Korea

In South Korea there is a curious phenomenon that keeps economists and fans of the K-Pop in suspense: the return of BTS

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For a time BTS’s careerone of the most popular K-Pop bands on the planet (if not the most popular), seemed unstoppable. Their sales added millionslike his Fans legions Inside and outside South Korea or its fame in the music industry, which soon extended to the Anglopartla market. The Septeto broke barriers, crowned in the Billboard 200 And even posed with Joe Biden In the White House. In 2022 however things changed. At its peak, the Boy Band advertisement A temporary pause forced by something that had little to do with music: the mili. Now its seven members have fulfilled the obligations with Seoul and You talk already next resentment With a background question: what will you mean for the K-Pop, a cultural industry Milmillonaria In full transformation? When BTS hung the rifle. In South Korea the law is relentless: all men between 18 and 28 must Comply with mandatory military service (or social volunteering) for a period ranging between 18 and 21 months. The rule provides some exemptions for athletes, dancers or young people who have achieved large awards in their disciplines and suppose a pride for the country. The same does not happen with K-pop singers. At most they can, thanks to a reform approved in 2020, delay recruitment up to 30 years. Hence In 2022 BTS members did something strange in a formation uploaded to the crest of the wave and with a growing fame both inside and outside Korea: they announced a break to do the mili. Its seven components do not have the same age or enlisted at the same time, hence the band’s reunion It was announced already by then by 2025. And the date came. The oldest component, Jin, was enlisted in December 2022 and ended his service in June 2024which has allowed him to return to the stage and resume his solo career. In recent weeks, RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook have also graduated. The last to fulfill its obligations with the South Korean state, Suga, did it Just a few days ago. In practice, Remember Nikkeithat means that (if there are no surprises) in July all members of the Boy Band They will be able to resume their joint career. And, as expected, that has unleashed the expectation of the international press and its fans. The agency that represents the band has confirmed to The New York Times That he still cannot relieve any return plan, but that has not prevented BTS fans from being celebrated and some leaks jump. A few days ago Variety It echoed of an exclusive of The Korea Herald That states that the group will return to the stage in more or less nine months, towards March next year. Nikkei does not specify so much, but reveals That the band’s environment rules out that a stage is once again on the stage. Much more than pop music. That BTS’s return plans (despite being diffuse still) have monopolized holders in the means of reach of The BBC, CNN either Tnytreveals that Boy Band South Korean is much more than a popular group. BTS is relevant for several reasons. And not all strictly musical. Beyond its success in the West or to break molds by crowning the Billboard 200, BTS is a key exponent of Hallyu, The “Korean wave” that has expanded the culture, music and cinema of the country far beyond its borders. In 2024 Asia Fund Managers assuredciting a survey of the South Korean government itself, which the Hallyu wave added around 225 million fans throughout the world, far from the 9.26 million that its first survey had shown, made in 2012. According to its calculations, in 2023 there were more than 1,700 Hallyu fans clubs in 119 countries and much of them (68%) focused on the K-Pop. It’s culture … and it’s money. Asia Fund Managers remember Also that the influence of the K-Pop is not limited to the music industry or the concert circuit. That there are more pending people of South Korean groups translates into greater interest in the country’s culture, their language, kitchen, tourism or fashion, which has a measurable impact on Wones. Wion ensures that the global value of exports of products and services related to the K-POP exceeded 5,000 million dollars in 2018, a stratospheric figure compared to 40 million only two decades ago. The figures should be handled cautiously, but give an idea of ​​the mayor of the K-Pop as a cultural industry. There is Who esteem which in 2018 contributed 1.7% of South Korea’s GDP. “K-pop has become an important cultural force, influencing fashion, beauty and language trends,” Reflect ROMADHONI FAILUATE IN MEDUM. “This has contributed to promoting South Korean culture and tourism, generating an increase in income in these sectors.” And what does BTS suppose? In 2022 Korea Science published A report which reflects that in full international expansion the “BTS effect” came to boost exports of consumer goods of South Korea worth $ 1.1 billion. In 2021, during An interview In the NPR, Vanek Smith went even further and estimated that the Boy Band It contributes hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars every year to the South Korean economy. Its effect reminds in a way that of Taylor Swift, whose activity reverses in thousands of millions of dollars for the United States, according to the Federal Reserve. The K-Pop in crisis? Yeah Filtration of The Korea Herald It is correct and BTS returns to the stage in March 2026, the big question is … will it meet the same K-Pop in 2022, when the group announced its temporal break? During this time already measured, some members have continued with solo careers and during these last years their agency has strategically launching issues and videos to keep interest in the Boy Band. The K-POP scene also has other outstanding representatives, such as Blackpink, Seventeen either Newjaans. However, during the last years There has been multiple voices that have identified symptoms of Crisis in the K-Pop. … Read more

If the question is how far Russia’s help comes to North Korea, the answer has a war name in Ukraine: Shahed

