News & Announcements

  By Kenji Yoshida This article was first published in The Diplomat on 4 March 2024. As the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East grind on, another conflict brews miles away in East Asia.  Wrapping up 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his military to “thoroughly annihilate” South Korea and the United States if provoked. The saber-rattling continued as Pyongyang fired some 350 artillery shells into a disputed sea in January, followed by a barrage of missile tests in recent weeks.  So far, South Korea’s response has been fighting fire with fire. President Yoon Suk-yeol has vowed that its retaliation will be “multiple times stronger” should the North take belligerent actions. Seoul’s deepening military pact with Washington and Tokyo since the Camp David Summit last August has amplified the Yoon administration’s resolve. Rising tension in the Korean Peninsula has caused many experts to speculate on what lies ahead. Two leading experts in the United States argued that the Kim regime has made a “strategic decision” to wage war, whereas an ex-U.S. diplomat warned of a possible nuclear crisis in the region.  Amid the many uncertainties, The Diplomat spoke to Moon Chung-in, former special adviser for diplomacy and national security to President Moon Jae-in (no relation). Moon, now the James Laney Distinguished Professor at Yonsei University and vice chair of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament, shared his views on the recent developments with The Diplomat. Bracing for War?  Kim Jong Un’s warmongering is worsening by the day. This year alone, the regime has launched multiple cruise and ballistic missiles from its western coast, one of which is said to have been topped with a hypersonic glide vehicle.  In the backdrop is Pyongyang’s attempt to sway South Korea’s legislative elections in April and the U.S. presidential election in November by showcasing its advanced military capabilities.  The Diplomat asked Moon if Kim’s military pursuits were merely an attention-seeking maneuver or a forecast of a serious collision course with the South.  “Verbal cues by both Kim Jong Un and Yoon Suk-yeol indicate that planned, large-scale armed conflict between the two Koreas is unlikely,” Moon said.   “Take, for instance, Kim’s speech from the December 2023 plenary meeting or one from early January. While his language is bellicose in nature, everything is conditional. In other words, Pyongyang’s actions are contingent upon the actions of Seoul and vice versa.”  Moon, however, cautioned that an “accidental clash and escalation” is plausible given the fraying inter-Korean safety net and the strained dialogue between the two nations. “Under Yoon’s presidency, the 9.19 Comprehensive Military Agreement between the two Koreas was terminated, a buffer zone in the West Sea was nullified, critical communications lines have been suspended, while rearmament in the demilitarized zone has restarted,” Moon pointed out, giving examples of how major cords of the safety net have snapped.  “With vital guardrails and infrastructures torn down and shrinking confidence-building measures, unplanned clash and escalation cannot be ruled out,” Moon added.  Continue reading in The Diplomat   Image: Goga Shutter/shutterstock.com

  Recent news stories from Tuvalu indicate the new government's priorities regarding climate change and the Falepili Union with Australia. Tuvalu's new government to seek revisions to Falepili Union Tuvalu's new government has signalled it will seek revisions to a landmark treaty signed with the Australian Government, the Falepili Union. Read more from ABC's Pacific Beat  Climate change, Falepili treaty, Taiwan on new Tuvalu governments to-do list Climate change and the impacts of sea level rise, the Tuvalu-Australia Falepili Union, and strengthening relationship with Taiwan are among the list of priorities for Tuvalu's new government. Read more from RNZ International Pacific News. Image: Tatohra/shutterstock.com

    Image: IKT collections/shutterstock.com A small team from the University of Waikato is leading a two-year project about how climate change affects people departing their homelands in Tonga and Samoa. A survey with 600 respondees revealed there's particular interest from Tongan women to leave the Kingdom, a gender difference not reflected in the Samoan respondents. Read more from Radio New Zealand International

  A new funding arrangement to strengthen climate change resilience in the Pacific has been announced during a recent New Pacific Mission delegation visit to Cook Islands, Tonga and Samoa. The New Zealand government has confirmed additional support of NZ$15.2 million over three years to help SPREP strengthen the crucial role it plays in providing advice and support in the Pacific. Read more from Radio New Zealand International

    Keep up to date with the latest news from COP28 as it relates to Pacific Island countries (latest stories at the top): Pacific campaigners not happy with COP28 deal RNZ International Pacific climate leaders have criticised the new COP28 deal, which calls on countries to 'move away' from the use of fossil fuels but does not use 'phase out' language Faith communities committed to climate action at UN talks RNZ International Secretary general of the Pacific Conference of Churches, Reverend James Bhagwan, said his organisation has been fighting for climate finance alongside a phase-out of fossil fuels. 'Buffet of dead rats':Backlash against COP28 draft agreement RNZ International The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) said they were "greatly concerned" and "feel our voices are not being heard" at the UN climate talks. COP28 'will not be credible' if countries can't 'phase out fossil fuels', Marshall Islands warns  RNZ International Marshall Islands Natural Resources and Commerce Minister John Silk told the global communithy that the poeple of the Marshall Islands will not go silently to their "watery graves". Helping the Pacific financially is a great start – but Australia must act on the root cause of the climate crisis The Conversation Wesley Morgan responds to Australia's pledge of $150M to climate finance for vulnerable Pacific countries COP28 Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery and Peace Full text of the Declaration developed by the COP28n Presidency, signed by 74 countries and 43 organisations. COP28: Pacific leaders launch "Blue Prosperity" initiative in Dubai  RNZ International Pacific leaders launched their "bold vision" which they hope will "create transformational partnerships" for a prosperous region on Sunday. Forum SG Puna bullish on COP28 opportunities  RNZ International Pacific Islands Forum secretary general Henry Puna said from Dubai Sunday that he is encouraging the dozens of Pacific representatives at COP28 to remain optimistic that a good result is achievable from the two-week summit. Regenvanu plans to cement phase out of fossil fuels at COP28 ABC Pacific Vanuatu's climate change minister, Ralph Regenvanu, says his aim at this week's climate meeting, COP 28, is to cement an ambitious phase out of fossil fuels. COP28 climate summit just approved a 'loss and damage' fund. What does this mean? The Conversation Matt McDonald writes that while the COP28 announcement is welcome, there is a lot that needs clarifying about this fund. COP28 disaster fund 'significant' but not good enough - Pacific climate group RNZ International The Pacific Islands Climate Action Network says while the Loss and Damage Fund deal reached at the COP28summit in Dubai is significant, it does not go far enough. Pacific delegates arrive in Dubai for COP 28 ABC Pacific Pacific climate activists will be pushing for global leaders to focus on limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.