<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Korea</a> dictator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kim-jong-un" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kim Jong Un</a> ordered an “exponential” expansion of his country’s nuclear arsenal, state media reported on Sunday.
Kim has made repeated promises to ramp up North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and build out its stockpile to counter what he says is U.S. aggression, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-north-korea-south-895fb34033780fdafd5bf925b376a2c6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>. Experts have <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/energy/these-are-the-nuclear-weapons-north-korea-has-as-fears-mount-of-atomic-test/2022/11/03/d69177aa-5b35-11ed-bc40-b5a130f95ee7_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a> North Korea has dozens of nuclear warheads, with one 2021 study putting the number as high as 116.
“They are now keen on isolating and stifling [North Korea], unprecedented in human history,” Kim said at a recent ruling party meeting, according to state media. “The prevailing situation calls for making redoubled efforts to overwhelmingly beef up the military muscle.”
Kim called for “an exponential increase of the country’s nuclear arsenal” to target South Korea with tactical nuclear weapons and announced a government mission to create a weapon capable of hitting the United States.
Tensions between North Korea and its Democratic neighbor to the south have grown increasingly strained recently as North Korea continues to ramp up missile testing. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol recently told his top military leaders, “our security situation is still very grave,” according to the AP.
South Korea’s military warned that any attempt by Kim’s government to use a nuclear weapon “will lead to the end of the Kim Jong Un government.”
Yoon told a South Korean newspaper that he is seeking closer cooperation with the United States to monitor and restrict North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.
“While the nuclear weapons belong to the US, intel sharing, planning, and training should be done jointly,” Yoon said, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-02/south-korea-asks-us-for-greater-role-in-managing-nuclear-weapons?leadSource=uverify%20wall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a>. “The US’s stance is quite positive.”
North Korea ended 2022 with what was suspected to be the testing of three ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. The launches came a day after South Korea tested a rocket as part of its program to build out a space-based surveillance system to monitor North Korea.
South Korea’s top military leadership <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-south-korea-north-government-3e6e8aff8d6d3e932f715d431cf7d2ae" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> the ballistic missile tests “a grave provocation.”
Earlier last week, North Korea flew drones across its southern border over South Korea for the first time in five years, according to South Korean authorities. South Korea responded by flying drones into North Korean airspace.
North Korea ramped up its weapons testing in 2022, testing more than 70 missiles.
Experts say that North Korea’s behavior, along with Kim’s recent comments on his country’s nuclear ambitions, shows an emboldened North Korea that may be able to support its bluster.
“Kim’s comments from the party meeting reads like an ambitious — but perhaps achievable — New Year’s resolution list,” RAND Corporation security analyst Soo Kim told the AP. “It’s ambitious in that Kim consciously chose to spell out what he hopes to accomplish as we head into 2023, but it also suggests a dose of confidence on Kim’s part.”

Kim Jong Un

North Korea Announces ‘Exponential’ Expansion Of Nuclear Weapons Program To Target South Korea, U.S.

Global Politics

North Korea

Nuclear Weapons

South Korea

United States

World

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Korea</a> responded with force to a potential <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Korean</a> threat Monday after drones from the Hermit Kingdom violated South Korea’s airspace. 
Five North Korean drones flew across the demilitarized zone (DMZ), the first violation of South Korea’s airspace in five years, officials said, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-drones-8ae75ec612d676455529499a3f20eabb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Associated Press. One drone was detected as far south as the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-64094143" target="_blank" rel="noopener">northern edge</a> of South Korea’s capital Seoul, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. 
The South Korean military fired warning shots and scrambled fighter jets and attack helicopters after detecting the North Korean drones. The helicopters fired more than 100 rounds at the drones, but officials did not immediately know if any drones were shot down, the AP reported. 
During the South Korean response, a KA-1 attack plane crashed shortly after taking off, but both pilots ejected from the plane safely. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said there were no reports of damage to civilian property after the incident. 
Two South Korean airports delayed any planes from taking off for nearly an hour as South Korea’s military responded to the North’s drone incursion. According to the Joint Chiefs, South Korea also responded by sending its own surveillance planes into North Korea to photograph North Korean military facilities. 
“Our military will thoroughly and resolutely respond to this kind of North Korean provocation,” Maj. Gen. Lee Seung-o, director of operations at the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, said after the incident. 
The latest provocation from North Korea comes nearly three months after the totalitarian country <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-and-south-korea-use-militaries-to-respond-to-north-korea-firing-missile-over-japan-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fired</a> a ballistic missile over Japan. The intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) forced Japan to issue a warning for residents to take cover. The missile <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/south-korea-us-launch-4-surface-to-surface-missiles-in-response-to-north-korea-missile-test-yonhap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> continued above the northern part of Japan before crashing into the Pacific Ocean. In response to North Korea’s nuclear stunt, the U.S. and South Korea fired surface-to-surface missiles into the ocean. 
The allied countries <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-military-deploys-powerful-show-of-force-after-latest-north-korean-provocation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continued</a> their show of force last month with a joint air training after North Korea conducted more ballistic missile launches. The U.S. Air Force flew B-1B strategic bombers and F-16s alongside South Korean F-35s that were purchased from the U.S.