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At the beginning of June more than what is behind that convergence between Moscow and Pyongyang was known. It was known by The protagonists themselves that North Korea had been sending armament for months and soldiers to Russia in his invasion to Ukraine. In return, Russia was giving him what Kim longed for: A functional army. Therefore, the question in the air seemed clear: how much “? The answer has name and origin … in Iran. The Moscow-pyongyang axis. Revealed it in an extensive interview The War Zone Medium General Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence. Apparently, Russia has begun to transfer critical technology to North Korea for the Drones production Long -range Kamikazes and high -precision ballistic missiles, transforming Pyongyang into a key node of Russian war machinery and altering military balance in Asia. Shahed. Among the ceded systems, the ability to manufacture the Shahed-136 drones (known in Russia as Geran), originally from Iranian design and responsible for much of the massive air attacks About Ukraine. Russia already manufactures about 2,000 drones Shahed a month and plan to raise that figure 5,000so the outsourcing towards North Korea responds to a need to maintain the offensive rhythm without saturating its own industry. Providing Pyongyang with this capacity also means giving the possibility of saturate the defenses South Korean antialeas or even re -export drones to Russia for use in Ukraine, feeding a cycle of arms collaboration that consolidates a new authoritarian axis in the global war setting. A Shahed 136 Iranian drone The KN-23 under Russian tutelage. The benefits for North Korea do not end in drones. Budanov details How Moscow has significantly improved North Korean ballistic capacity, especially the KN-23 missile (also known as Hwasong-11), that in its first lots sent to Russia It was useless for its low precision and structural failures. However, thanks to direct technical cooperation with Russian specialists, the missiles have been redesigned until reaching a level of lethal precision, with implications that greatly exceed the Ukrainian conflict. The technological transfer also extends to the system of Air-Aire missiles long range and, possibly more worrying, to submarine systems capable of launching nuclear ballistic missiles. KN-23 The nuclear unknown. Although Budanov does not reveal exact details in the interview, Yes, it makes clear that the development of the naval component of the North Korean nuclear deterrence It is being directly supported by Moscow, which clearly amplifies the destructive potential of Pyongyang and, what is doubtful, alters the strategic balance in the Asian northeast. Korean ammunition. Support is not just technician and we have gone counting. North Korea has provided Russia with an artillery arsenal that includes since Obuses D-74 122 mm to self -propelled cannons 170 mm Koksan and multiple launcher 240 mm mlrs. The latter, According to Budanovthey have proven precise and troops in the field Battle, which explains that Russia has already received 120 units and it is expected that the shipments continue. And much more. In addition, Korea has sent about 11,000 soldiers To the Russian Oblast of Kursk, evidencing that his commitment to Moscow goes far beyond logistics. He also recalled the agreement reached by the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Serguéi Shoigú, during his visit to Pyongyang, whereby the Entrance of “Labor migrants” North Koreans to replace the exit of Central Asian workers, considered vulnerable to Western infiltration. Budanov warns That many of these “workers” could end up signing military contracts, becoming de facto in Russian soldiers of North Korean nationality, thus expanding the North Korean presence in the front without officially declaring it. Military survival. If you want also, strengthening North Russia – Corea It responds not only to immediate operational needs, but to long -term strategic interests. Moscow obtains armament, soldiers and time. On the other sidewalk, Pyongyang receives technology, implicit diplomatic support and A unique opportunity to position themselves as military power beyond the Korean peninsula. Collaboration is based on a logic of mutual survival: While Russia seeks Nuclear weapons Operational and advanced drones, raising their threat capacity, for example, South Korea and other actors in the region. Challenge to global balance. The alliance, therefore, is not just a regional problem as we indicate A few weeks ago: marks a change in the dynamics of global power, where authoritarian actors share sensitive military technology to avoid sanctions, accelerate their ambitions and challenge established balances. The battlefield in Ukraine, in this context, becomes, again, the laboratory of a new war architecture that now It transcends its borders. Image | National Police of UkrainePresidential Executive Office of Russia, MEHR News Agency, VITALY V. KUZMIN In Xataka | North Korea has been sending armament for months to Russia. In return, Russia is giving him what longs for her: a functional army In Xataka | Russia has confirmed one of the great unknowns of war in Ukraine: North Korea accompanies them and not only with troops

North Korea has run out of the Internet this weekend. The question is who uses the Internet in this country

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The Internet connection of all North Korea has fallen for several hours this weekend. At first it seemed reasonable to anticipate that the interruption of the connection could be caused by A cyber attack from the outside as response to attacks against foreign institutions and companies Orchestrated by Lazarusa group of hackers North Korean elite. However, according to ReutersSeveral experts defend that the origin of the problem lies in North Korea and not in an external cyber attack. Junade Ali, a United Kingdom researcher who monitors the behavior of the North Korean Net They hold which seems to be an internal problem and not an attack from abroad due mainly to the fact that connections through China and Russia were also affected. In any case, the main news services of the country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Air Koryo airline were some of the web pages that remained inaccessible for several hours. North Korean citizens do not have free Internet access North Korea has one of the most restricted Internet connection infrastructure on the planet. The North Korean government controls it in a strong way with the purpose of preserving the isolation of the country against abroad and ensuring that the administration led by Kim Jong-un exercises absolute control over the information that citizens can access. In practice, the main consequence of this strategy is that North Koreans have a much more limited Internet vision than that we can form the users of other countries. Some north Korea institutions do have total access, or almost total, to the Internet Interestingly, some north Korea institutions do have total, or almost total access to the Internet. The hackers They work for the government, the political elite, the army, government agencies and scientists presumably access to many more resources on the Internet than citizens, although these groups also They are subject to strict supervision of the administration. An interesting note: North Korea is connected to the outside only through two fiber optic links. One of them links this country with China thanks to a connection managed by China Unicom, and the other unites Russia. Whatever the most shocking thing for people who live outside this enigmatic Asian country is that citizens only have access to a completely closed national intranet and controlled by the government known as Kwangmyong (in Spanish it means ‘bright light’). As we can intuit, this Intranet is isolated from the Internet and only brings together a few resources that the Kim Jong-un government considers appropriate so that they can be enjoyed by citizens, such as news and propaganda of the government itself, an internal email service, educational websites and several encyclopedias that, again, are controlled by the administration. This is all. Image | Lukas Kindl More information | Reuters In Xataka | North Korea has been sending armament for months to Russia. In return, Russia is giving him what longs for her: a functional army

