Putin Visits North Korea for First Time in 24 Years| What you Need to Know!!

All right, hello everybody and welcome to Geopolitical Trends, where truth matters. Excited to be with you because of this interesting topic. So I will be talking today about the Russian president's visit to North Korea. It actually ends today, I think, today or tomorrow. Then he's going to Vietnam. So I'm going to be tackling this, just to give you a heads up before I delve deeper into it, from 2 or 3 main aspects of it. One of them is geopolitical. That's, that's, that's, that's a no-brainer. Second one is an economic aspect, and third one is military. So, and this way I'll provide you my own analysis, and of course you reach your own conclusion, and we just go from there. I'm very, very excited about it because I wrote something about this. I'm going to share with you an excerpt from my book, and we just go from there. So very, very excited about it. But before I'll do all this, let me say hi to some of you guys, or all of you if I could. It's just it will take forever, right? YT, good to see you. UTU Z Super, hi to you as well, and thank you for your comment. I read your comment about, uh, another, uh, uh, stream outlets or something like that, so I'm gonna have to So far, by the way, guys, the issue that we had last time, it was an internal matter inside YouTube. So I think they fixed it, so it was no issue. And of course, that's why I didn't want to say anything, because I didn't want to jump to conclusions, you know. On my end, screen was as clear as it can be. I was able to see. If I freeze or something like this here, I will ask you. But that's why— anyway, it's worked out, you know. Hamad City, good to see you. Masian Dorcié, as always, truth seeker. Coach, uh, Bang Kosi, good to see you. David King, Taiwan Steel, uh, Karakula, good to see you. Wonky C. And by the way, guys, Farhad Razavi and Sifami, all of you guys, I thank you for your comments because it's— that's how we learn from each other. I'm very, very grateful to you. Uh, AG the Silver Bullet, Hello to you as well. And who else? Alsta Luukin, good to see you. And Lucky Guy, good to see you. Timeline Dunkley from New York, as always. MM Nasser. And, uh, who else? Yeah, the rest of you I already mentioned. So anyway, let's get into our topic here, and we're gonna be— today I am going to do geography and history. It's very important to understand this one about North Korea. And, and, uh, speaking of history, uh, it is worth, uh, knowing that sometimes, uh, we need to understand this kind of, uh, uh, aspects of why is it important. So, all right, what are we talking about today? We'll be talking about, uh, the Russian president visit already in, uh, or to rather, not in to South Korea, uh, North Korea rather. I bet I better get my act together here and focus. This is what happened with your brain when it gets scattered. Gotta focus. So, so I've been like, because I was thinking of something else completely. So, so we thought we're gonna be talking about the Russian President Vladimir Putin visit to North Korea, and here is an image here with Kim Jong-un. So, uh, before I'll do this, I need to share with you the, uh Uh, questions. All right, here are the questions, guys, and this very important to, to ask, you know. Here is the thing, and let's off the bat: is Russia going to share advanced nuclear technology with North Korea? What do you guys think, yes or no? Second question is, is Russia coordinating with North Korea prior to NATO's move to Asia, because that's where we're seeing it going. As far as what NATO— mark my word on this— when the meeting next month is going to be in Washington, DC for NATO Summit, and I'm going to be looking— I'll do a, a video for you about it and all that stuff— but I'll be looking at the final communiqué, because if I see one keywords there, then that will be my conclusive evidence that, okay, next step is Asia. So I'm gonna wait, I hold my, my conclusion till I get to that time. But it helps us to ask the question, you know, is Russia's coordination with North Korea has something to do with what NATO is thinking about being in Asia? So, okay, third question: how may this visit shape the security landscape in Asia? That was I was part of that. When you study, uh, international security— and I had studied that in my master's degree, but I also followed up with it in my— on my PhD in a certain aspect, and one of them was Asian security concerns. So, and, and even back then, remember, I did the master, uh, degree back then. It was still— we were talking back then about today And this is what I see coming. And, uh, so that's why I'm saying how this is going to shape the trajectory for Asia security. And the fourth question, which we can ignore— can anybody tell me why we can ignore this? Where China fits into all this. Why can we ignore this question? And why we shouldn't ignore this question? So let me just see your answer on the chat box, please, if you could. Why do you think China will still have to be in the picture? And it's a— if, if you understand the dynamics, you should have an answer to this. So let me just see what you guys can put in here in the chat box. Oh, let me remove this one here from the screen, and we see what you guys can put in there. Uh, neighbors, that is true. Okay, that's one, uh, factor in, uh, North Korea is neighbor of China and Russia. That is true, but there is something specific I'm looking for. Think deep, think deeper, see, see the strategic, see the big picture, see the big picture. Economy, Farhad Razavi. Okay, from which angle Uh, Truth Seeker, you got it, but the wording of it, I will have to disagree with you. China controls North Korea's decision. That I will have to kind of, uh, uh, change. For me, it's your opinion and I respect it, but you got it, you got it. It has to do with North Korea's dependency on China. This is why Whatever Russia does with North Korea, you cannot ignore the role of China into the picture. And this is why it's very, very important to understand all this. So, so here's the thing, the, uh, the, uh, Russian president, he's already in North Korea. And by the way, I'm going to share a screen with you because I want you to see the reception. We're not going to play the entire thing It's just for you to see, because like I always say, guys, context matters. So I want to share this with you. Uh, let me, let me pull it up first. All right, right there. Make it bigger here. Okay, and I'm gonna play it for you, and please give me a thumbs up if you can hear. Wow, it's a quiet reception there. Okay, I'm gonna stop it right here, guys, and the rest is just a protocol. And but, but the reception in itself says so, which means what, guys? Means that the West— what can the West do? Nothing, squat, because they are moving forward. And I've been talking about this few months ago As to North Korea playing a role, well, this time around, given what they just agreed upon, which I will share with you, uh, as I move forward here, it'll make perfect sense. And that's again another signal of the changing of the global order, whether the West, collective West including the US, likes it or not. There is nothing we can do about it. It's just time to accept the reality, which I am sure the collective West will not But hey, life goes on, and I'm going to share some very, very detail with you as to what the agreements, by the way, encompasses and why it's important. But before we do this, let's get into some