South Korea F-35

South Korea Scrambles Fighter Jets, Attack Helicopters To Shoot Down North Korean Drones

Drones

Military

Hundreds of Yeti coolers have been washing up on the coast of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alaska" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alaska</a> and elsewhere a year after they spilled from the cargo ship transporting them. 
The cargo ship, Zim Kingston, was traveling from South Korea to Vancouver when it got caught in a storm. 109 shipping containers fell off the ship filled with urinal mats, refrigerators, toys, and 1,600 Yeti coolers. Lucky bystanders and people hunting for the coolers have been finding them since late last year.
“The Yetis are still out there,” oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer said. “The coolers will keep circling the world. You’ll be getting reports of people finding Yetis for the next 30 years.”
In October 2021, the Zim Kingston was near the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which is between Washington state and Vancouver Island, when it encountered waves of 20 feet and wind speeds up to 40 knots, according to <a href="https://maritime-executive.com/article/zim-kingston-s-lost-cargo-included-a-present-for-beachcombers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Maritime Executive</a>. Shortly after the rough seas threw containers overboard, the ship <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/cargo-ship-was-loitering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">caught</a> fire, causing it to lose two more.
“The ship rolled 35 degrees and, with the height that those containers are on a container ship, it puts a lot of stress on the tie-downs,” Laird Hall of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Puget Sound vessel traffic service <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/cargo-ship-was-loitering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the time.
The fire onboard took a week to put out, <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-stuck-at-sea-the-zim-kingston-and-its-unlucky-cargo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Globe And Mail. This was partly due to the hazardous materials that were in some of the shipping containers. Despite this, the ship was able to be saved along with most of the cargo.
The coolers appear to be the most treasured find from the ship, ranging in price from $250 to $750. Many of them are in near-mint condition, according to the Wall Street Journal. Most of the coolers have ended up in Alaska, where some residents now search for them as a hobby. One man told the outlet he discovered 19 that had washed up while searching in his plane. Another couple that found one said the exterior was “lightly abused, but the inside was in mint condition.”
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These <a href="https://twitter.com/YETICoolers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YETICoolers</a> were all found on beaches near Seward, Alaska: ~1,000 miles from where the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZimKingston?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZimKingston</a> spilled containers off WA’s Olympic Peninsula. Pics courtesy Duke Marolf. 4/n <a href="https://t.co/Z9oLhpDezy">pic.twitter.com/Z9oLhpDezy</a>
&mdash; KUOW Public Radio (@KUOW) <a href="https://twitter.com/KUOW/status/1567371186207887362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Along with coolers washing up in Seattle, two were reportedly found In Hawaii, roughly 2,500 miles away from where they went overboard. Ebbesmeyer, who is an expert in the study of how ocean debris travels on currents, says, “The coolers are being found exactly where they should be.” He estimates that since the goods were tossed from the ship, they have traveled 7 miles a day. Four shipping containers washed up 200 miles north of the spillage site just five days after the event, according to <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/cargo-ship-was-loitering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KUOW</a>.
Yeti President and CEO Matt Reintjes said that the company lost 1,600 coolers in the incident, but he hopes the “near-new” coolers are put to “good use.”

Inside The Yeti Flagship Store Ahead Of Consumer Comfort Figures

Hundreds Of Yeti Coolers Are Washing Up After Spilling From Cargo Ship Last Year

Alaska

General

Pacific Ocean

U.S.