North Korea threw his “greatest war boat,” he sank instantly and now he is trying to recover it with … balloons

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Last week a relevant event occurred in North Korea. The nation presented in society a destroyer who was going to become the largest warship in the nation, and for this he had announced the bombing and dish with all kinds of political representations. However, just touching water, The ship sank and ended sideways. Kim Jong-un did not come out of his astonishment and promised fix the ship In the short term. The space is showing that they are trying, although with mixed results. Balloon hypothesis. Satellite images over the weekend revealed the appearance of a kind of balloons Around the ship. South Korean and Western experts have speculated that these balloons could have various functions: Avoid new water leaks, prevent recognition from drones or relieve the weight that fell on the still stranded part on the dock. The objects have a form reminiscent of small airships or aerostatos, and some seemed to be equipped with stabilizing fins. Although traditional flotation structures such as those used by the United States (for example, air cameras under the helmet) were not detected, analysts believed that North Korean technical resources limit the options of rescue available. The position of the ship then, embedded between earth and sea, further aggravated the technical challenge, since any attempt to straighten it could fracture the keel and condemn the ship to its total scratch. Precarious advance. With this week’s entrance the satellite images captured by Planet Labs showed a great change. The North Korean frigate of Choi-Hyun class seems Finally straightened and now floated on its own in the port of Chongjin. This advance represented a modest achievement after public embarrassment that the accident for Kim Jong Un, who personally witnessed the disaster. Although Pyongyang had initially affirmed that the damage was minor and that the repair would take “About ten days”the complexity of the situation, the lack of adequate facilities and the little transparency of the regime generate doubts about the true state of the ship. Beyond Parallel and 38 North have confirmed that They have been completed the first rescue operationsbut they warn that it is still A long way to go before the frigate can be considered restored or ready for incorporation into the fleet. Technical details and limitations. The most recent image shows the boat (about 5,000 tons of displacement) floating in the center of the port, surrounded by other auxiliaries and with what they seem to be, again, rescue balloons and temporary ramps around them. Although the ship has recovered a vertical position, it presents a slight inclination towards port, indicating that it still water is being pumped and stabilizing the structure. They have not been able to accurately evaluate the damage to the helmet due to the limited resolution of the images, but experts Like Jennifer Junof the CSIS, insist that continuous monitoring will be key to assess Real progress of the works. Since the Hambuk shipyard in Chongjin does not have a functional dry dock, it is possible that the ship should be transferred to another installation if severe structural damage is confirmed, something that cannot be discarded yet. Political pressure and propaganda. What’s doubt, the political pressure imposed by Kim Jong una (who ordered that the ship was repaired before the next plenary session of the Central Committee at the end of June) has added an almost theatrical emergency component to recovery efforts. However, both analysts and South Korean military sources consider extremely unlikely that this period can be fulfilled. The reason? The lack of a Public Evaluation credible the state of the ship and the insistence of the regime to project efficiency at all costs contrast with the visible evidence: blue canvases covering damaged sections and the suspicion of internal deformations in the keel, which could inevitably compromise the integrity of the helmet. A touched symbol. As we countthe injured frigate is the second unit of its class, after the launch of the Choi Hyon in Apriland represents the most ambitious attempt of North Korea of ​​modernizing its naval power. Equipped with multiple weapons systems, these vessels are intended to be a symbolic response to the naval presence of South Korea and the United States in the region. However, the failure of the launch and the improvised rescue works have exposed the technical and logistics limitations of the country. As now He pointed 38 Norththe ruling was probably due to a malfunction of the launch mechanismwhich left the helmet trapped by the bow on the ground while the stern rushed into the water. The result was a stranded vessel in A highly unstable anglethe worst possible scenario for any naval rescue operation. Uncertain end. In summary, and although the regime can proclaim having made an advance by having put the frigate again afloat, the operational reality seems Much more uncertain. The lack of visual evidence of the state of the helmet, the absence of a suitable dry dock and the political pressure For fulfilling unreal terms they draw a panorama in which the ship could end up being more useful as a propaganda symbol than as a functional element of the North Korean navy. At the moment, the ship remains in a floating limbo: straightened, or almost, and without being operational. And above all, exposed to International viewdespite all attempts for cover Its rugged story and progress. Image | Sentinel-2, CSIS/BEYOND PARALLEL/MAXAR In Xataka | The ridiculous premiere of the “Greater War Ship” of North Korea has a great suspect: Kim Jong-un In Xataka | North Korea has been sending armament for months to Russia. In return, Russia is giving him what longs for her: a functional army

The latest in Robotics of South Korea is not humanoid or works in factories. Does something out of the ordinary: Parkour

