Pumped!

This is coolbert:

"The Central Military Commission of the DPRK has officially announced a military alliance with Russia, and next month North Korean [military] engineers will arrive in Donetsk"

North Korean army troops the Ukraine Conflict? Finally the Norks arrive?

"Western media are pumping up information about the possible dispatch of North Korean troops to the North Military District zone"

From https://en.topcor.ru | 26 June 2024. 

"A week has passed since Vladimir Putin’s visit to Pyongyang and the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Russian Federation and the DPRK, and Western media continue to speculate about the consequences of this agreement."

"In particular, the Western press began to disperse the narrative about the imminent arrival of a contingent from North Korea in the zone of a special military operation. A number of military analysts are confident that in the near future Pyongyang will send its troops to Ukraine to 'fight side by side with Russia.'"

STRICTLY CONFINED TO MILITARY COMBAT ENGINEERING UNITS AT THIS EXACT MOMENT IN TIME?

"pumped: adjective - filled with energetic excitement and enthusiasm"

Pumped until the time they [NK] start coming home in body bags.

See previous blog entries the North Korean involvement Ukraine Conflict:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/03/nk-ru.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/01/kn-23kn-24-nk.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/01/152-mm-dprk.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/01/ammo-dprk.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2023/09/relishes.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2023/07/hailstorm.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2023/04/kpasof.html

coolbert.

BTS Jin.

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Elvis lives and he is Korean!

Jin of Korean band BTS completes his required. Man is not a shirker or malingerer. 

"First Member of South Korean Boy Band BTS Completes Military Service"

https://www.breitbart.com | FRANCES MARTEL | 12 Jun 2024 |  https://tinyurl.com/3j8rkxm8

"Fans of the superstar boy band BTS celebrated on Wednesday, as the group’s oldest member, Jin, was honorably discharged from the South Korean military, having completed his 18 months of mandatory" service.

"Jin, whose full name is Kim Seok-jin, is the first of the band’s seven members to complete his military service, which South Korea requires for all able-bodied men. Most have until age 28 to enlist in the military. BTS members availed themselves of an extension to push that deadline to age 30, but Jin formally applied to begin his service in late 2022, right before his thirtieth birthday."

See as relevant previous blog entries the Korean K-Pop band BTS:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2022/12/jin-bts.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2022/10/k-pop-bts.html

Again, before there was Jin there was Elvis. Elvis Presley. Elvis also having done honorable military service during the era of the Cold War. Elvis at the time probably the best known and most popular entertainer in the world.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_career_of_Elvis_Presley

coolbert.

Joker.

This is coolbert:

Feces - Dung -Excrement - Poop - Ordure - BM.   

Mierda - Merde -Scheiße -Merda -(pòu pòu) -(kuso) -(pae) -Хуй -تبر -חרא .

North Korea moves. A bowel movement moves.

"US troops received warning about North Korean poop balloons"

From https://taskandpurpose.com | BY JEFF SCHOGOL |  MAY 30, 2024.

"US troops received an air raid warning about balloons that North Korea floated into South Korea carrying bags of human waste and other garbage."

AIR RAID WARNING KOREA!  https://tinyurl.com/m88zzem7

"U.S. troops and their families assigned to South Korea received an air raid message warning earlier this week that may have sounded like the beginning of World War III."

"The warning was to let them know that North Korea had sent hundreds of balloons carrying human waste and other foul things across the 38th Parallel."

"The poop attack was an apparent act of retaliation against South Korean activists, who sent 20 balloons into the hermit kingdom earlier this month that carried anti-North Korean leaflets and USB sticks containing South Korean pop music and music videos."

OH, that Comrade Kim of Pyongyang is such a joker. Perhaps among heads of state unsurpassed in this area of expertise.

"joker: noun - One who tells or plays jokes. An insolent person who seeks to make a show of cleverness. (Informal) An annoying or inept person."

Decades ago a tour of duty [13 months] for an American soldier was strictly an UNACCOMPANIED hardship assignment. No wife or children period. Such was felt to be the peril.

coolbert.

 

NK & Ru.

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Tongue-in-cheek good natured humor directed at the military forces of North Korea [DPRK and Russia.

"Tongue-in-cheek: Tongue-in-cheek is an idiom that describes a humorous or sarcastic statement expressed in a serious manner."