A U.S. Space Force unit has been launched in South Korea as the nation seeks to increase its ability to monitor threats from North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un and others in the region.
The activation of the unit at Osan Air Base near Seoul follows a number of missile launch tests by North Korea which could be capable of striking the U.S. and its allies.
“Today marks the next milestone in strengthening our ironclad commitment to the U.S.-Korean alliance,” Lt. Col. Joshua McCullion, commander of the new unit, said in a <a href="https://www.usfk.mil/Media/Press-Products/Press-Releases/Article/3245492/space-force-activates-component-field-command-for-us-forces-korea/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “Our U.S. and Republic of Korea alliance was forged more than 70 years ago, as we stood shoulder-to-shoulder in war. With the world around us evolving, so, too, must we.”
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Our presence around the globe continues to grow! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PartnersinSpace?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PartnersinSpace</a> <a href="https://t.co/Xgt690fANE">https://t.co/Xgt690fANE</a>
&mdash; United States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceForceDoD/status/1603025013837369344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Gen. Paul LaCamera, the U.S. Forces Korea commander, presided over the ceremony to inaugurate the new operation.
“The activation here today of U.S. Space Forces Korea, a subcomponent of U.S. Space Forces INDOPACOM, enhances our ability to defend the homelands and ensures peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia,&#8221; LaCamera said.
The Space Force mission will focus on missile warning operations, according to the unit&#8217;s description, which provides &#8220;in-theater near-real-time detection&#8221; and will warn of ballistic missile launches.
“Just 48 miles north of us exists an existential threat; a threat that we must be prepared to deter, defend against, and – if required – defeat,” McCullion said.
The announcement of a stronger U.S. presence in South Korea comes just weeks after the U.S. and South Korea fired several missiles in October following North Korea’s firing of a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-and-south-korea-use-militaries-to-respond-to-north-korea-firing-missile-over-japan-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ballistic missile</a> over Japan.
The Japanese government broadcast a warning after the missile launch. The missile eventually flew beyond Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean. It marked the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nkorea-fires-missile-towards-east-skorea-military-2022-10-03/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fifth</a> missile launch in the 10-day period and was the 23rd launch since the start of the year.
In addition to ongoing threats from North Korea, the new U.S. Space Force unit will be located closer to China. The communist nation recently revealed its latest <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/milley-confirms-china-indeed-fired-hypersonic-missiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hypersonic weapon</a> technology.
The new unit also positions the U.S. closer to Russia, whose anti-satellite technology could pose a threat to American military technologies. As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/space-is-a-warfighting-domain-u-s-space-force-activates-new-unit-within-branch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, Russia has jammed GPS signals throughout its conflict with Ukraine, targeting the U.S. military&#8217;s Navstar system of satellites.
In November 2021, the U.S. also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-rips-russia-for-missile-test-that-forced-space-station-astronauts-to-scramble-for-shelter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> Russia for conducting an anti-satellite missile test, which sent debris flying and prompted astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) to take refuge in their spacecraft.
“Russia has demonstrated a deliberate disregard for the security, safety, stability, and long-term sustainability of the space domain for all nations,” U.S. Army Gen. James Dickinson, U.S. Space Command commander, said in a <a href="https://www.spacecom.mil/Newsroom/News/Article-Display/Article/2842957/russian-direct-ascent-anti-satellite-missile-test-creates-significant-long-last/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CRussia%20has%20demonstrated%20a%20deliberate,Dickinson%2C%20U.S.%20Space%20Command%20commander." target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol <a href="https://www.stripes.com/branches/space_force/2022-12-14/space-force-command-south-korea-8415014.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> during a speech last month that he would “expand space security cooperation” with other countries, including the U.S. The nation continues to move forward with other plans for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/spacex-prepares-to-launch-first-private-japanese-mission-to-moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">space exploration</a> as well, including a robotic moon landing in 2032 and an unmanned mission to Mars in 2045.
The Space Force was authorized in 2019 by then-President Donald Trump, creating the first new military service since the Army Air Corps officially became the U.S. Air Force in 1947.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and Central Command set up space units last month in Hawaii and Florida, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-forces-launch-space-unit-south-korea-amid-norths-growing-threats-2022-12-14/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Reuters.