geography. Uh, uh, some of you— Grace, I— some by the name Grace, someone just became a member on Buy Me Coffee, and she put down because she enjoyed me sharing with you guys Geography and history. That just made her become a member on the Buy Me Coffee. So I'm very grateful to you, Grace. Thank you very much. So all right, let's, let's talk about geography here for North Korea. A lot of people, especially here in the West, have no idea how North Korea came about, and I'm gonna tackle the history of it as well, and we just go from there, guys. So, oh, let me share screen. Someone, by the way guys, one of you put a comment last time that there are some scammers into the chat here. If you notice one, whatever, give me a heads up and I'll move them out, remove them out, because you guys, I, I count on your help, so I can do it by myself here. So, and yes, I am hoping someone from the community one day will be able to help me out with moderating this. I know it's time consuming and all that. Whomever. I'm, I'm very grateful if, if that will ever happen. So, all right, North Korea. You know, North Korea is a country in Eastern Asia. That's what it is. It is located both in the northern and eastern hemispheres of the Earth. North Korea occupies the northern half of the Korean Peninsula, bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan. This is why Japan always gets rattled anytime North Korea conducts a missile test, because the Sea of Japan, that's where sometimes the, the, the missile end up landing or cross through, whatever. So Japan always gets, uh, gets, uh, nervous about that. So, uh, Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan between China and South Korea. North Korea is bordered by China in the north, by Russia in the northeast, by South Korea in the south. That's how it is, where it's located. So the military, the military demarcation line forms the land border between North Korea and South Korea. Which military demarcation line I'm talking about here? And again, I don't assume everybody know. Can you guys type in, in the chat box, what am I talking about here, or what am I referring to here? The demarcation line between the North and South Korea, known also as what? Oh yeah, you got it. All saying DMZ. That is correct, DMZ. Which line? What number? Can anybody give me the number? Number associated with it? It's DMZ, that is correct. Do you know the number? No? Let me see here, it takes a while. The 38, you got it! You guys got it! Wong KC, chat, uh, Taiwan still Oh, oh, Gothic, you guys got it. 38th parallel. So if anytime you hear 38th parallel or DMZ, that's what the reference is, is, is about. So now let's get into some history here because this I found very fascinating. I have two links. I'm gonna use one, but I'm gonna share both of them with you. It's just sometimes I like to ensure that the sources I provide you, have, you know, similar information and doesn't, uh, sort of, uh, contradict the reality. So North Korea, you know, the population for North Korea is about 25 million, give or take, uh, and as I mentioned earlier, located in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula between the East Sea, Sea of Japan, and the Yellow Sea. So I'm, I'm not going to touch too much here on the geography, but when was— and here's question for you guys— when was North Korea founded? Can anybody give me the year? Let me see in the chat box. When was it founded? Just the year. Oh, Orel Vato from Sweden, good to see you, good to have you here from Sweden. Uh, 1945? No. Uh, Shay, you got it, you got it here. I can't pronounce that name, I'm sorry, but you got it right. It was 1948, that's when it was founded, and it was founded when the, uh, the United States and Soviet Union sort of divided control of the peninsula after World War II. North Korea is highly secretive, uh, society. That's how they are, very closed in. You can't get in. There is no way. And as a matter of fact, some Americans, uh, the last one was, uh, Otto. It was from Maryland, I think. He died, whatever, when he came back, you know, he's going to North Korea for, uh, for Christianity and all that. That's, you know, North Korea doesn't have a religion. So, and second thing, why are you going to North Korea to, to spread Christianity, whatever? They are not interested in that. So They don't like outsiders. If you are going for tourism, that's different story, but hardly any go, uh, over there. So as I said, it's a closed society, very isolated from rest of the world. And this is why I wanted to share this history with you. Might not be anymore, given what just Russia and North Korea agreed upon. So this is why it's important to understand. So in recent years, the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, and his, uh, uh, with his nuclear program sort of now being in a national community. And this is where I disagree, even though I'm sharing this with you, and I'm gonna share the link because I found another link for this one here. They kind of focusing— here is what it says word for word, let me pull it up here. Uh, in recent years, leader Kim Jong-un and his aggressive North Korean program have posed a growing threat to international stability. Oh, hold on a second, let's, let's be honest and be truthful as to who's posing danger to the global security for that matter, you know. And this is why, but nonetheless, we're still going to share some of the information here, but again, you reach your own conclusion. So let me take you back to 1910 regarding— this is how the 38th parallel has developed. 1910. What happened in 1910? Japan formally annexed the Korean Peninsula, okay, and he occupied it for 5 years following. What was the reason for that? Why did Japan annex the Korean Peninsula following a specific war? Which war I'm referring to here? And once again, guys, It just— Boon, good to see you, Boon. Oh, here is Boon. Thank you very much for your Super Sticker. I just heard that Malaysia is applying to join BRICS. That is correct. I intend to address that one. And then, uh, perhaps not so new— no, it is, it is new. It is— she's— Malaysia applied for joining BRICS, so I intend to address that one. Thank you very much, Boon, and good to see you. All right, guys. Yeah, what, following what war? No, no, no, no, no, not World War— no, not World War I. Remember, 1910. Oh, you got it! King David— oh, David King, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I called you King David. You must be. So, uh, David King, you got it. Russia war, which against Japan, because that's what it was, the Russo-Japanese War. That's how Japan ended up taking over, uh, so, so over the next 35 years from that time, meaning from 1910, 35 years of colonial rule, the country modernized and industrialized significantly, but many Koreans suffered brutal repressions at the hand of Japan's military Regime. What does he remind you of, guys? Which other countries suffered at the hand of the Japanese? Just type in, in the chat box, please. Once again, uh, this is nothing but knowledge for us all to learn about. Which other country also suffered? Wong Casey, you got it! It was China. This is what I'm saying. They might forgive, but they will never forget. So it was a brutal, uh, uh, repression the Japanese exercised at the time. Fast forward to World War II, Japan sent many Korean men to the front as soldiers or forced them to work in wartime factories, while thousands of young Korean women became comfort women. That's the term I'm going to use here. You all