Thanks to You Tube Shorts in both cases.

First the North Korean [DPRK]:

And for Ivan the Russian:

Comrade Kim in the DPRK. I know you do not accept that there is a North Korea or a South Korea. There is only a Korea. Any  미국 사람 American violating such a fastidious convention do so at your own peril. MILBLOGGERS in particular.

coolbert.

F-7 DPRK.

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North Korea, the Gaza War? North Korea, DPRK, the Gaza war?

War munitions North Korea DPRK as obtaining and being used by Hamas fighters?

"Hamas using North Korean weapons – Seoul"

From https://www.rt.com/news/

"South Korean intelligence agents claim the Palestinian militants have sourced rocket-propelled grenades from Pyongyang"

"Hamas using North Korean weapons – Seoul"

"South Korean [ROK] spies have accused North Korea [DPRK] of providing weapons to Hamas, but claim that supporting evidence is 'difficult to provide.' The US has made similar accusations before, which Pyongyang denies."

"Seoul's main spy agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), released a photograph on Monday of a North Korean F-7 rocket-propelled grenade, purportedly used by Hamas in its war against Israel. The agency also claimed that a picture of an F-7 rocket shared last week by US state news outlet Voice of America was genuine."

This F7, RPG, rocket propelled grenade, does not seem to be the same as the Yasin Hamas rocket propelled grenade knock-off. Nonetheless, the F-7 weapon is of North Korean origin. North Korea is often described as being one of the axis of evil  an immoral purveyor of weapons for the entire world. Yes, indeed it is so!

See various entries, the F7 and Yassin RPG rocket propelled grenade:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasin_(RPG)

https://www.arabnews.com/tags/f-7-rocket-propelled-grenade

https://cat-uxo.com/explosive-hazards/rockets/85mm-f-7-rocket

coolbert.

KN-23/KN-24 NK.

This is coolbert: 

Once again, North Korean technology on display the Ukraine Conflict. This time high technology rather than low technology.

"Video: North Korean KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missions [missiles] bomb Ukrainian positions in Kharkiv and Zaporizhia - Threats from Britain"

"North Korea's defense facts [manufacturing?] for Russia are at full capacity"

From warnews247-gr  |  06/01/2024. 

"Released video shows the Russian Army hitting Ukrainian military positions in Kharkiv with North Korean ballistic missions. Under investigation is a second strike by the Russian ED, this time in Zaporizhia." [ED = ?]

"Ukrainians and Americans have collected debris from the missile in an attempt to identify the variant of the threats that North Korea gave to Russia."

[....]

"According to reports, the DPRK ballistic missions used by Russia to attack Ukraine are KN-23 and KN-24."

"These missiles approximate the characteristics of the Russian Iskander and, therefore, can be launched by the Russian Federation's missile systems."

"Some Western analysts point out that North Korea's missiles are in some ways even better than the Russian 'protetype"' [sic].

[....]

"As for the KN-24, it is visually similar to the [USA] ATACMS, but its proven launch range is longer at 410 km [about 240 miles]."

See previous blog entry North Korean war-making munitions Ukraine conflict:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/01/152-mm-dprk.html

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2024/01/ammo-dprk.html

coolbert.

152 mm DPRK.

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Here in the nutshell as they say a You Tube Short that explains succinctly exactly what is wrong with the North Korean ammunition 152 mm that has been supplied to the Russian. Bang stuff goes off prematurely, explodes, sometimes mortally dangerous to the user

See my very recent blog entry this very topic.

Russians, no longer using the 1 million rounds of ammunition they purchased from the North Koreans finally be too unstable and again poses a little danger to the user

Undoubtedly much of North Korean industry and munitions production is very similar. Very poor quality control.

coolbert.

Ammo DPRK.

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North Korean artillery munitions unreliable and downright dangerous. The Russians have ceased using even after receiving 1 million rounds.

Courtesy an extract once more from the outstanding Internet Strategy Page and thanks to same. 

"Procurement: Notorious North Korean Munitions"

From https://www.strategypage.com

"December 23, 2023: South Korea collects a lot of useful intelligence on North Korea and keeps a lot of those secrets to itself. This is a common practice to prevent the target from discovering your sources or any other details of how you obtain information. With that in mind, the export of large quantities of 152mm artillery shells to Russian forces in Ukraine revealed a lot of data on the poor quality of North Korean munitions"

[....]