Space Force

U.S. Space Force Launches Unit In South Korea As Northern Tensions Grow

Space

United States Space Force

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Korea</a> scrambled jets as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chinese</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a> war aircraft arrived unannounced in its air defense identification zone (KADIZ) on Wednesday morning. 
Two Chinese warplanes <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/south-korea-scrambles-jets-china-russia-warplanes-enter-air-defense-zone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">classified</a> as H-6 bombers entered the air defense area around 5:50 a.m. local time, Seoul&#8217;s Joint Chiefs of Staff <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-russia-warplanes-temporarily-entered-south-korea-air-defence-zone-yonhap-2022-11-30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>.
The two warplanes left the area around 7 a.m. but returned about five hours later with six Russian warplanes. Around 12:20 p.m. the eight aircraft flew into the air defense zone via the Sea of Japan, departing the area eighteen minutes later. The Russian planes included Tu-95 bombers and Su-35 fighter jets.
South Korea sent out an unknown number of airplanes, including F-15K jets. 
“Our military dispatched air force fighter jets ahead of the Chinese and Russian aircraft’s entry of the Kadiz to implement tactical measures in preparation for a potential contingency,” the JCS said in a statement.
Japan’s Joint Staff <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-korea-scrambles-jets-chinese-russian-warplanes-enter-air-defense-zone/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> two Chinese H-6 bomber warplanes &#8220;entered the Sea of Japan and then flew north&#8221; early Wednesday, resulting in Japan <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/30/south-korea-scrambles-jets-after-chinese-and-russian-warplanes-enter-air-defence-zone">scrambling</a> fighter jets.
&#8220;Around the same time, what appears to be two Russian aircraft flew south over the Sea of Japan and then turned around,&#8221; it said.
Seoul also noted that the war aircraft departed the area and did not breach South Korea’s airspace. 
Air defense identification zones are regions separate from a country’s airspace, and nations insist that foreign aircraft take additional identification measures when operating in them. The zones, however, are not under international rules and the idea is not <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/chinese-russian-planes-enter-south-korean-air-defense-zone/a-63939138" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clarified</a> in international treaties. 
Yonhap, a news outlet out of South Korea, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/chinese-russian-planes-enter-south-korean-air-defense-zone/a-63939138" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Russia and China seemed to have &#8220;engaged in a combined air exercise.” 
Russia said its planes and the Chinese aircraft ”carried out air patrols over the waters of the Japanese and East China Seas.&#8221; It claimed that the planes &#8220;acted strictly in accordance with the provisions of international law&#8221; without breaching foreign airspace.
Russia and China have previously deployed war aircraft into the KADIZ.
In the past, China and Russia have claimed their war aircraft were engaging in regular joint exercises. Russia does not acknowledge South Korea’s air defense identification zone, while China claims the area is not territorial and all nations should be able to fly there.

A Chinese Air Force H-6K bomber

South Korea Scrambles Jets As Russian And Chinese War Aircraft Enter Air Defense Zone

South Korea Scrambles Jets As Russian, Chinese War Aircraft Enter Air Defense Zone 

China

Russia

President Joe Biden expressed his condolences to the loved ones of two American citizens who died during a stampede at a Halloween event in Seoul, South Korea.
Biden shared the comments in a Sunday post on Twitter after the U.S. Embassy in South Korea confirmed the deaths.
&#8220;Jill and I are devastated to learn that at least two Americans are among so many who lost their lives in Seoul,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Our hearts go out to their loved ones in this time of grief, and we continue to pray for the recovery of all who were injured.&#8221;
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Jill and I are devastated to learn that at least two Americans are among so many who lost their lives in Seoul. Our hearts go out to their loved ones in this time of grief, and we continue to pray for the recovery of all who were injured.
&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1586773677869342724?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder" data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_F63E1991-98D0-47C6-AC3D-F7331133068E@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph">“Our staff in Seoul and colleagues in the United States are working tirelessly to provide consular assistance to the victims of last night’s incident and their families,” an embassy <a href="https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/seoul-south-korea-halloween-10-30-22#h_9e3eb7ac8a0e3e59eb9e9404c3b7daea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> provided to CNN read on Sunday.
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder" data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_03C898D0-9E30-42D6-8859-EF2CF86F4852@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph">“The U.S. Embassy in Seoul is working closely with local authorities and other partner organizations to assist U.S. citizens affected. We offer our sincerest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and continue to assist the injured. Due to privacy considerations, we have no additional details at this time,&#8221; it added.
A total of 153 people were killed in the stampede, according to the latest reports, with another 133 injured. The tragedy occurred when crowds of people celebrating Halloween swelled in the narrow alleys of Seoul&#8217;s Itaewon nightclub district.
In addition to the two American citizens who died, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/seoul-south-korea-halloween-10-30-22#h_656d1d429d7dc12cf6aebd2f9b68bbf5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three other Americans</a> were treated for injuries.
At least 20 casualties from 10 different nationalities were reported by Sunday, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/30/seoul-halloween-stampede-itaewon-south-korea/#link-MZXP6JMUHJH5FPAL5RCGCKK3NM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> the Washington Post.
The Post also <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/30/seoul-halloween-stampede-itaewon-south-korea/#link-MZXP6JMUHJH5FPAL5RCGCKK3NM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that one of the American deaths was Steven Blesi, a junior from Kennesaw State University in Marietta, Georgia, near Atlanta. Blesi was in Seoul as part of a study abroad semester, according to his parents.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a period of national mourning following the incident, designating the district in which it occurred as a disaster zone after the Saturday night disaster, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/yoon-declares-mourning-south-korea-after-halloween-crush-kills-151-2022-10-30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Reuters.
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-146-people-dead-150-injured-after-being-crushed-in-large-halloween-party-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, there were so many people present at the scene that emergency workers reportedly struggled to reach the victims and then dealt with crowd issues in an effort to transport people to hospitals.
The Washington Post <a href="https://twitter.com/bybryanpietsch/status/1586379887463772160">reported</a> that the U.S. Military had also responded to the incident and was helping local authorities do crowd control.
The Yonsan-gu Fire Department said that there was no gas leak or fire in the area as they continued to investigate what led to the mass casualty event.
The tragedy is being called one of the largest mass casualty events during peacetime in the country’s history. Most of the victims were younger adults in their 20s, according to witnesses.

