Summary of external news of North Korea this week

SEOUL, March 22 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news in North Korea this week.

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USFK commander points out S. Korea's defense production capabilities for contingency logistics support

WASHINGTON -- The commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) highlighted South Korea's defense production capabilities on Thursday, as he addressed a complex question of how American forces would overcome logistical challenges in the event of a Pacific contingency far away from the U.S. mainland.

Gen. Paul LaCamera commented on the issue, pointing out challenges from the anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) threat, a term that often refers to China's strategy to leverage its advanced military assets to keep hostile forces, namely U.S. forces, at bay.

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Son of S. Korean missionary detained in N. Korea urges int'l support for repatriation

SEOUL -- A son of a South Korean missionary detained in North Korea has urged the international community to press the North to repatriate his father and other detainees, saying families should no longer fall victim to such an inhumane act, the unification ministry said Thursday.

Choi Jin-young, the son of Choi Chun-gil, made the call as he visited Geneva this week to muster international support on the issue of abductees in North Korea on the occasion of an ongoing session of the U.N. Human Rights Council, the ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said.

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U.S., Japanese diplomats call for stronger trilateral cooperation against N.K. threats

SEOUL -- U.S. and Japanese diplomats stationed in South Korea on Thursday stressed the importance of stepping up their trilateral security cooperation to address North Korea's escalating military provocations.

Joy Sakurai, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, made the point during a seminar hosted by the Institute for Global Strategy and Cooperation, emphasizing that three-way cooperation is "crucial" for maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

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(LEAD) 'Malicious' N.K. cyberactivities account for half of foreign currency income, fund WMD programs: UN report

WASHINGTON -- North Korea has engaged in "malicious" cyberactivities to generate about half of its foreign currency revenue and bankroll its weapons programs, a report by a U.N. panel of experts showed Wednesday.

Pyongyang also funds 40 percent of its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs through "illicit cybermeans," the report said, noting it is investigating 58 suspected cyberattacks by the North on crypto-related firms from 2017-23, which are valued at roughly US$3 billion.

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(3rd LD) U.S. must continue to invest in 28,500 American troops in S. Korea: USFK commander

WASHINGTON -- The commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) emphasized the need Wednesday to continue to invest in 28,500 American service members in South Korea through various training programs to defend South Korea against evolving North Korean threats.

Gen. Paul LaCamera made the remarks amid lingering concerns that should former President Donald Trump return to the White House, he could consider reducing the USFK troop level, though the current level is stated in the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act.

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U.S. watchful for N. Korea's 'gray zone' activities shy of attack: Washington official

WASHINGTON -- The United States remains "always watchful" for the possibility of North Korea conducting "gray zone" activities short of a major attack, a U.S. diplomat said Monday, restating Washington sees no signs of the recalcitrant regime preparing for a near-term attack.

U.S. Senior Official for North Korea Jung Pak made the remarks amid concerns that Pyongyang could undertake major provocations ahead of South Korea's parliamentary elections next month and the U.S. presidential election in November.

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(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. reaffirm commitment to complete N.K. denuclearization after North's missile launch

SEOUL/WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States reaffirmed Monday their shared commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea, hours after the North fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles in the latest provocation in about a month.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken renewed the commitment during bilateral talks in Seoul, after the South Korean military confirmed Pyongyang's launch of several missiles toward the East Sea.
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