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The physical state. As detailed in A video available on YouTube, the first step is taken by the planner, which generates possible routes from a map of the environment. That map is continuously updated with sensor and simulations data. Then, a neuronal network rules out risky options and stays with the most efficient. The tracker, on the other hand, guides the precise movements of the robot. It was trained through reinforcement learning, a technique based on trial and error, which prepared it to adapt to dynamic and challenging scenarios. To save calculation time, Raibo reuses their own footprints: the hind legs step on where they did the front before. Raibo training simulation As they count, the robot was able to run on irregular surfaces, overcome stones, cross inclined ramps, climb stairs and even jump gaps of more than one meter. It reached a speed of 2.7 meters per second. And the most surprising: if the goal moved, the robot detected and recalculated its route without help, without stopping and without losing control. Meanwhile, robotics does not stop in the rest of the world. Raibo’s advance is not an isolated case. It is part of a global wave of developments in which robotics and AI are more and more intertwined. Without ia, robots would continue to be little more than a set of sensors and engines. With AI, they are able to interpret their environment, make decisions and execute complex tasks with autonomy. Companies like Google are betting on it. With Gemini Roboticstheir last great project, have designed a system capable of controlling different types of robots in real time, understanding human language, pointing to 3D objects and adapting to new situations without prior training. The search engine giant says that his performance in unforeseen tasks doubles that of previous models. For now, this technology is in the test phase, but Google already collaborates with companies such as Apptronik or Boston Dynamics to integrate it into advanced humanoids. China is also accelerating. And it is not the only region that is investing strong in this direction. In China, humanoid robots not only train: they compete. A few weeks ago, The country celebrated a Kickboxing tournament Between four G1 robots by Unitree Robotics. He was broadcast live and showed how these machines were able to dodge blows, get up alone after falling and continue fighting with surprising agility. They are 35 kilos robots and up to 23 degrees of freedom, designed with state -of -the -art sensors, and according to organizers, new multisport competitions are already in preparation. Robots developed in China in a boxing ring And there are already robots working in real factories. Meanwhile, in the United States, some humanoid robots have left the laboratory and are entering real factories. One of them is Figure 01, that has long worked in a BMW plant in South Carolina. This robot, developed by the Figure company, can open doors, climb stairs and manipulate objects autonomously. Of course, it still moves slowly and needs to be connected by cable permanently. Parkour as the advancement of the future. All this helps to understand why Raibo’s case is so fascinating. It is not humanoid, nor has it been created for industry or home. But it shows that, combining real -time decision algorithms with light hardware and advanced training, it is possible to create machines that not only execute orders, but also improvise and have an agility that causes vertigo. Touch to wait to know how these advances find a place in really useful applications. There will be the real leap. Images | Robotics & Artificial Intelligence Lab In Xataka | Nvidia desperately seeks engineers for its Taiwan R&D center. They even accuse you of “stealing them” to TSMC

Now we know why North Korea has never left Ukraine. Send missiles to Russia has made it a power