"North Korea quickly supplied Russia with about a million 152mm artillery shells. There were rumors that many of the North Korean shells were elderly and, according to South Korean intelligence, often unreliable as well. That turned out to be true. All this was available to the Russians who either ignored it or were desperate to get the 152mm artillery ammunition. When the North Korean munitions arrived in Ukraine and Russian troops began using the shells, they noted two things. First, that North Korean ammunition was unreliable and inaccurate. It was later discovered that the North Korean shells could also be dangerous to use. Some of the shells detonated immediately after leaving the gun barrel and eventually some detonated while inside the barrel. At this point the Russians had to stop using the North Korean shells, which had become more dangerous for the Russians users than the Ukrainians."

Everybody intuitively understands the battlefield is a dangerous place. It is even a more dangerous place when you have to worry about your own ordnance blowing up and killing you.

And to all of this Comrade Kim of Pyongyang in the DPRK would say what exactly?

coolbert.

Rivalry.

This is coolbert:

Spy satellite. North Korea [DPRK] has one, the South [ROK] now has one too! 

"South Korea Launches Its First Spy Satellite After Rival North Korea Does the Same"

"South Korea has launched its first military spy satellite, a little over a week after rival North Korea claimed to put its own spy satellite into orbit for the first time"

By Associated Press | as seen at U.S. News & World Report | Dec. 1, 2023 the tip from Freeper.

"VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) — South Korea launched its first military spy satellite into space Friday, a little over a week after North Korea claimed to put its own spy satellite into orbit for the first time as tensions rise between the rivals."

"Launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base using SpaceX’s [Elon Musk] Falcon 9 rocket, it was the first of five spy satellites South Korea plans to send into space by 2025 under a contract with SpaceX."

The ROK sees an independent capability with regard to satellite reconnaissance of North Korea as essential! Independent from American largesse. ROK too very technologically sophisticated I can imagine their "spy" satellites at least equal if not superior to the American version.

Good for the ROK! Consider also this an indication that ROK perceives America as an unreliable or potentially unreliable military partner?

coolbert.

Relishes.

This is coolbert:

The proud Russian having to swallow their pride and admit the Ukraine Conflict not going well. Negotiate that a foreign nation will provide ammunition as needed to further Russian war aims. Not exactly humiliation but close too it.

"North Korean weapons cache gives Kim a role in Putin’s invasion"

From https://warisboring.com | September 11, 2023 | original story Jon Herskovitz and Sangmi Cha | Bloomberg News

"North Korean weaponry could allow Russia to prolong the storm of steel it has rained down on Ukraine but probably isn’t advanced enough to alter the course of the Kremlin’s war on its neighbor, now well into its second year."

"Leader Kim Jong Un is expected to cross into Russia this week for his first trip outside the peninsula in four years for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The U.S. has said the meeting would focus on supplying munitions to Moscow."

With special attention to providing artillery rounds of the 122 mm and 152 mm type. Also for 122 mm rocket of the GRAD rocket artillery variety.

Additionally furnish spare parts for antiquated Soviet-era tanks of the T-54/55 and T-62 models. This also on the table for negotiation.

I can well imagine that Kim Jong Un relishes his role as a minor player on the world stage, all attention on me. Hardly does that make for a better world!

coolbert.

King.

This is coolbert:

More on Travis King. The American soldier who crossed the border into North Korea.

1."After North Korea Response, Expert Says Army Pvt. Travis King's Future Is Likely Political Pawn"

From Military.com | By Konstantin Toropin | 16 Aug 2023.

"North Korea's acknowledgment Tuesday that it is holding runaway Army Pvt. Travis King has raised fresh questions about the unusual case, but experts say the reclusive regime's statement suggests the young soldier is proving to be a poor hostage."

2. "North Korea Asserts US Soldier Travis King Crossed Border After Becoming Disillusioned With America"

https://www.military.com | 17 Aug 2023.

"North Korea asserted Wednesday that a U.S. soldier who bolted across the heavily armed Korean border last month did so after becoming disillusioned with the inequality of American society and racial discrimination in its Army. (Aug. 16) AP"

Travis having just been released from having spent three months in a South Korean [ROK] prison for disorderly behavior was on the verge of being returned to the USA. His prospects not good. More than likely was going to be tried under military law, given a sentence in the stockade and given a dishonorable discharge.