know what I'm referring to here, uh, providing sexual services to the Japanese soldiers, which is very, very sad, very sad to know. But that's the, the, the, the, uh, the horrible aspects of wars. We've seen it in some other parts of the world. We've seen it in Africa, for example. We've seen it with the Japanese in, in China. You know, there are some atrocities or horrible stuff that's usually when it comes down to sexual, uh, abuse that happens. So Upon Japan defeat of 19— in 1945, the United States and Soviet Union, that's how they end up dividing the peninsula into two separate zones of influence. And that's where the 38th parallel, uh, or degree north latitude came about. In 1948, the pro-US Republic of Korea, which is now South Korea, was established in Seoul. Led by the strong anti-communist, uh, Syngman Rhee. What do I see here? Where do you guys see the parallel with something that is currently taking place in Asia? Can anybody give me a hint? What am I referring to here? There is almost a parallel, not to the same level, but as far as the US involvement. And speaking of US, before I forget, do you guys know where Nancy Pelosi is, the idiot? Nancy Pelosi, you know where she's at, stirring the pot again. Taiwan. Jane Juan, you got it. Uh, Cyborg Ninja, you got it. You guys got it. Karakulak, you got it. Taiwan, that is correct. It's similar, it's just not the same, uh, sort of intensity as it was back then against the Korean, uh, uh, during the Korean Peninsula time. So Yeah, does anybody know where Nancy Pelosi is? The idiot one. Why Taiwan? No, she's not in Taiwan. No, no, no, no, no, she's stirring the pot elsewhere. Yeah, and I am gonna my report on it. I'm, I'm in China. Where, where exactly? Where exactly? No, no, no, no, no, no, she's in China area. Yes, near India. Where she's in India, exactly where she's planning on going. She's planning on going to Tibet, but before that she's gonna meet with Dalai Lama in India. To me, just trouble. Why are we stirring more trouble? We all know the issues, right? And this is why I, I'm like, you know, and plus, why is she going? She's not a reprisal. She's not an official anymore. She retired. So anyway, let's move to the— continue on our history here. Now Pyongyang, which is the capital of North Korea, it's considered one of the northern industrial centers, okay? And this is where back then the Soviet Union installed the dynamic young communist guerrilla, none other than— who did the Soviets installed back then? Before I share the picture with you, and he was the founder of North Korea. Let me see, guys, if you— Kim, which one? Kim Il-sung, that is correct. Here is a picture of him. I went to the archives, guys, and pull up some pictures, and I'm going to share some with you. Uh, so here is again another picture of Kim Il-sung meeting with— does anybody know who that person is that he's meeting with at that time? I'm sure you know, I'm sure you know, but I'd always like you to be part of— Mao, Mao Zedong! That is correct, that's what happened at that time. So when they met, uh, uh, I think this one was in the 50s, if I am not mistaken. So, so Kim Il-sung became the first premier of the DPRK, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. So then what comes after that? The Korean War. With both leaders claiming jurisdiction over the entire Korea Peninsula, tensions soon reached a breaking point. In 1950, with the backing of the Soviet Union and China, North Korea forces took over South Korea, setting off the Korean War. That's how it started. The United States, on the other hand, came over to the aid of the South, uh, uh, leading with an army of 340,000 United Nations troops. Now here is what I wanted to highlight to you, some historical facts suggest that it was the United States that got involved into this. No, United States got involved in name only. It was the UN troops, which means other countries sent their own troops. The same arguments I can make right now about Ukraine, should things go forward with what NATO, the incompetent organization, is thinking of doing by sort of deploying 300,000 soldiers. Who do you think those soldiers going to come from? The US? No way. It's going to be from the like of Greece, the like of now Sweden and Finland, maybe Poland. But I did find out that Poland and Hungary and Turkey, all three countries, said hell no, we are not supporting any any military action by NATO. Those are NATO members. So, well, if you kind of— that's to me, okay, why are you in, in the organization to begin with? Leave. Yeah, that's, uh, anyway, the 340,000 United Nations troops were, uh, sort of challenged, uh, what this— the North Korean did. And after 3 years of beating, uh, bitter— rather bitter fighting and more than 2.5 million military and civilian, uh, dead. Both sides signed an armistice in 1953. Do you guys know, by the way, that armistice thing— let me remove this, uh, uh, stop sharing— that armistice thing, you know, still till today there is no official a declaration of ending of war, you know. Yeah, you know, armistice does— doesn't mean that they are signed, both parties signed to. No, still open. And this is why now you're going to be seeing a different dynamics, that Russia now went to North Korea, signed some agreements, and I'm going to share with you, and he's changing the dynamics. So, Ganda era, uh, uh, for where we will think, oh, North Korea is isolated. It is where the difference is going to be. As an analyst, I am telling you now, sky is the limit for North Korea because of the economic aspect, and I'll get into it. So, uh, like I mentioned, this is Kim Il-sung. That's the founding father of North Korea. That is so. And this is where that after 1953, the agreement left the border of North and South Korea essentially unchanged. Changed. It stayed that way all this time with heavily guarded demilitarized zone of 2.5 miles. So then Kim Il-sung came to power, and I'm not gonna go through more of the detail. I'll provide you the link and all that stuff. Suffice it to say that the, uh, the investments Kim Il-sung did in mining, steel production, and other heavy industries with this North Korea civilian and military economy initially outpaced its southern rival, and with the Soviet backing at that time, Kim built his military in one of the most strongest, uh, army in the world. Yeah, that's what happened. Then, then after Kim, Kim, uh, Kim Il-sung, his son took over right here. Kim Jong-il. He took over after the, the passing of his father. So, and of course, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc, it affected North Korea economy. So, and this is where China comes in. This is what I asked you, I asked you earlier in the question. Where does China fit in? Because it was China that was the lifeline for North Korea. So, and left the Kim regimes with China as its only remaining ally. So, uh, there were so many, by the way, guys, which the media does not disclose. On so many occasions behind closed doors, as one who works inside Washington, uh, of course, uh certain type of information that I came across, not the classified one because I can't disclose that. And you all know, guys, but let's not beat the dead horse here because I am still bound by the law no matter what. Uh, but there was conversation about us trying to convince the Chinese to, uh, sort of, uh, uh, reduce its support for North Korea. And China always with a smile saying to the Americans, Well, we'll think about it. So, because that's how the Western is, because