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For a while nobody has heard more about North Korean troops In the Ukraine War. However, the nation has never left the conflict in Eastern Europe. In fact, now it has been known The scope of the collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang. While North Korean missiles arrived in Russia, another package of measures and artillery has been transforming the military capacity of North Korea. A war and its missiles. I told yesterday The Guardian. A prepared report For the UN sanctions multilateral group of the UN, it has revealed that Russia is using North Korean armamentincluding ballistic missiles and heavy artillery, to intensify their attacks against Ukrainian cities and destroying critical civil infrastructure. According to this consisting team by 11 countries (Among them the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and several EU nations), the Kim Jong-un regime has sent Moscow More than 20,000 containers With ammunition since September 2023, equivalent to some nine million projectiles of artillery and rockets. This massive arms supply, a VIOLATION OF RESOLUTIONS The UN Security Council has allowed Russia to hold and intensify its long -distance bombing campaign, especially in urban areas such as Kyiv and Zaporiyia. From Korea to Russia. The revelation arrives shortly after Kim and Putin signed An association treaty Comprehensive strategic in the summer of 2024. The same compromises both powers to Attend mutually If one of them is attacked. This pact formalizes a military alliance that already It had been brewing de facto through the systematic exchange of armament, technology and military personnel. The transfer of weapons It is not limited To projectiles: North Korea has supplied Russia Balistic missilesLong -range multiple launches, self -propelled cannons and other advanced ammunition, sent by sea, air and rail. Military Renaissance. For decades, North Korea dragged a chronicle inability to modernize His army. Isolated by international sanctions, devastated by natural disasters and impoverished by its own autarkic policy, Pyongyang maintained an oxidized military apparatus, with Soviet technology from the mid -twentieth century and insufficient resources to update it. However, and as explained this week The New York TimesRussian invasion to Ukraine has offered Kim Jong-un an unexpected opportunity: a military power needy ammunition, soldiers and conventional material. In exchange for supplying those millions of projectiles and thousands of troops, Kim has received from Moscow Fuel, food, technological assistance and a flow of weapons, components and knowledge that have completely transformed the North Korean military industry. Expanding arsenal. Thanks to this tacit exchange pact, North Korea has multiplied its capacity Armamentistic HE They have identified Modernized tanks with electronic war systems, attack drones led by artificial intelligence, advanced anti-aircraft systems, air-air missiles and naval destroyers equipped with supersonic cruise missiles. Ha also Test missiles Antiacera under the direct supervision of Kim, who has intensified his visits to ammunition factories and military facilities. He kamikaze drones trial With self -destruction capacity, directed by AI, it has been one of the most striking acquisitions, reducing the South Korea gap in the field of conventional weapons. These improvements reflect a Russian technological transfer that would have been unthinkable in the recent past. Troops, experience and diplomacy. Kim has not only exported ammunition. I remembered the Times that has also sent up to 15,000 soldiers North Koreans to the Russian Front, mainly in the Kursk region. Although Moscow initially hid his presence, in the end he recognized his participation as “significant”. For the North Korean regime, this deployment has an incalculable formative value: thousands of soldiers get real experience in combat, returning as veterans, something that not even the South Korean army can exhibit. According to analyststhis symbolic and strategic component full of pride to Kim and reinforces its internal and external image, providing it with greater margin of maneuver against key actors such as Trump or Jinping. If you want also, the result is a north Korea more assertivewith renewed military muscle and expanded negotiation capacity. North Korea nuclear submarine A pact without sanction. It is another of the legs that derive from the alliance. The Cooperation with Russia has allowed North Korea avoid effectively The sanctions of the UN Security Council, which explicitly prohibit the arms trade with the Kim regime. Plus: The Ukrainian conflict has facilitated A perfect route To overcome those restrictions. Moscow needs projectiles and soldiers, Pyongyang Technology and validation. The relationship, which began as A practical exchangehas been institutionalized with the signing of that alliance treaty that we commented. Since then, North Korea has intensified the construction of new destroyers Navales, has reactivated its program Nuclear submarines and has expanded its ammunition industry, multiplying by four its production of artillery projectiles. Naval ambitions. And of all, one of the most disturbing advances We commented recently: The presentation of Choe Hyon destroyerthe first of its class in decades, armed with cruise missiles similar to Russian 3m22 Zirconpotentially nuclear. To this is added the construction project of A nuclear submarinewhose only possibility is a qualitative leap in Pyongyang’s offensive capacity. Although many experts doubt that Moscow dares to share naval nuclear technology (especially a compact reactor for submarines), the fact that North Haya publicly shown The beginning of its construction suggests an unprecedented level of ambition. Its existence, even incomplete, already alters the strategic calculations of the United States and Japan in the Pacific. Errors and improvisations. No doubt, this meteoric advance is not exempt from errors: the recent shipwreck Of the second destroyer, which occurred shortly after his launch, caused Kim’s anger and the arrest of several officers. The incident reveals the pressure that the North Korean leader is exercising on his technical and military apparatus to accelerate development deadlines. Even so, with the support of Russia, these failures do not seem to stop the general rhythm of modernization. Kim has proposed to fulfill the ambitious arms program announced in 2021, and with the resources and knowledge acquired from Moscow, it is closer than ever to achieve it. Power rebalancing. Meanwhile, for Seoul, Tokyo and Washington, the North Korean military transformation … Read more

North Korea was going to throw his greatest war boat and ended up sinking it into the sea. Everything points to a culprit: Kim Jong-un

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Making a fool of it is something that It is not anyone’s pleasure. Surely you have ever stumbled down the street and looked around to see if someone had seen you. Now, imagine that what stumbles is a Military ship of 5,000 tons and several million dollars and sinks at the time of its premiere. That is what happened last week when Kim Jong-un He witnessed how His brand new war ship sank before the impotence of all those present and under the watchful eye of the rest of the planet. And everything indicates that the error was because, as the Spanish proverb points, the hurry are not good. Short. Days before the event, satellite images They showed both the vessel and a scenario in which what seemed to be an observation zone. Probably, the place from which Kim Jong-un was going to witness that historic moment. And the truth is that it was historic, but not for the reasons he would have wanted. On May 23, during the launch ceremony of the new North Korean destroyer (the second of its most advanced class), all attendees in the front row and the world was witnesses of a Technical failure that ended in disaster: the ship overturned. That symbol of power, with 143 meters in length and 74 vertical missile launch cells, ended up ridiculous. How do we float it? Satellite images later Analyzed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, or CSIS, they showed the ship partially sunken with tarps that covered the disaster. And, although at first the rush was blamed, we now have more clues about everything that could go wrong. Obviously, there is no official information from North Korea, but in The New York Timeswe can see that there are analysts who are quite clear what the problem was. Or the sum of them. Image | CSIS/BEYOND PARALLEL/MAXAR When a ship is finished, there is Several ways to ‘throw it’ into the water. We have the sliding launch in which the ship slides on a ramp into the water. The dry dock in which the ship is built in a dry dock and, once finished, the water dike is filled (That is done with cruises). Also the mechanical launch by cranes, the launch with airbags that are placed under the ship and allow it to slide to the water. And the side launch that drops the side ship into the water. Normally, a single technique is used, but in the North Korean destroyer disaster it seems that sliding and side techniques were used. And not because that’s how it was planned. Perfect storm. As noted The New York TimesIt was the first time that analysts watched North Korea use the side launch to throw a war ship. This technique is sure if it is done well, but in Large ships It is more likely that a problem appears, with dire consequences if it happens. The reading of the analysts is that, using that technique for a 5,000-ton ship points to a lack of experience added to the political pressures by Kim Jong-un to achieve rapid results. The destroyer was manufactured in the port city of Chongjin that has experience assembling ships of such magnitude, but not something as huge as this ship. This puts on the table that a possible trigger was that inexperience When throwing such large ships. In the absence of a dry dike of the appropriate size, it is estimated that the engineers tried the lateral launch to throw it into the water, but the angle was not correct and, when trying to slide it, the ship was unbalanced and ended up lying on the right side. When it goes well, as happened with this fighting ship of 3,500 tons in 2013, it is worth seeing: And it can also go wrong: The hurry are not good. Interestingly, this destroyer is from Choe Hyun classwhose first model was inaugurated successfully Last month. It was going to be the second great frigate of North Korea and the new example of that naval remodeling that Kim Jong-un is promoting. And the precedents were good: the first It was built In the city of Nampo and, because it is a larger shipyard, they could put it afloat through the technique of dry dock. There were no major problems and, at the inauguration, the ruler saw how test missiles were thrown successfully. However, there are hurry in the government dome to follow demonstrating to the world its military potentialwhich has led the president to visit the shipyards who are building new ships to accelerate delivery deadlines. In addition, there are information They point out that, although the ship could have thrown out correctly, the ocean exit street is narrow and has a questionable depth. I made a. pic.twitter.com/urflog6leo – Dr. Jeffrey Lewis (@armsControlwonk) May 22, 2025 Firm hand. And who will pay for this? At the moment, the ridiculous has resulted in several arrests of members of the responsible shipyard itself. The Central News Agency of Korea reported that the chief engineer, a senior armament official and another member of the installation had been arrested, and Kim himself described The accident as a “criminal act”, demanding An urgent restoration of the ship before June. Country engineers estimate that, pumping seawater, they can straighten the ship and repair damage. And it will take about ten days to do it, but it seems complicated because, after a week, Keep as it was. Sentinel-2 images of May 23 and 28. Despite the clouds, we can see that the destroyer continues exactly at the same point And sarcasm. From South Korea, which always have an eye and a half placed in what their neighbors doThey think something else. Yang UK is an expert in North Korean military affairs of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul and, as Tnyt comments, the incident may not be only an accident, but something caused by a structural imbalance on the ship itself. … Read more