Korea Halloween stampede

2 Americans Among The 153 Dead In Seoul Halloween Tragedy

Death

Disasters

Halloween

A large Halloween celebration Saturday night in Seoul, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Korea</a>, turned into a horror show after 146+ people were crushed to death and another 150 were injured in overly packed streets.
The New York Times reported that approximately 100,000 people showed up to the event leading to narrow streets being crammed full of people who could not move.
There were so many people present that emergency workers reportedly struggled to make it to the victims and then again struggled to transport them out of the area to hospitals.
The Washington Post <a href="https://twitter.com/bybryanpietsch/status/1586379887463772160">reported</a> that the U.S. Military responded to the incident and was helping local authorities do crowd control.
The Yonsan-gu Fire Department said that there was no gas leak or fire in the area as they continued to investigate what led to the mass casualty event.
Choi Seong-beom, head of the fire department, told reporters that “many casualties were incurred as a crowd of people fell over during Halloween parties.&#8221;
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Dozens of people reportedly suffering mysterious cardiac arrest symptoms during Halloween celebrations in Seoul, South Korea. <a href="https://t.co/qCCgzxeZzW">pic.twitter.com/qCCgzxeZzW</a>
&mdash; Frida Ghitis (@FridaGhitis) <a href="https://twitter.com/FridaGhitis/status/1586394362304376832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Desperate efforts to resuscitate victims in Seoul, South Korea with chest compressions to multiple people in the area. What happened here? <a href="https://t.co/kzLrmBMPGG">https://t.co/kzLrmBMPGG</a>
&mdash; Frida Ghitis (@FridaGhitis) <a href="https://twitter.com/FridaGhitis/status/1586394999771385856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Remnants on the street of the chaos in Itaewon early Sunday morning <a href="https://t.co/I3Rtzu0cfH">pic.twitter.com/I3Rtzu0cfH</a>
&mdash; Bryan Pietsch 정동수 (@bybryanpietsch) <a href="https://twitter.com/bybryanpietsch/status/1586441148545261568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Yonhap News Agency <a href="https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20221030000256315?input=tw">said</a> that the incident happened &#8220;in a narrow downhill alley near Hamilton Hotel in the famous nightlife district after a throng of partygoers flooded into it.&#8221;
The report said that 848 first responders, including 346 firefighters, were dispatched to respond to the incident, which is being called one of the largest mass casualty events during peacetime in the country&#8217;s history.
Many of the people who appeared to be deceased or serious injured appeared to be young adults in their 20s, authorities said.
Rescue workers could be seen performing CPR on dozens of victims in numerous videos circulating on social.
This was the first major Halloween celebration in the nation&#8217;s capital since the coronavirus pandemic erupted a couple of years ago.
The Times said that the area where the incident happened, Itaewon, is a shopping and entertainment district that was originally developed to cater to American soldiers during the Korean War. It has since become &#8220;one of the most popular neighborhoods in Seoul&#8221; for its restaurants and night life.
This is a breaking news story; refresh the page for updates.