you can't trust the Western, the West in general. So, uh, here is a picture of, uh, when, uh, Putin met Kim Jong-il at that time. So, so, and that's what happened in, in 1994. Kim, Kim, uh, Kim, Kim Il-sung died of a heart attack. And his son Kim Jong-il took over. That's what happened. And I was following this around that time, uh, believe it or not, because right after when he took over, it was, uh, some sort of a conversation between, uh, Kim Jong-il and at that time the Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Albright, which is an evil anyway. So the new leader sort of, uh, established one particular policy, and that policy was military strength. Why? Because he knew he couldn't trust now the Americans. Of course he will not. And he couldn't trust both Jap— Japan and South Korea because they paved the way for establishing their territory for the US. The same thing Philippines is doing today, the same thing Australia is doing, even though the premier of China is in, in, in Australia visiting But still, I won't trust the Aussies. When I say Aussies, I'm referring to the government, that is. So the new emphasis of the new leader in North Korea back then, Kim Jong-il, as I said, it was on the military. And that's where the gap existed within the North Korean society between the military and the elite class. That just, it's a reality we can't deny. Not everybody is okay in North Korea. Because the poverty and so forth and the inequality that exists. Well, all this is about to change, believe it or not, moving forward. So, so over the course of the '90s, uh, there was like some, uh, uh, uh, flooding that took place, uh, in North Korea. Poor agricultural policies and economic mismanagement. Why? Because most of the money was put towards the military. So Then came the big elephant in the room at that time, which was North Korea's nuclear test, which was in the early 2000s. And this is the reality that, uh, Washington would never want to admit, that North Korea already have nuclear weapons. This is why, once again, guys, we never dare to attack North Korea. We knew it from way back, you know. I was aware of it, you know. We would never— and now it's too late for that. You can't even conduct like military operations, block ops, or none of that, none of that, because we know what the answer is going to be from North Korea. Do you guys know the meeting that took place between Trump and Kim Jong-un last time on the, the, on, on, on a building way out, uh, on, on the, uh, 38th parallel. You know what happened to that building? Kim Jong-un's sister gave the order and blew up the building. We're done. Yeah, they don't bluff. So, and this is why now Kim Jong-un, the son of Kim Jong-il, And the grandson of Kim Il-sung is going a different trajectory, and that's just part of what's going on. So yeah, it was the meeting of Madeleine Albright in Pyongyang in 2000. I was following that. I remember, I remember, uh, where was I? I was, I wasn't in a military base because I was in the military at that time. So I was following that and I was like, no, she's just gonna be giving lip service and North Koreans will not trust her anyway. So, but the relations between the two Koreas, North and South, and between North Korea and the West soon deteriorated completely. And here is what the record, the historical record said. You know why they deteriorated? Is because North Korea's aggressive effort to become nuclear power. No, no, it was because we went ahead and put 30,000 troops near the borders of North Korea, which we put them in the south, and we went ahead and established more bases in Okinawa in Japan. So North Korea was looking at it as, whoa, are we be— are we being surrounded here? Is the same scenario the Russians felt when NATO was expanding, expanding to its doorsteps. Same scenario. So, and yet the historical record here mentioned, oh, it was because the aggressive nuclear power. No, no, it's because the nuclear program for North Korea was going to move forward whether we like it or not. Simple as that. And this is where I see the manipulation of the historical record, even though I'm sharing it with you because I want you to hear it with your own, uh, uh, uh, I want you to hear it from me, and I'm going to provide you the link to all that to understand the dynamics of this. So, uh, fast forward to 2003, and I wrote about this in my Russia book, and I'll share something with you about this one. What happened in 2003? And I'm gonna ask you a question: what did North Korea did in 2003 specifically? I know it's a long shot question here, but, but who know? I just want to try. You never know. What did North Korea do in 2003? It was a major event. Oh, let me pull up the Kim Jong-un sister picture. Yeah, and she's, uh, she's very, very, very tough. I had a chance to read about her. Yeah, the West ain't gonna be happy dealing with her. And she's in line, by the way. Uh, she's the only— she's the only one who advises, uh, her brother. All right, let me put a picture here. I didn't think of putting it earlier, but it's not a problem. You guys are patient, so— and patience is a virtue. So let me show you her. That's her right here. She, she is the one who made that decision and told her brother I'm gonna blow up that building. That was just a signal, a sign, a message, whatever. So, so yeah, let me see the— your answer, guys. What happened in 19— uh, 2003? I remember exactly, but in that decade— no, no, I'm looking for specific, uh, no, no, it's most likely— I don't know, you guys. Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, you— yeah, you Jang Won, you got it, you got it. Not this one, this one here, this one right here. Why is it loading me? Here we go. Withdrawal of NPT, the withdrawal from Non-Proliferation Treaty. That's exactly what happened in 2003, and that just paved the way for North Korea to move forward. So that is, that's what happened. North Korea withdraw from the NPT, expelled the international weapons Because it's the same thing that they are doing to Iran, you know. Are you gonna try— are you gonna trust the, uh, the— what you call it— the, uh, I drew— I drew a blank on the name of it— the nuclear agency that does the, uh, inspections. Uh, anyway, it'll come to me, it'll come to me later.— the same thing. They're always saying, well, Iran needs to have this, Iran needs to have that. And I won't trust them. They can manipulate the report at the end. So what North Korea end up doing? They kicked them out, inspectors, and resumed nuclear research at a facility in Yongbyon. That's what it was. And that's why the first test of the nuclear weapon was carried out. So this is why I've always knew a few years ago that North Korea possess nuclear weapons. Now, Kim Jong-un came to power. Let me put a picture. And he was— you know where he was in Europe, right? Does anybody know where was he in Europe? Which country was he in Europe? He was studying there. Let me just see if you guys know. And again, it was part of my— oh, IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency. Thank you very much. Indeed, that's what it was. Uh, no, he wasn't in Hungary, he was, he was in Switzerland. You know, I read the report, I saw the pictures with the guy used to play basketball with the guys there and all that stuff. This is why, if you guys know, uh, why he always allow Dennis Rodman. You know who Dennis Rodman, the basketball professional, the guy that's with tattoos and all that? He's the only one who goes to North Korea and