Russia has made its combat drones fly higher. Ukraine has found the solution in North Korea: balloons

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The war in Ukraine has raised drones as Great actors of the contest, and the nation itself as one of the Referents in the industry. However, Russia has not stayed to the saga. In fact, the air conflict has entered into a new critical phase marked by the technical evolution of Moscow’s attack drones. Ukraine’s response to support his unmanned army has found it in a simple tactic that has used North Korea With its “neighbors”, and vice versa: hot air balloons. The new threat. As we said, the air battle is being reinforced on the Russian side with the use of drones that fly faster and higher That ever, which makes them more and more difficult to intercept with the current resources of Ukrainian defensive units. Oleksiy, subcomandante of a mobile air defense unit of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine, revealed over the weekend In Insider that traditional trucks equipped with mounted machine guns are no longer effective against these objectives, especially when drones fly more than 2,400 meters altitude, outside the reach of .50 caliber as The m2 browning They usually use these missions. Evolution of Shad-136. Already We have spoken previously of this model. The main weapon in the Russian aerial offensive is still The Shahed-136a Kamikaze drone of Iranian origin that Moscow manufactures locally. Originally designed to fly more than 185 km/h with an explosive load of about 40 kg, the models represented a cheaper weapon than cruise missiles, which allowed Russia to display them in mass attacks. However, Moscow has begun to use A modified version of the Shahed, an equipped with a more powerful engine capable of reaching speeds greater than 290 km/h, and also carries an explosive load more than double the initial. According to Oleksiythis improvement in speed and destructive capacity complicates defense work, and although conventional models are still used, their threat has increased significantly. Decoys and saturation. Another tactic that is making a dent is the systematic use of Drones Lego Without explosive load, whose objective is not to damage directly, but exhaust resources Ukrainian air defense. These devices accurately imitate armed drones and force defensive units to spend ammunition or missiles in false whites. In addition, they can carry out long -distance recognition missions, expanding Russian intelligence capacity. The result is a Systems overload of surveillance and a decrease in interception rates, since mobile units can only observe and report, without effective means of immediate response to drones to great altitude. The challenge of altitude. Drones used to fly at low level to avoid radars, but now they do it at heights that exceed the response capacity of mobile machine guns, becoming unattainable objectives. According to Oleksiythe solution involves reinforcing these units with portable air defense systems, acquaintances Like manpads (Man-supply Air Defense Systems), such as FIM-92 Stinger Americans or the old 9k38 Igla Soviet, designed to intercept low altitude aircraft, but effective against drones in certain circumstances. The problem, however, It is double: There is a shortage of these systems and not all operators have been trained to use them efficiently. Balloons appear. And suddenly, Ukraine has begun to use A tactic that We have been Seeing in The “Korea”: The use of hot air balloons, although in this case with a variable. In an increasingly defined conflict by aerial domain and intensive use of drones, the Ukrainian nation is betting on that ingenious low -cost solution and high efficiency to overcome the communication challenges posed by the modern battlefield: captive balloons full of helium, but equipped With radio repeaters. This unexpected tool comes from Aerobavovnaa Ukrainian startup founded in 2024 that has managed to significantly reinforce the operational capacity of drones (both terrestrial and aerial) extend your scope and keep the signals stable in saturated environments by interferences and topographic obstacles. How they work and what they solve. The system is so simple as revolutionary: Balloons anchored to the ground, made of light polymers and capable of rising up to a kilometer high, carry antennas and repeaters that act as aerial bridges for communication between operators and drones. This allows to overcome one of the most common problems of the use of drones in mountainous or urban areas: the loss of direct vision linethat interrupts the signal and returns useless to the device. According to The founder explained to Insider From Aerobavvna, Yuriy Vysooven, the problem is especially critical for terrestrial drones, whose point -to -point signal does not exceed the first hill. With balloons, operators can maintain control even in hostile environments, expanding the effectiveness of recognition, attack and surveillance missions. Agile display and evolution. Although the use of aerostatos is not new, Aerobavovna has redesigned its application military for the demands of the Ukrainian front. Its current models can be deployed in just five minutes (twenty -five in adverse conditions) and remain in the air up to seven consecutive days, with a payload of up to 25 kg. This capacity allows not only to transmit control signals for FPV drones, but also operate from A high position no need for towers or fixed infrastructure. The company has even developed an advanced version that can transport up to 30 kg of load, which opens the door to the use of more powerful electronic war systems from the air, without compromising mobility or speed of deployment. The challenges: precision and stability. No doubt, despite its success in the field, Aerobavovna It faces important technical difficulties, mainly related to aerostate stability in suction conditions. The accuracy in the orientation of the antennas is critical for the transmission of FPV signals, and any un controlled movement can compromise the entire operation. Air turbulence negatively affects the exact positioning of repeaters, which must be kept motionless and perfectly aligned so that the signal does not degrade or lose. This converts system stability into A priority challengeespecially when capabilities with heavier loads are extended. The production problem. It is the last great “but” of the invention. Currently, Aerobavvna produces … Read more