SKOREA-ACCIDENT-HALLOWEEN

146 People Dead, 150 Injured After Being Crushed In Large Halloween Party: Report

146 People Dead, 150 Injured After Being Crushed In Large Halloween Party In South Korea: Report

The U.S. and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Korea</a> fired several missiles late on Tuesday in responses to North Korea&#8217;s provocation earlier this week in firing a ballistic missile over Japan.
The Japanese government broadcast a warning across the country early Tuesday morning local time after North Korea fired the missile in the direction of the northern part of the country, an apparent escalation. The missile eventually flew overhead and continued into the Pacific Ocean. It was the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nkorea-fires-missile-towards-east-skorea-military-2022-10-03/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fifth</a> missile launch in the past 10 days and the 23rd launch since the start of the year.
The U.S. and South Korea fired four surface-to-surface missiles in response to North Korea&#8217;s latest nuclear provocation, according to a <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/south-korea-us-launch-4-surface-to-surface-missiles-in-response-to-north-korea-missile-test-yonhap">report</a> from Yonhap News Agency.
The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo promoted Japan&#8217;s warning on Monday following the missile launch, saying that there was a &#8220;possibility it&#8217;s heading toward Japan.&#8221;
Videos online showed air raid sirens blasting throughout the country urging people to take cover pending the incoming strike.
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SOUND ON: Air raid sirens wail in cities and towns around Japan, after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over the country, prompting the Japanese government to warn citizens to take shelter. <a href="https://t.co/Y4YR7eXv8S">https://t.co/Y4YR7eXv8S</a> <a href="https://t.co/LRvYhsY4II">pic.twitter.com/LRvYhsY4II</a>
&mdash; ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1577224505985945600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Sirens rang out across Japan after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over the country without warning.
Today&#39;s top stories 👉 <a href="https://t.co/PAiZ4DiULB">https://t.co/PAiZ4DiULB</a> <a href="https://t.co/hfM9NFOIy0">pic.twitter.com/hfM9NFOIy0</a>
&mdash; Sky News (@SkyNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1577414507646701569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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“You can’t ever get used to that sound,” said 72-year-old resident Kazuyuki Tsuchiya. “It makes me feel so scared.”
The ballistic missile fired by North Korea traveled nearly 3,000 miles, the longest distance the isolated nation has ever fired a projectile.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said, “The Kim regime is developing weapons such as tactical nuclear warheads and submarine-launched ballistic missiles as part of a long-term strategy to outrun South Korea in an arms race and drive wedges among U.S. allies.”
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/03/world/asia/japan-north-korea-missile.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that officials believe that based on the height the missile reached, 602 miles, the missile was a long-range ballistic missile, capable of hitting Guam. The last time that North Korea fired a missile over Japan was back in September 2017.
When former President Donald Trump (R) was in the White House, he threatened North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un to knock off making threats against the United States.
“North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,” Trump <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/08/trump-warns-north-korea-threats-will-be-met-with-fire-and-fury.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. He has been very threatening &#8230; and as I said they will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-harris-touts-strong-and-enduring-ties-with-republic-of-north-korea-in-latest-gaffe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris Touts ‘Strong And Enduring’ Ties With ‘Republic Of North Korea’ In Latest Gaffe </a>

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U.S. And South Korea Use Militaries To Respond To North Korea Firing Missile Over Japan: Report