sit with Kim, right? You know, only one. And of course the government here criticized him. Well, he doesn't talk politics, Kim. Dennis Rodman doesn't know about politics, you know. But it's because Kim Jong used to play basketball in Switzerland and he, he found Dennis Rodman a character, and he's not gonna— he trust the guy. Yeah, Dennis Rodman went to North Korea more than once, and he was always welcome there and all that stuff. So that's what I found very, very interesting. So King Jong-il died funny. He died not funny, of course. He's a human being. All of us, we should show compassion and, and respect. You know, it's not funny. I, my, I apologize, I misused the word because that's not funny. He had a heart attack. What I was going to say is it was in a similar fashion like his father. Kim Jong, uh, Kim Il-sung died of a heart attack. So did Kim Jong-il, died of a heart attack in 2011. And right after that, his second youngest son, which is Kim Jong-un, was 27 at the time, took over power. That's the one who became, uh, now the, the leader. So of course, for Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-un sort of following in the first steps, in the, in the footsteps of his father, but he's trying to modernize sort of the vision, of, of his grandfather. Because remember, it's a dynasty. That's just the way it is. And of course, there is one major event, and I'm gonna, uh, be done with this and move into, uh, uh, uh, analysis here. Of course, one major event, which was 2017. The tensions between North Korea and the United States reached an unprecedented level. North Korea launched its first ICBM, intercontinental ballistic missile, and that because it has the capability of reaching the United States. And that threatened to launch missile near the US territory of Guam. You all know where Guam is, right? Uh, North Korea developed missiles that can reach Guam. And also what North Korea did at the time He tested a bomb 7 times the size dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And after that one, of course, we all know what happened— the, the harsher sanctions by the UN Security Council, uh, and even Russia was there because they had to sign off into this. But Russia just did something unimaginable, and I'll share it with you soon. So what happened after that? The aggressive response from President Donald Trump at that time when he took over. And this is why he wanted to meet with the North Korean leader. And American leaders, they just don't understand, they don't know. Uh, Trump, Trump, I mean, come on, guys, no offense to Trump supporters or whatever. I, I don't think in those terms. I think of the objectivity. Who is objective to understand and have the depth and understanding of what geopolitics is all about, have an understanding of what international relations are all about, have an understanding of how to deal with foreign countries. And none of our leaders here possess— actually, now is the Western collective. West suffers from this leadership deficiency. You know, there is no other way of saying it. So, so I will share the link with you guys, and for now, let me move on, uh, to— oh, Hong Wong, where are you? Here, let me move this one here. Okay, uh, yeah, let's, let's get in into this. Okay, why the Russian president is going there? Okay, first of all, you have to understand that it was the North Korean leader that invited the Russian president. So, so this is what happened. So the Russian president, out of respect for the North Korean leader, responded to the, to, to the invitation by going physically. I know they are neighbors, it's close distance, but, uh, Putin ain't gonna worry about being arrested there. The same thing in Vietnam, which I will get into. But one thing I want to let you know, that anytime a Russian president flies, there were always 3 Su-54 flying with him as an escort. And those, uh, if you know anything about Su-54, uh, it's, it's major one. So, uh, that's, that's— so nothing is gonna— plus the plane has some characteristics that it will withstand even a nuclear blast. Excuse me, the, uh, the, uh, what you call it Uh, the— I draw a blank on the word. So there's— my brain is kind of like so many things to think about. So anyway, let's move on here. So, and here is the thing, uh, remember the Russian president visited Pyongyang in July 2000. 2000. That's why it's almost a quarter century. That's why it makes perfect, perfect sense for the North Korean— for the Russian president to get to head out there. So, well, let's talk about the angle. I told you I'm going to provide you analysis on three angles. One is geopolitical or geostrategic angle, one is economic, and one is military. I'll start with the geostrategic one. So the first thing I need you to know is that— and I'm going to share some pictures here This picture here that I'm going to be sharing with you right here, that's North Korea launching spy satellites. And this launch happened exactly after the Russians said we no longer support sanctions against North Korea. So the moment Russia said this, North Korea went ahead and sent a, a spy satellite. And this military one, that is the same thing that the Russians and the North Koreans agreed on, a military, uh, cooperation. And I will get into that one soon. For now, we think about the UN Security Council, which has imposed numerous sanctions on North Korea since it carried out its first nuclear test back in 2006, you know. So, and of course, uh, Russia used its veto power and blocked. Here is what Russia— which media will not disclose this to you guys— Russia used the veto power to block the annual renewal of the sanctions. So this time they're saying no, we're not doing it, we're not doing it. So, so, and this is where the Russians were arguing the Russian ambassador to the, uh, UN or UN Security Council, uh, argued that maybe this major powers, world power, need to have a different approach to North Korea. Is because, no, we couldn't break them down. The US been trying. It's the same thing that happened with Iran. We've been trying since 1979 after the revolution. We imposed sanctions on Iran for the last 40 years, and Iran's still standing. So yeah, now of course the US is making the argument that North Korea is providing ammo and weapons too, which is true, it is. But at the same time, why the double standard? So what makes that North Korea providing, uh, Russia with weapons wrong and we providing weapons to Ukraine is right. Truth matters, and I'm siding with the facts. So simple as that. So, so, but at the same time, remember, North Korea didn't do this out of the goodness of its heart because he wants something in return. And what he wants It wants the technological knowledge, specifically in the satellite programs and the nuclear technology. And that's what I am saying, the moment the Russians went ahead with this, North Korea went ahead and launched, uh, uh, the, uh, satellite or spy satellite. That is, in addition, of course, what is Russia also known for? It has a lot of agriculture as far as grains. You all remember when Tucker Carlson— or you remember when he went to Russia and he went to the supermarket. What was the assumption? Oh, they're gonna be starving in Russia, there's no food. And the shelves had enough food, had everything. And he, he saw it with his own eyes. Same argument. So Russia is going to be providing grains to counter the food shortage in North Korea. So, so, but the main thing from a geostrategic aspect of it is that now Russia, and I am