Sin Ch’ae-ho’s Toksa Sinron and Anti-Flunkeyism as the Heart of Korean Nationalist Historiography
Author: Kyu-hyun Jo
This article will analyze three main features of Sin Ch’ae-ho’s Toksa Sinron (A New Interpretation of History), first focusing on his interpretation of Pu-yo and Tan-kun’s lineage in the formation of Korean identity. Next, it will explore how Sin Ch’ae-ho highlighted ancient figures like General Ŭlchi Muntok and Yŏn Kaesomun, challenging the Sino-centric view of Korea’s past. The discussion will then turn to the Silla Outpost Theory, delineating Sin Ch’ae-ho’s criticisms and presenting his arguments for its rejection. The article will conclude that these three essential features of Toksa Sinron form the core of emphasizing the Korean essence of ancient Korean history and that the displacement of China and Japanese colonial historiography in this process was the principal mission of Sin Ch’ae-ho, which Toksa Sinron successfully accomplished. These qualities explain why Sin Ch’ae-ho occupies the exclusive position in Korean historiography as the father of modern Korean nationalist historiography.
(Pages 1 – 17)
The United Nations and Human Rights in North Korea
Author: Raymond Ha
Despite the emergence of geopolitical trends that threaten global stability, the United Nations is—and will remain—indispensable for the promotion of human rights in North Korea. Domestic political changes in South Korea and the United States have set the stage for robust multilateral coordination on North Korean human rights, including at the United Nations. The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea remains the focal point of relevant activity within the United Nations, as the Seoul office of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights continues its work in the field. Moreover, the Security Council held a public discussion on North Korean human rights in August 2023 after a six-year hiatus, as South Korea, the United States, and other like-minded countries emphasized the connection between human rights and security issues. It will be vital to keep human rights at the forefront as North Korea reengages with the world following its COVID-19 lockdown. Finally, North Korea’s fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review in November 2024 will not only enable states and civil society organizations to spotlight Pyongyang’s human rights record, but also reveal opportunities for engagement going forward.
(Page 18 – 38)
The U.S. Decision Making Process and Lessons Learned from the Korean Armistice
Author: Kyengho Son
This paper examines U.S. efforts during the Korean Armistice negotiations focusing on decision-making processes and the interplay between military operations and negotiations. The U.S. government transitioned to a different phase of the Korean War following the Communist Chinese Forces’ second offensive at the end of 1950. The Truman Administration decided to end the war with negotiations. The members of the State-Joint Chiefs of Staff Meeting (SJM), which was created to discuss politico-military affairs after the Chinese intervention in 1950, had worked hard to prepare for negotiations. They devised terms and conditions and handled the Commander of the UN Forces to facilitate reaching agreement on each agenda item. Besides the negotiation efforts, the UN Forces’ Command employed its military power to apply pressure to the armistice talks. Yet the use of military power revealed limits to the promotion of the armistice talks. Before agreeing on a definition for the demarcation line, UN forces secured victories that forced the Communists back to the negotiating table after a long adjournment. However, military pressure by UN forces could not prevent prolonged discussions over the Prisoners of War (POW) issue. It was Stalin’s death that ultimately brought the Communists back to finalize the Armistice.
(Pages 39 – 55)
The Future of Cyberwarfare in Northeast Asia
Author: Minwoo Yun
A new phase of global geostrategic hegemonic conflict is intensifying. The theater of this emerging hegemonic struggle encompasses not only conventional physical realms-land, sea, air, and space-but also virtual realms of cyber and human cognition. Northeast Asia has emerged as the epicenter of this new round of global conflict. The victor in the geostrategic struggle within Northeast Asia is poised to exert a greater influence over the entire Eurasian theater of the New Cold War. In the Northeast Asian theater, the US, Japan, and South Korea stand against China, North Korea, and Russia. Cyberwarfare holds a pivotal role in this confrontation, as all parties possess advanced information technology, scientific capabilities, and cyberwarfare prowess. Consequently, in the context of Northeast Asia, cyberwarfare could be a decisive factor in determining the outcome of the geostrategic conflict, possibly more so than in any other region. This article explores the future of cyberwarfare in Northeast Asia.
(Page 56 – 77)
North Korean Support to Iran’s Proxy Partners
Author: Bruce E. Bechtol, Jr.
This essay details the role of North Korea weapons, delivery systems, and technical expertise to Iran’s regional allies (Syria, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hamas) – starting during the Cold War and transitioning into the Post-
Cold War period. Pyongyang has proliferated chemical weapons, ballistic missiles, conventional arms, and sent advisers, trainers, engineers, and technicians for a variety of projects to Syria. The 2012-2020 Syrian civil war moreover expanded the Assad regime’s need for all kinds of North Korean arms. Hezbollah’s military intervention on behalf of the Syrian regime has also forced the Lebanese guerilla movement and its Iranian patron to become increasingly dependent on North Korean weapons and expertise. The Israeli war with Hamas that began on October 7, 2023, has seen a terrorist force supplied with weapons by both North Korea and Iran – often in collaboration when it comes to getting the weapons and training to Hamas operatives.
(Pages 78 – 99)
A Proposed Paradigm Shift: Future Regional Security Concerns and Human Rights
Author: Greg Scarlatoiu
Since the end of the Cold War, U.S. policy toward North Korea has been almost exclusively focused on eliminating the production and proliferation of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. The past three decades have been defined by bipartisan failure on North Korea policy. To overcome this grim predicament, a “paradigm shift” is needed—one that elevates North Korean human rights to a level on par with the other critical issues, including political, security, and military concerns. Advancing human rights through multilateral and international diplomacy will be key to a human rights upfront approach that leads to safeguarding peace and security on the Korean peninsula, in Northeast Asia, and beyond.
(Pages 100 – 111)