Japan

Missiles

Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kamala-harris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris</a> (D) faced mockery Thursday over a series of events that unfolded during her trip to South Korea.
The top negative story involving Harris came when she was giving a speech at the Korean Peninsula&#8217;s Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and she praised America&#8217;s relationship with North Korea, which is a hostile foreign nation.
“The United States shares a very important relationship, which is an alliance with the Republic of North Korea,&#8221; Harris said. &#8220;And it is an alliance that is strong and enduring.&#8221;
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KAMALA HARRIS: &quot;The United States shares a very important relationship, which is an alliance with the Republic of North Korea.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/H2dI5UYOlo">pic.twitter.com/H2dI5UYOlo</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1575465283325657095?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;If the Dems decide Biden isn’t their guy in 2024, they won’t be looking to Kamala Harris as the candidate,&#8221; columnist Brian Lilley said. &#8220;This is something straight out of an episode of Veep &#8211; praising the U.S. alliance with North Korea?&#8221;
&#8220;Biden looked around a room for a dead person,&#8221; media strategist Greg Price said. &#8220;Kamala is saying we have an alliance and important relationship with Kim Jong-Un. What an absolute disaster.&#8221;
Nile Gardiner, former aide to Margaret Thatcher responded: &#8220;Kamala Harris is monumentally unfit to be Vice President of the United States.&#8221;
&#8220;Her sheer ignorance on the international stage, complete lack of policy knowledge, and frequent gaffes are an embarrassment to the world&#8217;s superpower,&#8221; he added.
&#8220;Our President sees dead people,&#8221; radio host Erick Erickson said. &#8220;This Vice President sees North Korea as an ally, and the media is all &#8216;Well, they&#8217;re not Trump so it&#8217;s all okay.’”
Retired U.S. diplomat Alberto Miguel Fernandez responded, &#8220;Diplomacy is back, baby. Evidently we switched sides in Korea under the Biden Administration and nobody told us. Unlike her boss, she can&#8217;t claim advanced old age as a defense.&#8221;
&#8220;USA &#8211; Kamala Harris in South Korea announces &#8211; they have formed an alliance with erm… [North] Korea,&#8221; another account stated on Twitter. &#8220;It’s just embarrassing now.&#8221;
Harris started the day by visiting Camp Bonifas Dining Facility and thanking U.S. soldiers. She visited the DMZ where she then tried to talk about matters unrelated to her visit and effectively posed for photographs while looking through binoculars.
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Kamala Harris at the DMZ: &quot;Have you seen the photographs from the Webb telescope?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/gTZNvn7K3S">pic.twitter.com/gTZNvn7K3S</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1575579769575448582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Kamala Harris reacts to seeing the DMZ: &quot;It&#39;s so close!&quot;
&quot;It&#39;s 50 meters away, ma&#39;am.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/d20qwb5XhR">pic.twitter.com/d20qwb5XhR</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1575582962573262848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;When will &#8216;border czar&#8217; Kamala Harris visit our own southern border?&#8221; the Republican National Committee tweeted.
&#8220;Kamala Harris talking in an uninformed way about cool stuff going on in outer space to a group of people who aren&#8217;t remotely interested,&#8221; Daily Wire host Matt Walsh tweeted. &#8220;This is the first time I&#8217;ve ever found her relatable.&#8221;
&#8220;The guy on the left is thinking &#8216;MAN, is she dumb!’” radio host Chris Krok tweeted.

Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris Slammed Over ‘Embarrassing’ Trip To South Korea: ‘What An Absolute Disaster’

Biden Administration

White House

Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kamala-harris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris</a> mistakenly said the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United States</a> has a “strong and enduring” alliance with the “Republic of North Korea” on Thursday.
The gaffe happened as Harris delivered prepared remarks from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Korea</a>, one of her stops during a diplomatic trip around Asia this week. Her visit to South Korea was preceded by multiple North Korean rocket tests and at least one more after her departure, according to the South Korean military.
“The United States shares a very important relationship, which is an alliance with the Republic of North Korea. And it is an alliance that is strong and enduring,” Harris said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Kamala: &quot;The United States shares a very important relationship, which is an alliance with the Republic of North Korea.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/eEfIAOnhgW">pic.twitter.com/eEfIAOnhgW</a>
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1575473294660276225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Harris’s visit to South Korea comes amid concerns over North Korea’s escalating rocket tests and suspicions that the regime may soon test a nuclear weapon. While touring South Korea, the vice president said North Korea’s recent rocket tests are intended to “destabilize the region” and repeated the United States’ call for the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-asia-tokyo-kamala-harris-seoul-388f6a766cf95995096d261444c612c6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>.
Harris also reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to its Asian allies.
“I cannot state enough that commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad,” she said. “In the South, we see a thriving democracy. In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship.”
During her visit, Harris met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Harris told Yoon that the U.S. was prepared to defend South Korea militarily in the case of war, Yoon’s office said.
North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan on Thursday after Harris departed South Korea by helicopter. The rocket test was the third this week, following at least two shot off on Wednesday and one on Sunday, according to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/29/north-korea-fires-missile-after-harris-leaves-south-korea.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNBC</a>.
North Korea has been pushing the United States to recognize it as a nuclear power, causing some concern among Western officials that the dictatorial regime run by Kim Jong Un may test its first nuclear device since 2017. According to South Korean intelligence, the test is likely to come sometime between the Chinese Communist Party convention the week of October 16 and the United States’ midterm elections on November 8.