sure China as well, they both going to provide a diplomatic shield when it comes down to the UN Security Council resolutions. That is very fundamental. And this leads me to talk about the military aspects of it. And the military is that for the North Korean, as I said, the hope is the satellite technology and also the, the air power. That is one of the key. So, so, so, because North Korea has developed some missiles that now is being used by the Russians in Ukraine, and they are powerful. So, and again, it's not a secret. It just— what makes— when Germany sends its tanks, or, or Britain, which Britain is already in the toilet, if I may use the term, uh, what makes it right? You know, you got to be fair. So now the arguments that, uh, what, what will North Korea receive in return? Yeah, North Korea is expecting to to receive something in return, and it's common sense. So for having North Korea providing certain ammo and so forth, because remember, North Korea produces so much ammo, and this is why the West now is realizing this conflict in Ukraine has exposed their vulnerability. You know, UK, I, I read it, I read the document which was declassified, okay, and put into public domain if you just know where to look for. And this memo that I, uh, memo that I had a chance to read, uh, was inside the Pentagon. And you know what it says about the UK? The UK will not be able to fight the Russians. It will run out of ammo in one afternoon. That's how weak This is the American commanders in the Pentagon saying about the UK. Basically what they're saying is that the UK military is ill-prepared. They can't fight the Russians. Even the US can't fight the Russians. So that's just what I found very fascinating. And yet, of course, the media is going to have to be cherry-picking about it. So what North Korea wants in return is that North Korea wanted the Russian air power technology because he wanted to upgrade. Because remember, North Korea has been under sanctions forever, so its Air Force is very outdated. Not anymore. This is what I see coming. And why is this? And, and, and here is the, the, uh, the, uh, uh excerpt from my book when I wrote about the, uh, let me get to the picture here. I wrote about North Korea in, in, in, in, in the book. So, so, and I'll share it with you guys here. So recall my reference to the American unilateral decisions to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement. I am convinced that North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has factored in prior to his two meetings with Trump in Singapore and Vietnam respectively, that he, Kim Jong-un, does not and will not trust Trump no matter what the latter says or promises. Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran agreement testifies to Kim's thinking US withdrawal from agreements and treaties, bilateral or otherwise, shows Trump's inconsistencies. Countries around the world, including North Korea, are convinced that trusting the United States is a liability moving forward. They must be asking, how can we trust the United States which says one thing then does another. Now let us put all this within the context of Russia's global strategy. So, and this is why I, I'm thinking, uh, the idea of the sanctions that we imposed on the Russians are backfiring because now it's paving the way for that global change. The landscape is changing faster than ever because here is the key from an economic aspect, because I wanted to share this with you. In addition to the military cooperation, there is also economic consideration at play. Yeah, it's a strategic move. Russia, of course, ain't gonna do it also because they wanna— it's the neighbor. No, no, no, no, no, no. You all know by now, guys. You all know by now, when it comes down to any country, any country, I don't care what its size, I don't care what its economy, I don't care what its strength or weakness, whatever. National strategic interests matter. Simple as that. No, now here is where the key to all this from an economic, uh, perspective. Of course, the military is moving into the direction with the Russians. But also remember, North Korea is economically aligned with China. And this, despite all this, the collaboration between North Korea and Russia will signify now a mutual interest. Why? From an economic perspective, because it will counter now the influence of sanctions. What other countries do you have that dealing with this US sanctions? You have Iran, North Korea, of course, Russia, China, because we are sanctioning some banks and we sanctioned the chips and all that. And, and all that is backfiring. So we, we'll stick with the North Korea because that's what our topic is. Because where is the advantage now? The advantage now is that North Korea will have access to markets. You know why? It's because now the Russians and the Chinese decide to create something that counter the SWIFT system, which means bypass the dollar. So there would be no reason why other countries would not trade with North Korea if they don't use the dollar. That's just common sense. And North Korea has a strong missile technology. I was aware of two countries Libya and Iran. They were getting technology from North Korea, and the US can do squat about it because we cannot attack North Korea, because we know what the consequences will be, let alone North Korea does not bluff. And this is what's at the heart of it. It's that when we impose sanctions on, on the Russians We didn't think long term. It's because we were looking at the end of our noses, as the saying goes. To those who speak French, there is the saying, "Il ne faut jamais regarder le bout du nez." Don't ever look at the end of your nose. Look very, very, very far. And this is why I'm saying the dynamics now for North Korea are going to change completely from all angles militarily, diplomatically, and economically. And Russia sees an opportunity into this, but also Russia thinking in terms of a strategic move if NATO moves into that direction, which it will, mark my word on it. This is why the Chinese, which by the way surprised the world today by developing some major I wish I still have it somewhere here. Ah, where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Yeah, anyway, they developed some major torpedo, very, very, very, very, very advanced, very advanced, in an anticipation of what lies ahead. So the Russians doing it on one end, the Chinese doing it on another. And North Korea, it will be there to support both in case there is a conflict, which I am sure that NATO won't be able to take on because it won't be NATO, it will be Japan, it will be South Korea, it will be the Philippines and Aussies. That's what it will be. And this is one thing that Western— the, the, the articles that I read, and I had to read up on this stuff last night to, to see what, you know, they are talking about today, what they visiting this, they visiting that, but they are not getting to the heart of what really it's all about because they don't want to draw the attention of the reader. Oh really? Yeah, because remember, this cooperation between North Korea and, and Russia has been going on for a few years now. But it's increased recently, recently, because remember, their first meeting, uh, took place, I believe, in 2019. So, and this is considered their second face-to-face, because remember, uh, Kim Jong-un went to the eastern side of, of, of Russia, not Moscow. I was wrong yesterday. I did— yeah, I did meant to say Moscow. He went to the eastern part