Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk Thae Yong-Ho, the former North Korean deputy chief of mission at their embassy in London, has come up with the term “doctrine” to describe Trump’s policy toward North Korea. He even compares the nascent “Trump doctrine” with the “Nixon doctrine.” That’s bad news. I was following President Richard Nixon […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk SEOUL — The ongoing scandal, in which the governor of South Gyeongsang Province, Kim Kyung-Soo — a top ally of President Moon Jae-In, was involved in a computer program that automatically generated millions of “likes” or “dislikes” for polls and postings on individuals and vital topics, may have been […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk Everybody knows Kim Jong-Un has a lot to learn from the capitalist success of nearby Communist countries. No example is better than that of China, whose leaders have urged him to walk the capitalist road to success. His late father, Kim Jong-Il, was photographed during trips to China traipsing […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk NEW DELHI ― The prospect of President Trump abandoning friends and allies resonates here for reasons that have nothing to do with North or South Korea. While focusing on whatever deal he is likely to cook up with Kim Jong-Un, let us not forget the priorities in the capital […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk The revelation of another “undeclared” North Korean missile base should send shock waves through all those concerned about the safety and security of the region, notably South Korea. Actually, however, it’s hard to find ordinary people too worried about the latest report by esteemed experts at the Center for […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk China’s overwhelming trade surpluses with just about all its trading partners, notably the U.S., are hardly the only worrisome aspect of Chinese expansionism. Along with China’s aggressive militarism, we are hearing constantly about the nation’s use of “sharp power” to advance its agenda in just about every country on […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk It’s fine to talk to the North Koreans about their nukes and missiles. Go ahead and tell them they’re a threat to the world, the human race, to civilization. No problem. The North’s stock retort is they’re needed for self-defense against the Americans, who bombed our country indiscriminately in […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk WASHINGTON ― Rail travel has a special fascination for me. My home in New Jersey was near the tracks of the mighty Pennsylvania Railroad, about 45 minutes from New York. I remember watching the trains roar by as a kid, counting the number of cars on the long freight […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk NORFOLK, Virginia — The U.S. Navy is conducting new large-scale exercises from its naval base here in a show of force with broad implications for the Pacific as well as the Atlantic. While the U.S. plays down its military operations in northeast Asia, warships from Naval Station Norfolk, the […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk WASHINGTON ― We hear so much about North Korea’s secret bases that it’s sometimes easy to forget the ruckus over U.S. bases in the region. They may not be secret, but they can be controversial. Take, for instance, the huge U.S. air and marine bases on Okinawa. People over […]