About
About me:
- South Dakota’s foremost authority on North Korea. Used to live here, went to law school, joined the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, served in South Korea from 1998 to 2002. Went native, came back to America. Lawyer in Washington, D.C. by day, gadfly and contrarian by night.
- Helped the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, draft the bills that became law as the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act, Public Law No. 114-122; the Korean Interdiction and Modernization of Sanctions Act, Title III of Public Law No. 115-44; and various bills for various members since then.
- Since its humble beginnings in January 2004, this site has been cited by news reports and editorials in The Wall Street Journal (here, here, here, here, and here), Reuters, The New York Times, The Washington Post (this interactive and this story, and here, here, here, here, here, and here), The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, CNN, The Daily Beast, and in a New York Times op-ed by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Adam Johnson, and in this report by the Congressional Research Service.
- Published op-eds in The New York Times (here and here), The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN.com, and Foreign Policy (with co-author, Professor Sung-Yoon Lee). And a bunch of others, which I’ve listed here.
- Published this legal analysis of North Korea sanctions in The Fletcher Security Review and this analysis of North Korea’s state sponsorship of terrorism, which North Korea’s state media denounced on May Day 2015.
- Testified in 2006 before the House International Relations Committee (as it was then known) regarding the state of the U.S.-South Korean alliance, rising anti-Americanism, and the inadequacy of legal protections for U.S. soldiers in South Korean courts.
Disclaimers:
- The views expressed here are not those of any other person, organization, or entity; they are the author’s alone. Specifically, they don’t represent the views of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, or its Chairman, members, or staff. The commenters’ views are also their own.
- Discussion of legal subject matter is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. The material I post on this blog is either from open sources or unclassified information provided by readers.
- When I link to published articles, papers, posts, or other sources, I presume them to be reliable unless I say otherwise. Newspapers don’t e-mail bloggers if they correct their stories; too often, they don’t correct their stories at all. If you believe anything I write or link here is inaccurate, kindly drop a comment or e-mail me and I’ll cheerfully correct the post. Your comments contribute to the quality of this blog. I appreciate corrections, and I’ve actually formed friendships with readers specifically because of corrections.
- I occasionally frequently criticize and occasionally approve of things politicians or candidates say, but I don’t endorse parties or candidates or tell you how to vote. You don’t care, and I don’t pretend otherwise. (OK, I did make one very special exception.)
- I don’t accept ads or donations (as if). I run this site on my time and pay the operating costs out of my own pocket.
Comment Policy:
- Stay on topic.
- Be polite: Don’t attack other people because of their race, gender, nationality, or religion. No doxing; leave private or personal details about other people out of the discussion. Profanity is tolerated as long as it helps illustrate your point or appeals to my subjective sense of humor, but don’t direct it at other participants in the discussion.
- No commercial links.
- No sock puppetry. If you’ve posted here under one online identity, use that identity or comment anonymously.
- I reserve the right to delete comments that are just plain stupid, or to put the authors of consistently stupid comments into moderation. It’s an unfortunate fact that stupid comments drive away intelligent ones, and if you doubt me, just have a look at that principle in action. Different bloggers take different views of how to approach this — to each his own. I’m just trying to create a small, safe space for intelligent discussion on one narrow range of subjects, on one small site I built with my own time and money. There’s plenty of room elsewhere on the Internet for caps-locked rants about why fire doesn’t melt steel, why Bush is Hitler, why Gitmo is exactly the same as Auschwitz, or how Barack Obama covered up his Moldovan birth certificate.
That said, I especially welcome dissenting views. All I ask — and this applies equally to everyone — is that you keep it reasonably civil and intelligent, and support your views with supporting links where necessary. Comments should contribute to our knowledge and the quality of our thinking.
Contact: onefreekorea(at)yahoo(dot)com
About The Banner Image: It’s is a NASA low light level image of the Korean peninsula taken on the night of April 15, 2001. I first saw this image when I was serving with the U.S. Army in Korea when it became popular to put this image, and perhaps other similar images you can find on the Web, on soldiers’ farewell plaques.
I found this particular image here, at the Web site of the left-of-center Federation of American Scientists, after Christopher Hitchens linked it in his excellent article, “Worse than 1984: North Korea, Slave State. Click to see it full size.
To make the banner image, I cut the Korean peninsula out of the original image, put it on a transparent background, changed the eerie green boundary lines to gray, and restored the extreme northeastern parts of North Hamgyeong Province, which had been cut out of the original image. On occasion, I get e-mails accusing me of altering this image, suggesting that I dimmed or grayed out the lights of Pyongyang or other cities in the North (I didn’t). Examine the original image. A small amount of light is visible in Pyongyang if you look closely at my banner. Can’t see it? Well, here it is full size.