of Russia. That's where he met. But now this is the second face-to-face, and this is why I'm saying Russia's move by signing these agreements in technology, in agricultural, and in, in military, it's paving the way now to engage North Korea in trade to bypass the US sanctions. But there is one key that I need you to know, very major one. Russia is also looking for labor, manpower, and it's looking at it from North Korea, the neighbor. So that means the Russia, we need manpower. This is why, if you notice, a lot of some Westerners are moving into Russia. I'm made aware of a family in Texas that moved to Russia and they're fine. So very, very interesting dynamics. Then this leads me to talk about the second leg of the trip, which is going to be to Vietnam. Now, why Vietnam? Does anybody know? I'm going to share it with you. Let's just move on because I have a lot to cover. Here is one key about Vietnam. Vietnam applied to join BRICS in addition to other 14 countries, including Indonesia, by the way. So the 14 countries that includes Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belivia, Cuba, Cuba, Honduras, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Palestine, Senegal, Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam. Speaking of Thailand, before I forget, you guys heard what the Senate in Thailand just passed? He passed the legislation for same-sex marriage. Nope. Yeah, I'll let you reach your own conclusion. Yeah, I couldn't believe it when I read, uh, the, the, the, the document that they sent. It's their country, they can decide whatever they want to do. But here is the thing about Vietnam. And, and of course, how we responded to it. You know how we responded to it? By having a statement, uh, by, uh, the spokesperson at the embassy in Hanoi. You know what he said? And I quote, no country should give Putin a platform to promote his war of aggression and otherwise allow him to normalize his atrocities. End of quote. What a double standard. What a double standard. So you, you guys smart enough to know, I don't need to repeat the, the idiocy and the stupidity, uh, you know, you all know the bottom line is the trip to Vietnam is also of a strategic importance to Russians. So, and of course, uh, the US already lashed out at the, at Vietnam Well, wait a minute, why would you lash out at Vietnam? Vietnam is a sovereign state. They can, uh, uh, receive and welcome whomever they want. Yeah, yeah. But here is the thing, it's because Vietnam didn't attend the so-called the summit in Switzerland about Ukraine, which was a farce. Even political parties inside Switzerland They kind of saying, what is this farce here? What is this mockery? I wish the summit was a failure. Of course Western media is going to promote it. Yeah, it didn't amount to nothing. 8 countries did not sign the communiqué, final communiqué. The key that I want you always to get, guys, if a final communiqué is not signed by all attendees, it's done for. So Vietnam is saying no, no, no, no, no. We're not joining any. No, we're not. First of all, you don't have the main player, which means Russia. How can you call it a peace about the conflict if you don't have the party that is involved? And that shows you right there the double standard of why Vietnam decided, no, we're not going to bother with this. This is nonsense. It's, it's nonsense. So this is what I want you to get out of all, uh, uh, a little long Vietnam, I believe. Uh, it's just, uh, it's in some infrastructure that is dealing with— I am aware of the Indonesia now is going to develop a port in, uh, in around Malacca. I'm gonna look into all this and figure out what, which direction this is gonna go, whether Vietnam is going to benefit from it or not, and, and how it's going to work. But suffice it to say, suffice it to say that Vietnam sort of ignored the US. Of course, how can you forget what we did to— in Vietnam back in the '60s? Nobody will ever forget this. So, so, and by the way, when the news inside Vietnam was circulating that the possibility of the Russian president visiting, everybody was excited. They were very, very excited because remember, Vietnam used to be a client of the Soviet Union back then. And of course, the Russian president will have an audience with the Vietnamese president, uh, Thọ Lâm. I hope I pronounce it correctly. So, so, and the same for them, they are expected to sign some agreements in major sectors that includes Trade, investments— you all know what I mean by investments, right? Anything that bypass the dollar now. Technology and education, that's all it is. There's no military involvements here, it's the trade. This is why now Australia is realizing how stupid Australia was to go ahead and follow US policies and orders shot themselves in the foot. And even to China, China's being smart about it, is saying, yeah. And here is a question for you guys, because I want you to answer this, yes or no: should China forgive Australia? Yes or no? Simple, yes or no? Let me see what you guys put in here, because remember one thing, we cannot ignore the facts. You know the fact, China needs Australia for iron ore. There is no way about it. Geography, proximity, and the cost. Yes, China can bring it from somewhere else, but you're looking at your— it's close by. So my question to you is, should China forgive? Because remember, this is the trip, the first trip in 7 years that the Premier Li Qiang made to, uh, Australia, and economy will be part of it. Uh, Jam 4777, you say no. Mel, you say yes, it will be their geopolitical interest. Uh, Barnadas Collin, you say yes. Michael 2024, you say yes. Iris Chu, you say yes. Paul Motsima, you see that, I see you. Macian Dorcier, you say no. I wonder why. Why, Macian, why do you say no? Milton, you say hell no. So I can see both sides to the argument, but again, I don't think emotionally. Personally, for me, and I respect your opinion, I am thinking about long term. Long term, wouldn't it be better to keep Australia close or closer? So it's just an idea of thought. That doesn't mean you guys are wrong, those who say no. Doesn't mean you're wrong. I'm just, again, for me, I I'm thinking long term because I, I sort of— I'm seeing where, where things are headed when it comes down to what NATO is going to do. I, I— Mike, my word on this. So, so no, once a trader, always be a trader. I see your point. Jackie Beck, no. Yeah, yeah, it's, it's, it's for and against, and I just want to engage you into this because This is how also I learn about you. But I'm at the same time, I am learning about the strategic thinking of China. Why will he do this? You know, it was China that went to Australia, not the other way around. It's because China understand that the Prime Minister Albo is, is, is, is incompetent, is so weak politically speaking that he has to bow to the orders of his master no matter what. And I mean, well, no, Australia still under the British monarch, which is ridiculous. It is ridiculous at this day and age. A country same like Canada, they still under the— I mean, look at their dollar. If you get the dollar bill, whatever, who do you see the picture of? Uh, you know, which is ridiculous. No, you know, now Australian people are thinking differently about it. Australian people thinking about it, what's in it for them economically, and rightly so. So it's just we have to think about the optics. So China might be very strategic into this decision, the same way that what Italy did when it pulled out of the BRI. And yet Meloni, the, the, the