Trilateral ties may be unshakeable, but good luck trying to get North Korea to denuclearize because that is pretty much a fantasy as this point:

The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan held their first meeting since the launch of the new Trump administration, reaffirming their “unshakable trilateral partnership.”

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his American and Japanese counterparts Marco Rubio and Takeshi Iwaya held talks on Saturday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

According to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry, the top diplomats discussed ways to enhance trilateral cooperation, responses to North Korea issues including its nuclear weapons, regional situations, and ways to expand economic cooperation.

In a joint statement, the three sides reaffirmed their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea.

KBS World

You can read more at the link.

The fact that there is a large pro-Yoon protest in Gwangju of all places has to be highly disturbing to the Korean left:

A longtime symbol of South Korea’s pro-democracy movement, Geumnam-ro Street in Gwangju became the staging ground for intensifying political divisions on Saturday, with protesters supporting and opposing President Yoon Suk Yeol gathering at the same time.

The two rallies, held separately along a 680-meter course from May 18 Democracy Square — commemorating the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising — to Geumnam-ro, saw the biggest crowd in Gwangju since Yoon’s declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, and, in particular, the largest anti-impeachment rally.

The conservative Christian organization Save Korea organized a rally opposing Yoon’s impeachment along Geumnam-ro, specifically on sections 3 and 4 of the road from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.

While this was happening, a rally in favor of impeaching Yoon was held on the other side of Geumnam-ro, led by the civic group Gwangju Emergency Action for Immediate Resignation of the Yoon Administration and Social Reform.

To maintain order and prevent physical clashes, police formed barriers between the opposing groups using riot buses.

Local media reported that the police unofficially put the number of people who participated in the anti-Yoon impeachment protest at 30,000, while 10,000 to 20,000 participated in the pro-Yoon impeachment protest.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

It is believed that Kim Jong-un has not been regularly doing events to commemorate his father or grandfather in order to create greater legitimacy for himself:

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has paid his respects at the mausoleum of his father, late leader Kim Jong-il, on the anniversary of his birthday, state media reported Monday, marking his first reported visit to the family mausoleum on the late leader’s birth anniversary in four years. 

Kim visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun the previous day, on the late leader’s birthday, known as the Day of the Shining Star, accompanied by his powerful sister Kim Yo-jong, party secretaries, Defense Minister No Kwang-chol and others, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

A floral basket was laid in his name before the statues of the late leader and national founder Kim Il-sung, and he paid “homage of immortality and best wishes” to his father, the KCNA said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Happy Valentine’s Day ROK Heads!

A pretty badge tragedy at this hotel construction site in Busan:

Six workers died and seven others were injured in a fire at a hotel construction site in the southeastern port city of Busan on Friday, authorities said.

The fire started at the Banyan Tree hotel under construction at approximately 10:50 a.m., presumably from insulating material loaded near a swimming pool on the building’s first floor, according to the Busan firefighting headquarters.

Firefighters rescued those trapped inside using helicopters, but six were later pronounced dead. Fourteen others were safely rescued from the roof, while more than a hundred workers evacuated.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.