His decision to cross the border [I am wary of calling this a defection] based hardly on inequality and discrimination.

coolbert.

Hailstorm.

This is coolbert:

“We need every rocket we can get.”

Captured, not stolen?

North Korean 122 mm Grad rocket in use by the Ukrainian Armed Forces [UAF]. North Korean?

1. "‘Need Every Rocket We Can Get’ — Ukraine Using North Korean-Made Missiles Against Russian Forces"

From https://www.breitbart.com | JUNE 27 | via the Financial Times.

"The Ukrainian armed forces have been using missiles [rockets] made in North Korea to fire against the Russians despite their notorious unreliability, a report from the Financial Times has claimed."

UNRELIABLE WITH A HIGH DUD RATE HOWEVER! ROCKETS RATHER THAN MISSILES.

2. "Ukraine set to enter Crimea ‘soon’ after stealing North Korean rockets: reports"

From The New York Post ^ | July 29, 2023 | story Jacob Geanous.

"Ukrainian forces are planning to enter Russian-occupied Crimea 'soon' and have been spotted with North Korean rockets they reportedly seized from Moscow’s forces, according to reports."

Grad 122 mm rockets of North Korean manufacture in use by the Ukrainian! Purchased or captured on the battlefield. Russian having their own ordnance used against them. Injury added to insult!

According to the wiki approximately the militaries of no less than seventy nations or non-governmental militia style forces possess in their weapons inventory the Grad 122 mm rocket. Normally fired from the BM-21 Cold War era weapons system.

An entire battalion of Grad [18 firing pieces] "able to deliver 720 rockets in a single volley". 18 X 40 =720. An entire grid square of 1000 meters on a side destroyed in a matter of mere seconds.

More than likely these North Korean rockets Grad 122 mm captured on the battlefield! But who know for sure? And the Ukrainian surely not clarifying.

coolbert.

Hiel-1.

This is coolbert:

Vaguely I remember some publicity this North Korean weapon a knockoff of the Russian Poseidon nuclear-powered and nuclear-equipped underwater drone.

"knockoff: noun - An unauthorized copy or imitation"

"An explosion will blow away half of Japan: the DPRK showed a nuclear underwater drone 'Hiel-1'"

 From https://avia-pro.net  |  +2023-07-28.

"A nuclear-powered underwater drone called Hiel-1 was shown for the first time in a North Korean parade. This was a rather remarkable event in light of the ongoing nuclear tension on the Korean Peninsula."

Nuclear-powered underwater drone with ATOMIC warhead.

"In March of this year, according to the Yonhap news agency, North Korea successfully tested this underwater drone. According to the agency, Hiel-1 spent more than 40 hours underwater, which indicates its high technical characteristics and ability for long underwater missions."

"This nuclear-powered underwater drone [with atomic warhead] represents a major boost to North Korea's military capabilities and clearly demonstrates that the North Korean authorities continue to actively develop their nuclear and missile programs despite international sanctions and demands to stop these activities."

GREATLY DO I DOUBT THAT THIS WARHEAD OF THE HIEL-1 WILL "BLOW AWAY" HALF OF JAPAN. BUT IF COMRADE KIM WANTS TO THINK SO, I GUESS WE HAVE TO LET HIM.

I can only think such dire threats will only increase the Japanese resolve to increase their defense spending and perhaps even markedly so!

coolbert.

Defector.

This is coolbert:

The defector is defective!

American soldier Korea have crossed the border into North Korea. A very rare occurance! First time in forty years!

Hardly in can easily be surmised not a ideological defection however.

"About that US serviceman who 'defected' to North Korea..."

As seen at the Internet web site https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com | July 21, 2023.

"Legal sources here said Thursday that King, 23, received a 5 million-won ($3,955) fine from a court in Seoul on Feb. 8 on charges of inflicting damage on a police patrol vehicle."

"King, however, did not pay the fine and was eventually detained in a prison workshop for 48 days in line with a court ruling that he be held for one day for each unpaid 100,000 won, the sources said."

"He was accused of repeatedly kicking the back door of a police patrol vehicle in Seoul's Mapo district in the wee hours of Oct. 8 and inflicting damage that required 584,000-won worth of repairs."