fox— I always call her fox— went to China begging for help. For money. So this is what I want you— I just wanted to get your intake into all this. All right guys, I am going to answer a few questions here. Uh, remember, tomorrow, by the way, I will be doing an interview on the other channel. Remember to join it on Elizabeth tomorrow. Uh, we'll be doing it with the financial guy, very, very savvy guy. So I don't want to spell it out for you for now. So, uh, and, and I think we're gonna be doing that interview with him on a monthly basis. Very interesting guy. And, uh, we know the guy, you know, we had a business relationship with, we understand, uh, where he's coming from and so forth. And it will be worth your time because like I mentioned last time, uh, for the other channel, because we do— we decided to move it in a different direction, especially about money, because we need you to understand where things are headed. And we will have a lot of people that deals with the financial market and to provide you some insights. Because to me, as always, I know some of you send me names to call in on people to the show. Here is what I want you guys to know: some I do reach out to, but one thing that I need you to understand, if I am to bring in something, I have to bring in someone that will add more value, knowledgeable, or knowledge to you. No offense to anybody here, and I am not— I'll invite whomever. It's just I am thinking in terms what is worth your time. So, because to me credentials play a role, simple as that. And I don't shy away from disclosing all this. This is why I don't go to too many shows, uh, you know, if I get an invitation, I'll consider it. Uh, again, that's just me because I look at the substance more so than the numbers and all this and all that. We all know, you all know by now, guys. And by the way, hit that like button before you forget. By now you all know the channel here should be somewhere else as far as numbers. Do I care? Nah, I care that you learn something. And the fact that I get, uh, uh, comments from you email from members appreciating the history, appreciating the geography, appreciating the analysis. It's enough for me. I let it grow on its own. So, and thank you, by the way, for sharing your insight because it matters to me about which country I should consider teaching at. And I had 4: Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and China. So far, majority of you said China. So, and I know I'll have to decide, but your input matters to me. So, all right guys, uh, let me, let me share the link with you for, uh, supporting the channel. And I am very grateful as always. And I'm gonna go and answer some questions from you. All right, let me scroll a little bit up. And, uh, wow, we got over like— I don't know how many people here, but we got many here. So, all right, let me scroll down and then I'll see. And remember, by the way, remember to join me tonight my time, 8 PM. That will be, uh, I think 10 AM or 9 AM China time, uh, with Jayant Bhandari. So I look forward to that conversation. And a lot of people kind of sort of, I don't know, they get like, okay, we want to hear what Jayant has to say. All right, uh, question from Boone. Question: Would pushing North Korea to move against South Korea now be a strategic move? No, no, it won't be. It's because it won't make any sense. Why would North Korea attract attention to— no, no. Uh, funny you said this, Bon, because I was about to ask you a question, all of you. And now I'll ask you guys my question to you. Should now the reunification between North Korea and South Korea move forward or be put on hold? Yeah, to me this goes in line with Boone's question. But no, I don't see a strategic move for them because now North Korea will be self-sufficient by the time it gets involved in trade that bypass the SWIFT and all that stuff. So that's it, they won't need it, they won't need the West anymore. And now we don't know what South Korea is. South Korea cannot stand on its feet unilaterally. And I'm talking about the government, not the people. Even the people, Koreans, do not want the presence of 30,000 troops, or 35,000, whatever that is. So I don't, uh, yeah, North Korea would not push for that because now the equation has changed. Now the strategic calculation now has changed by having Russia paved the way now for a much bigger, uh, change that North Korea is welcoming. Uh, let me— Michael, question: Dr. O, isn't that Horace Senna's beautiful limo and distinguished personal gift? Yes, it was from the Russian to, uh, uh, to Kim. Yes, he was. And it was convertible and the one open air. And, and just— yes, he was. And it's very symbolic, very, very, very symbolic. So I think things going to move different direction now. And this is why I said last time, and I did say it, it's on a record there. Just guys, imagine 4 countries— Russia, China, uh, Iran, and North Korea together. Just think about that. All right, I'll do one more question, guys, and I'm going to sign off here because I need to go answer an email regarding a guest that I am gonna be bringing. Om, good to see you. Om, see, over 100 countries under American sanctions. Yeah, it's, it's sad. It's very, very sad. No, that era has come to an end. Has come to an end. Uh, last question from Francis Tango. Uh, isn't that more dangerous for the US and Southeast Asia if North Korea has such weapons? Uh, why, why will it be dangerous? Because they will be defending themselves. To me, I see it as deterrence. We doing the same. Why do you think we have over, uh, 5,800— 5,683 nuclear warhead? Why do we need 6,000 deterrence? So this is why we, we couldn't attack North Korea, because they developed the bomb. Simple as that. We know what the consequences will be. They, they developed the ICBM, the delivery mechanism by which it would reach the US, and that's it. We don't have You know, can you imagine with the hypersonic? I don't see the Russians sharing that technology with the North Korean yet, but can you imagine hypersonic? We have nothing to defend against it, no matter what you hear. We don't. So I don't see it as a danger. Uh, it will be as a deterrent and will make the United States think twice, but also is going to have to make the local countries in the region, the likes of South Korea, the likes of Australia, the likes of Philippines, the likes of Japan, to say to the Americans, hey, we don't want to be in— end up in distraction here, we don't want this. But they can't. They don't have the willpower and determination to say no. It's no different than the European, uh, uh, incompetent leaders, the like of Germany France. France. France now is going a different direction. Do you guys know that the French people now are asking to exit the EU? They want a French exit. And I saw pictures yesterday. I intend to call the family this weekend. I have family lives in Paris, and, and I'll find out in more detail. I don't know if you guys would like me to do a video on it. I'd be happy to. But, uh, it's to me a sign. It's a sign. But European leaders, some, not all, don't have that, that determination. They don't have the power, the willpower to say no to the US. Scared, intimidated, I don't know, I don't know. So, so that's why— so the short answer is no, I don't see that happening. All right guys, I hope you find this very interesting, and I look forward to seeing you tonight at 8:00 PM. As always, remember, geopolitics impacts your daily life in more ways than one. Till next time, bye-bye.