North Korea has just launched its impressive frigate with a vertical missile system. He has sunk

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Satellite images, those imposing air views from space, have allowed us to see our planet from Another perspective. These snapshots make screenshots To analyze how it affects the passage of time, for example, to the environmentbut also for reveal other secrets. An example of this we saw recently, when in North Korea it appeared An imposing construction that left little doubt. That half -finished frigate has appeared in society. And it has not lasted much afloat. A naval failure. It happened few hours ago. The launch ceremony of the second most advanced frigate in North Korea, held in the port of Chongjin with the presence of Kim Jong Un, ended in disaster when The ship overturned sideways after a technical failure during its side launch. Satellite images Subsequent show the nave tilted next to the spring, partially sunk and covered with blue canvases to hide the incident. The incident, qualified by Kim himself as A “criminal act” As a result of an “absolute negligence”, it was publicly recognized unusually rapidly by state media, in an attempt to anticipate the inevitable dissemination of satellite images. Official research points to a Bogies failure (The cars that support the helmet during the slip) that caused an asymmetric detachment and the consequent structural imbalance. Kim has demanded a Urgent restoration Before the plenary meeting of the central committee of the party in June, although experts doubt that this is possible given the magnitude of the damages. A sunk symbol. The sinister frigate belongs to the same class as The Choi Hyonlaunched In April From the western port of Nampo, and it is, with its 5,000 tons Dear, the largest North Korean war ship to date. Designed not only for coastal defense but also for strategic projection operations, the Choi Hyon class stands out for its 74 launch cells Missile vertical (VLS), which could house from ballistic missiles to supersonic cruise or advanced anti -aircraft defenses. They counted in The New York Times That the construction speed of these frigates, unprecedented in the country, suggests a somewhat hurried and politically motivated campaign, more focused on propaganda than in naval operability. In fact, during the armed tests of the Choi Hyon He suspected that still lacked complete propulsion systems, which reinforces the idea that key phases of development have been ignored with such With the terms of the regime. The lateral launch. Apparently, the method used (the lateral launch, unusual in North Korea) required a precise distribution of weight along the helmet, as well as a specialized infrastructure. According to him CSIS analysis (Center for Strategic & International Studies), the ruling could be due to the poor condition or poor installation of the rails of the side slide, aggravated by the fact that the Hambuk shipyard, selected to build this second frigate, It lacks experience in large tonnage ships. Traditionally, this shipyard has limited itself to minor vessels, such as chargueros or patrols, which raises doubts about its suitability for a program of such a magnitude. Plus: The simultaneous use of cranes and barges, detected days before launch, could have contributed to collapse structural. Political impact and consequences. A failure of this caliber always has consequences, but in a space like North Korea perhaps more. Beyond the technical error, the incident represents a considerable setback for the naval aspirations of Kim Jong Un, who seeks Transform the Navy Popular Korean (KPN) in a water force capable of strategic offensive operations. Failure not only puts that narrative in check, but It exposes vulnerability of a program that mixes excessive ambition with insufficient industrial capabilities. In fact, Kim has promised severe punishments To those responsible, which could translate into personal repercussions for engineers and officers of the shipyard. Although it has not yet been determined if the ship is a total loss, its recovery seems unlikely in the short termand any delay directly undermines the political schedule of the regime. Little operational effort. As we said and underlined In the Washington Postthis frigate program, rather than building a really capable naval force, seems oriented to reinforce the image of North Korea as self -sufficient military power before its population (and the world). Kim’s presence in the tests, the deployment of experimental missiles and the media fanfare that surrounded the Choi Hyon class indicate that the goal was more prestigious than tactical. However, the simple existence of these platforms, potentially armed with nuclear missiles, represents a latent threat that, of course, should not be underestimated. Under that context, the failure of the launch in Chongjin is not only a technical setback: it is a symbolic blow to the heart of Pyongyang’s strategic story. Image | Maxar Technologies, Csis In Xataka | North Korea has built a resort so great that it now faces another problem: find tourists to fill it In Xataka | Russia has confirmed one of the great unknowns of war in Ukraine: North Korea accompanies them and not only with troops