The soldier King have done time in a South Korean prison for damage done to a police car and in the process of being returned to the USA decides to defect to the North Koreans. The soldier King merely a common criminal knowing he was going to face military trial USA and perhaps additional imprisonment for his bad actions Korea.

The man foolishly ran and now his fate unknown. Nothing to get excited about here! Just move along folks.

coolbert.

Arsenal 2023.

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The Chinese want one. The South Koreans contemplate the same. Arsenal ship.

"On Point: South Korea Bets Arsenal Ships Will Give North Korea and China Second Thoughts"

https://www.strategypage.com | article by Austin Bay | May 17, 2023

"Threatened by North Korean nuclear weapons and communist Chinese conventional air and missile fires, South Korea has decided to spend serious money on an old but often spurned military concept: the arsenal ship."

"The concept is simple. Take a very large but comparatively inexpensive civilian commercial ship. Oil supertankers and huge container carriers fit the profile perfectly -- they're inexpensive when compared to navy warships."

Acquire the commercial vessel of considerable size. Gut, refurbish, retrofit with the latest bells and whistles. Development time for such a project I assume much less prior to a floating and operational naval warship.

"Now pack the ship with vertical launchers and several hundred long- and mid-range missiles capable of destroying enemy shore targets and perhaps enemy surface ships. Add short-range air and missile defense weapons and presto, enormous sea mobile firepower bang for the buck, or in South Korea's case, bang for their wons."

No mention of armaments OTHER than missiles as fired from vertical launch system. Naval gunfire, mine laying, surface-launched torpedoes, missiles of the HIMARS variety for shore bombardment not a consideration or included in a mix?

See most recent blog entry the arsenal ship [with many additional links on the same topic]:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2023/05/arsenal-2017.html

coolbert.

Vectors.

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"Vector: Biology - an insect or other organism that transmits a pathogenic fungus, virus, bacterium, etc."

"Did Canada supply 'infected insects' to U.S. Military during the Korean War?"

Biological warfare Korea the Canadian connection?

Article thanks to www.thecanadafiles.com | Written by: Jeffrey S. Kaye | March 14, 2023.

"It was late April 1952 and the Korean War was nearing its second anniversary with no end in sight. In Canada, newspapers and the Canadian government erupted in fury when it was reported that the Canadian Peace Congress’ chairman implied that Canada may have supplied infected insects to U.S. forces, who were accused of bombing the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) and China with bacteriological or 'germ' weapons."

"Quite famously, the first reports of U.S. germ warfare in 1952 came during the dead of the Korean and Manchurian winter. Critics pointed to pictures the Communists released of insects wiggling on mounds of snow. They made much of the fact that it seemed absurd to think insects could be used as weapons in such a harsh climate."

YES indeed. Insects almost totally so during a period of sub-freezing temperatures either DIE or enter a TORPID state not remaining active. Insects during the winter time a poor VECTOR for bio-warfare agents. 

That allegation made the Canadian military at a secret bio-warfare laboratory by selective breeding of insects could create a cold-weather hardy insect remaining active during the winter.

"Fort Churchill related to experiments with insect cold-hardiness or perhaps the breeding of more cold resistant insects and bacteria to be used in germ warfare during the Korean War?"

The truth is out there but perhaps will never be known with 100 % certainty?

coolbert.

KPASOF.

This is coolbert:

North Koreans to join the fight in the Ukraine? North Koreans?

"50,000 North Koreans To Join Russia In Invading Ukraine; Kremlin Offers Food For Weapons"

From www.ibtimes.com  By Danielle Ong | 03/30/23 original story REUTERS.

KEY POINTS:

* "The North Koreans may join Russia's special ops unit deployed in the war in Ukraine"

* "N. Korea's military assistance would likely have to be approved by China, says a Russian journalist"

* "It is unclear when the North Korean troops would be deployed to Ukraine"

* "Tens of thousands of North Koreans are now preparing to join the Russian army and help the country in its invasion of Ukraine, a Russian journalist claimed."

* "At least 50,000 North Koreans will join Russia's special ops [special operations] ranks in Ukraine as part of an alliance formed between Pyongyang and Moscow, Alexander Sladkov, a seasoned Russian journalist specializing in military affairs, said in his YouTube video."