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Stray comment the other day about “38 North.” I read them, and I read you. Some of their stuff seems a little opaque, but the photo analysis seems pretty objective. Just wondered what the essential nature of the critique was of that site. I can be reached by e-mail.
https://blog.getyounity.com/flash-drives-for-freedom-using-technology-to-make-a-difference/
I just came across this site today…and spent most of the day reading it!
Fantastic resource. Thank you Joshua, you’ve done a tremendous job.
Regards,
Tony.
Australia.
Good afternoon, I am contacting you because I was looking at satellite imagery of North Korea on Google Maps and found an image of some written Korean characters on the ground near the Musudan middle test site, I was hoping you could tell me what they mean
Please reply with an image or coordinates.
Hi Mr. Stanton, are there any sources for information or groups working on post-reunification economics?
I am quite surprised at the extent of Malaysia’s complicity in North Korean crimes. I spent time in Malaysia in 1971, and was under the inpression that Malaysia was rather more cautious in her dealings with Communist regimes. This latest episode just reaffirms a basic fact: trying to deal North Korea is like trying to shake hands with a rattlesnake; you will only get bitten. Thanks, Captain Stanton!
It’s been a very long time since anyone called me “Captain Stanton.” 🙂
NK slave labor in Russia – thought you might be interested in this (http://www.josimar.no/artikler/the-slaves-of-st-petersburg/3851/) recent article
Appreciation to my father who told me on the topic of this website,
this website is genuinely amazing.
I have never met you but I have the utmost respect for who you are and how passionate you are about the things you advocate for.
Because you ARE a lawyer, husband, father, patriot, Colonel, expert, a bulldog, owner and operator of the best DPRK blog/website AND a noble human being, you are everything that I would like for my sons to be when they graduate from a law school (Beasley Law, Temple, Philadelphia) and a medical school (TBD), respectively.
The major media networks around the world need more of your perspective whenever the name “kim jong un” is mentioned….
How nice of you.
But I was never a colonel.
“Colonel Stanton”; that has a nice ring to it. Any thoughts about joining the Reserves?
I had, a few years ago. Too old.
““Colonel Stanton”; that has a nice ring to it. ”
No doubt. Additionally, a title “the top adviser” to any influential person who dares to tackle the convoluted (not by us), complicated (thanks to Xi/China, Moon Jae In and his misguided cronies), and obligatory response (how much more should innocent victims suffer) to Kim Jong Un is in order…
I found this site via David Hawk’s “The Hidden Gulag,” and I’ve been obsessively reading for days. This site is incredibly well-organized, informative, professional but never dry or supercilious, and engaging. Thank you so much for all of the time and energy you’ve put into this. It’s sad that human rights aren’t the world’s top priority (even when countries say they are), but as long as there are passionate people trying to make a difference, then there’s hope for change. It all starts with shining a light on the problem.
Dear Joshua Stanton,
My name is Kyung Rhee. I am a reporter at Radio Free Asia.
I am working on an article that analysis of UN resolution 2371.
I have a few questions.
– What are the implications of UN resolution 2371?
– What is your opinion about UN resolution 2371?
– What is the prospect of this sanction?
Overall analysis of the Resolution 2371?
Thank you in advance.
To Kyung Ha Rhee: Answered here: https://freekorea.us/2017/08/05/unscr-2371-text-and-commentary/
Hi, I was just messing around on google earth as I do, and I noticed a couple of things I was wondering if you could help shed light on.
First of all, here https://www.google.com.hk/maps/@41.7895804,128.3150209,15765m/data=!3m1!1e3
there are at least five rings of what appear to be clear cut forest visible. I was wondering what they are/what their function is. The first one I noticed was after looking at the complex at the left end of the field on the right side of the screen, as they seem somewhat connected.
https://www.google.com.hk/maps/@41.8044772,128.2937589,1537m/data=!3m1!1e3
Thanks
Hey I saw your article on Moon Jae-In’s sunshine policy. Well the first clause of Sunshine policy is “No armed provocation by the North will be tolerated”. Moon tolerated every missile attack launched by North in 2017. Another thing I saw on your website was that Korean population likes Moon personally,but no, including myself, he is another anti-american, pro-north korean, this time Chinese friendly. Roh Moo-Hyun 2.0 sum him up very well.
Those unknown planes are SU24’s.
You have been promoted to Colonel by the readers.
The site appears to be unreachable this morning, and returns 403 errors. I hope this isn’t another denial of service attack by his porcine majesty’s pals.
I clicked on the link because I wanted to see if you had any commentary on the apparent re-start of an attempt to claim the 13 restaurant workers were kidnapped. Any guesses about who put JTBC onto that “story”? My guess would be a lawyer.
How about now?
Workin jest fine! Only thing is, now that I can read the page, it’s confirming all my worst fears about the current state of talks, that is, I haven’t checked in on the page in a couple of weeks, and now that i have: well, you know.
