- DETERRENCE: China develops anti-drone laser
- DPRK: Kim Jong-un’s New Year Address
- GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: Group launches #HackThemBack, a campaign to bring information to North Korea
DETERRENCE: China develops anti-drone laser, Xinhua, November 2, 2014.
Drones now pose a threat in many countries. China tested a laser defense system able to destroy a low altitude drone (below 500 m and 50m/s speed) in a 2 km radius in 5 seconds of acquiring a target. China is developing more powerful laser systems similar to that tested by the US Navy in the Persian Gulf in November. Drone overflights already threaten nuclear reactors in France.
- Navy Tests Super Precise Laser Weapon in Persian Gulf, Patrick Tucker, Defense One, December 10, 2014 (see video).
- French government on high alert after unexplained drone flights over nuclear power stations, John Lichfield, The Independent, November 9, 2014.
DPRK: Kim Jong-un’s New Year Address. (North) Korea Central News Agency. (1 January 2015).
Kim Jong-un’s New Year’s speech seems to stem more from desperation than hope – that should be cause for concern. North Korea often offers to talk but always with a long, unpublished list of demands. North Korea may assess they have not wringed enough out of previous talks in terms of concessions and driving wedges and so are offering the “highest level” of talks. The US placed more sanctions on North Korea. Whether sanctions compel desired changes or whether they work at all is still debatable.
- North Korea Sanctions Resource Center: Imposing additional sanctions with respect to North Korea. United States Department of Treasury (2 January 2015).
- Sanctions against rogue states: do they work? Council on Foreign Relations (20 May 1998).
- Do economic sanctions work? Kenneth Rogoff, Project Syndicate (2 January 2015).
GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: Group launches #HackThemBack, a campaign to bring information to North Korea, Kate Scanlon, The Daily Signal (5 January 2015).
The Human Rights Foundation has launched a campaign to “hack back” the DPRK by sending information into the DPRK via balloons, something already done by several activist groups in the ROK. Groups are also planning to send copies of the Hollywood film “The Interview”. While debate over whether the DPRK is responsible for the Sony hack continues, the ROK has accused the DPRK of also hacking its nuclear power system while also proposing talks and resuming aid.
- Activists determined to float Kim Jong-un caper into N. Korea, Chosun Ilbo (31 December 2014).
- N. Korea denies involvement in hacking of South’s nuclear power operator, Yonhap News (28 December 2014).
- Year starts with bigger resumption of South Korean aid to North Korea, Son Won-je, Hankyoreh (6 January 2015).
The Nautilus Peace and Security Weekly Report captures multiple perspectives on six threats to global security. Our contributors select items that highlight the links among these themes.
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Contributors:
- Deterrence: Peter Hayes
- DPRK: Roger Cavazos
- Governance and Civil Society: Dyana Mardon
- Climate Change Adaptation: Saleem Janjua
- Austral Peace and Security: Richard Tanter
- Climate Change and Security: Richard Tanter
NAPSNet Editor: Rebecca Pollack