Further from nuke.fas.org:

"North Korea is one of the world leaders [better stated as perhaps the world leader] in fielding Special Operations Forces (SOF). It is estimated that this force totals or exceeds 121,500 soldiers . . . They are charged with five basic missions: conducting reconnaissance, performing combat operations in conjunction with conventional operations, establishing a second front in South Korea’s rear areas, countering ROK/US special operations forces in north Korea’s rear area, and maintaining internal security."

North Korean head-knocker cut-throat killer fanatic elite special operations troops the Ukraine Conflict? Some might find this hard to imagine or even plausible but be assured the Red Army had entire ethnic Korean units on active military service and combat duty during WW2. No less personage that Kim Il Sung himself is said to have seen action as a captain in the Red Army at Stalingrad.

See my previous blog entry a cinematic version of ethnic Koreans at Stalingrad.

coolbert.

TUSK.

This is coolbert:

Russian tanks the Ukraine Conflict as stated in the previous blog entry being used in a direct-fire mode primarily [?] in support of ground forces. Excessive barrel wear as a consequence accuracy of rounds much less than desired.

Russian armor the Ukraine Conflict at some point too able to operate in the indirect-fire mode as artillery? Fire high-explosive [HE] rounds as did American tankers in Korea!

See the You Tube video:

M26 Pershing tanks indirect firing in Korea [AI, Sound, 60fps, Colorized]

Think also does 'modern American armor [M1 Abrams tank] possess a capacity allowing a ranking ground troop on the outside to communicate with the tank commander via field telephone on the inside? And the answer is yes!

Read here of the TUSK (Tank Urban Survivability Kit) system. There is merit to this. 

"The one tool I didn't expect to find on the back of the Marine Corps' main battle tank".. Here an American Marine uses the TUSK field telephone. Able to converse with the tank commander with ease!

I would like to believe also that TUSK field telephone can be connected to a company or battalion switchboard via WD-1 twisted pair of wire. M1 Abrams indirect fire support and coordination with accuracy quite feasible under such circumstances!!

coolbert.

Jin BTS.

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Jin has arrived. Jin has seen. Jin has conquered.

Jin South Korean International rock musician has begun his military service.

"K-pop star Jin from BTS begins military service"

"Jin, pictured with his new buzzcut, is going to be sorely missed by his many fans"

From www.bbc.com, the story by Jean Mackenzie | Seoul correspondent.

"Jin, the oldest member of K-pop mega-band BTS, has entered military service - the first of the group to do so."

"The 30-year-old posted a photo of himself with his new military haircut before enlisting on Tuesday. 'It looks cuter than I expected,' he said."

"As South Korea is still technically at war with its hostile neighbor North Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve in the army."

"Jin has begun five weeks' training at a boot-camp near the North Korean border."

"After this, he will reportedly be assigned to a frontline unit. This news sent his millions of adoring fans into a frenzy."

As alleged about $1 billion dollars USD in contracts will be voided or in jeopardy but honor takes precedent over dollars!

See previous blog entry as relevant to Jin BTS and the rock group K-pop with embedded additional link:

https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2022/10/k-pop-bts.html

coolbert.

K-Pop BTS.

This is coolbert:

Not shirking their military service as mandated by law. South Korean celebrities! Elvis Presley lives and he is a Korean!

See previous blog entry as relevant: https://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2022/09/bones.html

"K-Pop stars BTS will be forced to serve in South Korea’s military after all—and reconvene as a group ‘around 2025’"

From fortune.com the original story from the AP October 17, 2022.

"The members of K-pop band BTS will serve their mandatory military duties under South Korean law, their management company said Monday, effectively ending a debate on exempting them because of their artistic accomplishments."

"Big Hit Music said the band’s oldest member, Jin, will revoke his request to delay his conscription at the end of the month and undertake the required conscription steps. The six other members also plan to serve in the military, according to the company’s notice to financial regulators, which it described as management-related information that could possibly affect investment decisions."

"That other Korean 'celebrity' in 2010 having his front teeth yanked to avoid conscription and military service. That individual must now feel shamed and big time! Jin in contrast setting the standard for which he can stand proud!

About $1 billion USD in contracts are to be lost for a period of time! It can be reasonably expected too that K-Pop  BTS might not recover their luster ever? Honor however takes precedent over the won! I should hope so.

coolbert.