean elites, following the disappearance of his predecessor, Ri Il Hwan.

Kim Jae Ryong, director of the Party’s Disciplinary Investigation Department, also traveled with Kim but remained out of public view. His presence, alongside that of Ri Hi Yong — another top Party personnel official who visited Russia earlier in 2025 — indicates Pyongyang’s effort to deploy party personnel managers abroad to oversee the implementation of agreements with China and Russia. This move suggests North Korea is reorganizing its overseas personnel network to strengthen bilateral ties and improve management against corruption or inefficiency.

Yonhap | English | News | Oct. 17, 2025 | Political Scandal or Corruption

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol voluntarily appeared before a special counsel team on October 15, 2025, for questioning regarding allegations related to his failed imposition of martial law. This appearance occurred just prior to the execution of a court-issued detention warrant at the Seoul Detention Center, where Yoon is currently held. He exercised his right to remain silent during the interrogation, having already provided his position in earlier questioning sessions held in June and July. Yoon has been under investigation for various allegations involving himself and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, and has ignored summonses from the special counsel for several months.

The special counsel's inquiry focuses on accusations that Yoon ordered drone dispatches to North Korea in October 2024 to provoke retaliation as a pretext for declaring martial law in December 2024, which he subsequently retracted after parliamentary repeal. Yoon is facing two separate trials concerning the martial law case, including charges of leading an insurrection and abuse of power. The counsel intends to indict him on additional charges, including incitement of foreign aggression through the drone incident, aiming to do so by the end of October, although the process has been delayed due to cooperation issues from Yoon and others.

Yoon's lawyers stated his voluntary appearance aimed to "ease the burden" on prison officers, citing a previous difficult attempt to detain him in August. They criticized the special counsel team’s unilateral request for the detention warrant as violating procedural fairness. On the morning of his appearance, Yoon reportedly agreed to come forward promptly without preparing himself fully, such as washing his face, to avoid causing distress to prison staff.

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Oct. 17, 2025 | Cyber Attacks and Data Loss

Authorities have discovered about 20 additional illegal base station IDs involved in the KT micropayment hacking case, expanding the scope of the breach beyond the initial four identified by KT. The number of victims has also increased, with around 10 new individuals confirmed as affected.

The hackers exploited vulnerabilities in KT's mobile billing system by using illegal base stations to impersonate legitimate networks, enabling unauthorized small-value transactions from late August to September. KT has acknowledged 362 victims, while police have identified 220, with discrepancies noted between the two counts.

Two main suspects, both Chinese nationals aged 48 and 44, have been indicted and detained. The 48-year-old allegedly operated the illegal base stations by driving around certain districts in Gyeonggi and southern Seoul, while the 44-year-old is accused of laundering about 200 million won ($141,000) from the fraud, transferring most funds to a Chinese bank account.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities seek to uncover the full extent of the breach and identify additional victims. KT is reportedly considering holding another briefing to update the public on the case.