Japan went to South Korea as a desperate measure for the lack of rice. They have not even solved a national emergency

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To understand what is happening in Japan we must go back in time. The summer of 2024 left A perfect storm On the basis of the nation’s diet: rice. A unprecedented shortage of grains in his own fields began to leave No stock to shops. Then, the tourist boom has duplicate the problem turning it into a historical crisis reflected in a fact: 30% more expensive was being paid. Given the danger to running without a basic pillar, the decision was made “Release” tons of your reservations. What nobody could anticipate. Foreign rice. In April, La Nación opted for another unprecedented decision in 25 years: Import rice From South Korea, an unthinkable measure in a society Historically reluctant to the foreign grain, but that was forced to make its customs more flexible to the vertiginous increase in the price of the national grain. With prices that They doubled their value Regarding the previous year (reaching 4,214 yuan by 5 kg in April) and with a government response that fails to contain the climbing, consumers have begun to look beyond their borders. Not just that. The Aeon chain He also announced which will begin to sell American rice Calrose starting next month, with a price 10% lower than the Japanese grain, a decision that could mark a turning point in consumption habits. In front of national rice. The arrival of South Korean rice, sold both online and in supermarkets, although even in small volumes (just two tons with another twenty on the way), marked a point of cultural and economic inflection. The nationalist preference for local rice, which had condemned to failure Previous attempts such as that of Thai rice in 1993, has yielded to the urgency of more accessible prices. The Guardian told Cases of testimonies such as that of Miki Nihei diner, who said not to notice any difference when eating Californian rice, and revealed a change in public perception: the quality of foreign grain was no longer a sufficient reason to resist, when the pocket suffers. The rice becomes a politician. Now, a few weeks after crucial elections for the Upper House, the government of the Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru ishiba is on the edge of political collapse Given the growing discomfort by the exorbitant increase in the price of rice, central food in Japanese food. With inflation that has reached the most symbolic product in the country, citizens have expressed their frustration in surveys such as that of the Kyodo agency, which places the approval of the Ishiba cabinet in a minimum of 27.4%marking a fall of more than five points in just one month. The pressure intensifies not only from the opposition, but also from its own Democratic Liberal Party (PLD), already weakened after lose most In the lower house last fall. THE DEBATE ON THE Impost to consumption Of 10%, that the government refuses to reduce despite popular claims, is emerging as the decisive axis of the electoral contest of July, with almost three quarters of voters asking for their total or partial cuts, especially in food. A late remedy. As we said at the beginning, in an attempt to contain the crisis, the government decided to release rice from the strategic reserves In March, a normally reserved measure For natural disasterswhich failed to stop the price increase. The price price in supermarkets reached practically Double of what cost a year ago. Although the price dropped minimally after the release of the first 300,000 tons, the results were disappointing. To reinforce his strategy, the executive announced the launch of another 300,000 tons Additional until July, with the novelty that part of these items will overcome wholesalers to reach the points of sale faster. However, More than 87% From respondents believe that these actions are insufficient, and citizens do not trust that trade negotiations with the United States focused among other issues in rice imports will be resolved in favor of Japan. From there to that leap For the search for “foreigner” rice In South Korea. A political fire. The theme has become more violent in recent days. It happened when the Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Taku Eto, unleashed A political storm and socially by declare that “he has never had to buy rice” thanks to the gifts he receives from his supporters. The phrase, pronounced during a fundraising party, was disseminated by the Kyodo and quickly replicated agency by other meansgenerating a wave of indignation in social networks where thousands of citizens, faced at record prices of the Japanese basic food, demanded their immediate resignation. Eto, visibly pressed, apologized the next day before the journalists, claiming that “he had exaggerated to please the public” and that his wife, after reprimanding him on the phone, reminded him that she Yes Buy Rice When it ends at home. Thus, he avoided responding if he will present his resignation, leaving the tension generated in full countdown to the key elections of the upper house in July. A market that does not supply. In short, the Rice search Out of the nation is not (alone) a commercial turn that responds only to the registration of the national product, but (also) to the suspicion of hoarding by distributors, logistics bottlenecks and a Shot demand For booming tourism. Given this panorama, the image of ishiba as an effective manager It wobblesand its refusal to touch the consumption tax is interpreted as disconnection with the real needs of citizenship. The rice crisis is not only forcing logistics and commercial adjustments, but also raises questions about the viability of food self -sufficiency in Japan, a country that for decades has shielded its agriculture with subsidies, tariffs and a national identity speech linked to the consumption of domestic rice. Suddenly, the rice not only feeds: it also marks the measure of discontent. Image | Ilo Asia-Pacific In Xataka | Japan had used its rice reserve against earthquakes or tsunamis. Now is your weapon against the price escalation In Xataka | In Japan there … Read more

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