Trump giving away pre-conditions on talks has given Moon the leverage to throw the switch on Sunshine Policy 2.0. Sigh.
Hi Joshua,
I left two comments on the weekend and noticed they were pending for moderation.
My comments were legitimate and free from error. I support what you do. Care to explain why my comments were deleted???
Sometimes it takes a while for me to get around to moderating them. Sorry.
Just saw a North Korean ad on CNN, extolling the glories of the DMZ, and capped with the official logo of the South Korean tourist bureau. Wondering how that happened, and exactly who paid for it, that is, is the South Korean government paying to spread NK propaganda to the CNN audience?
Dear Mr. Stanton,
Thanks for speaking with NK News. I suggested that they interview you to offset their interview with Moon Chung-In. (Or maybe they decided to do it on their own and my suggestion was coincidental.) I didn’t see an email address for you on your website, so I’m submitting my question here:
It appears Kim Jong-Un recently extorted $500 from each of his MSS agents. What effect, if any will this decree have on DPRK regime stability?
Thanks.
Dear Mr. Stanton,
I’m posting in rebuttal to your tweet on July 27th, 2019 in which you object to President Trump designating Antifa as a terrorist organization. Antifa is the armed wing of an ideology called “Intersectionality,” which makes a fundamentalist religion out of political correctness. According to its dogma, all straight white men are evil and all non-straight non-white women are good.
Every Antifa chapter should have at least one paid FBI informant.
South Korea’s “liberal” ruling party led by pathetic Moon is running once promising Land of Calm to the ground. This is what happens when you cozy up to the worst human being in our recent history. Kim Jong Un continues to kill and harm thousands of innocent people under his control (while wearing expensive watches riding in Mercedes drinking shit that he can’t even pronounce) while Moon continues to get his sorry ass KICKED by Dump Trump, Japan, China, poor economy and the obese “man” from the North.. Wake up Seoul!
I read a most interesting article on Radio Free Asia. It described efforts by North Korean citizens to steal human feces. I guess that just about sums up life North of the DMZ.
I noticed on my calender there are a couple of anniversaries to recognize:
1. 13 November 2017: A soldier of the Korean People’s Army defected through the Joint Security Area after driving a vehicle up to the Military Demarcation Line. He was later identified as Staff Sergeant Oh Chong Song. Sergeant Oh has made several guest appearances on Moranbong, a program featured weekly on Chosun TV. I am surprised at his demeanor; he does not sound or act like a bloodthirsty, vengeful liberator that the Korean Workers’ Party has tried to mold.
2. 19 November 2018: Mr. Yoon , “A Korean Patriot”, accused Mr. Stanton of being “a filthy imperialist.” I am more inclined to look for kinetic solutions to the Korean Question, whereas Mr. Stanton believes in legal and economic answers to a 69 -year-old problem. So I must correct Mr. Yoon on that point, and thank him for his concern. Incidentally, I will be on Jeju Island sometime in 2021. I will be glad to discuss the matter with him personally.
3. One unrelated item: The United Nations initiated truce talks with North Korea on July 10, 1951 at Kaesong. After 68 years, what were the results?
11 December 1969: A Korean Air Lines flight from Kangnung Air Port to Kimpo Airport was hijacked to Sondok Airfield just outside Wonsan. The aircraft, a Japanese YS-11, carried 46 passengers and and 4 crew members. Some passengers were repatriated, but none of the four crew, the 2 pilots and 2 flight attendants, were ever released. Now that 2 North Korean fishermen were sent back to North Korea under dubious charges, can the 4 crew members now be returned home?
Good morning. Here is a message and petition request about south korea’s election fraud.
Sorry, My english isn’t good. Can I ask a favor of you for freedom of south korea? Leftization of south korea is so serious. So I want to tell the world about my country’s corruption and ask for petition. Main ruling party of south korea is commie party. We had election on 2020.4.15. They manipulated the south korea election on 4.15. But they are denying manipulation. sSo We need to reveal the fact. Could you sign for south korea’s future? It should be accomplished till May.18th. We need at least 100,000 people’s agreement and petition. If we accomplish it, International electoral college can reinvestigate incident. Very easy. Here is a petition. Petition: South Korea Elections rigged deliberately by ruling party and South korea. president Moon Jae In.
Site is https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/petition-south-korea-elections-rigged-deliberately-ruling-party-and-moon-jae
After a day passes, You can contact the site and you can petite again by same email.
And many more. Please Would you help us?
After petition, White house will send message. And then You should confirm your email and obtain verification. We are fighting for freedom. Thank you.
Sincerely yours.
@Harry Kim
I signed the petition as you requested. Would you please petition your own country’s legislature to send Gene Sharp’s books into North Korea?
Bizarre. Why do you say I have anything to do with a bank in NK? May I urge to correct your madness?
Is there a specific factual statement in the post that you dispute? Which one?