Kamala Harris Touts ‘Strong And Enduring’ Ties With ‘Republic Of North Korea’ In Latest Gaffe

Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kamala-harris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris</a>, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden</a> administration’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/poll-majority-of-americans-say-invasion-happening-at-southern-border" target="_blank" rel="noopener">southern border</a> czar, will be visiting a contentious border spot this week — on the other side of the world.
Harris will travel to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea Thursday where she will “tour sites at the DMZ, meet with service members and receive an operational briefing from U.S. commanders,” the White House <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/26/kamala-harris-travel-korea-demilitarized-zone-00058960" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a>. The vice president&#8217;s scheduled trip to the DMZ will follow her Tuesday meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.
“Your visit to the DMZ and Seoul will be very symbolic demonstrations of your strong commitments to the security and peace to Korean Peninsula, and we are working with you and U.S. in dealing with North Korea,” Han <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/09/27/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-and-prime-minister-han-duck-soo-of-the-republic-of-korea-before-bilateral-meeting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Harris at the bilateral meeting.
According to the White House, Harris’ trip to South Korea affirms America’s commitment to its relationship with the country after North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s puppet parliament <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-north-korea-law-allows-for-preemptive-nuclear-strikes-country-will-automatically-and-immediately-fire-nuke-if-kim-dies-in-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed a law</a> allowing the leader to fire a preemptive nuclear attack. North Korea’s new law also ensures that the country will “automatically and immediately” retaliate with nuclear weapons if Kim is killed in an attack.
The trip to the Korean border also comes as the Biden administration faces intensifying backlash for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/border-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crisis</a> on its own border. The vice president has been criticized for seemingly ignoring the crisis after being <a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-lead-migrant-crisis-response-joe-biden-3400f56255e000547d1ca3ce1aa6b8e9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tapped</a> as the border czar in March 2021. Harris’ first and only <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kamala-harris-visits-u-s-mexico-border-says-it-was-always-the-plan-to-go" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trip</a> to the U.S.-Mexico border came in June of last year.
In an interview with MSNBC’s Chuck Todd Earlier this month, the vice president <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chuck-todd-is-clearly-not-buying-kamala-harris-claim-the-border-is-secure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a>, “We have a secure border,” but then explained that “there are still a lot of problems that we are trying to fix given the deterioration that happened over the last four years,” in an apparent attempt to blame-shift the border crisis onto the Trump administration. In reality, Harris has seen a <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/09/20/migrants-custody-border-surge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">record</a> two million border encounters in the past fiscal year alone.
In her interview with Todd, Harris also called on Congress to grant amnesty to the millions of illegal immigrants in the country.
“I think that there is no question that we have to do what the president and I asked Congress to do. The first request we made, pass a bill to create a pathway to citizenship,” Harris said. “The border is secure, but we also have a broken immigration system, in particular over the last four years before we came in, and it needs to be fixed.”
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&quot;We’re gonna have 2 million people cross this border for the first time ever.&quot; Chuck Todd doesn&#39;t appear to buy VP Harris&#39; claim that the border is secure. <a href="https://t.co/7K6Txsxc0Z">pic.twitter.com/7K6Txsxc0Z</a>
&mdash; Virginia Kruta (@VAKruta) <a href="https://twitter.com/VAKruta/status/1569066914470854656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Kamala Harris To Visit Border – In Korea

Southern Border

A woman in South Korea has been arrested in connection with two suitcases purchased at a storage facility auction in New Zealand that were found to contain the bodies of two children.
The unnamed woman, who is 42 years old and believed to be the mother of the children, was arrested late last week, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/14/asia/new-zealand-children-suitcase-korea-woman-arrested-intl-hnk/index.html">reported</a>. The woman reportedly moved to South Korea years ago, sometime after the suitcases were abandoned at the New Zealand storage facility.
In <a href="https://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/arrest-made-manurewa-homicide-investigation?ref=/news&amp;search=&amp;cmin=&amp;cmax=&amp;nondesktop">a press release</a>, New Zealand Detective Inspector Tofilau Fa’amanuia Vaaelua said that police have applied to have the woman extradited back to New Zealand to face charges for the children’s death.
“To have someone in custody overseas within such a short period of time has all been down to the assistance of the Korean authorities and the coordination by our NZ Police Interpol staff,” Vaaelua said.
The children <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/children-found-in-suitcases-bought-at-auction-have-been-identified">had previously been identified</a>, but their names were not released to the public. The woman’s name has not been released to avoid identifying the children.
The bodies <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/two-suitcases-bought-at-auction-contained-bodies-of-children-who-had-probably-been-dead-for-years">were found</a> in August after a family purchased a trailer full of items at a storage auction, including the two suitcases. The BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62588994">reported</a> at the time that the children had likely been dead for years. The outlet added that the children were between 5 and 10 years old when they died.
“The nature of this discovery provides some complexities to the investigation,” Vaaelua said in <a href="https://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/update-manurewa-homicide-investigation?ref=/news&amp;search=&amp;cmin=&amp;cmax=&amp;nondesktop">a press release</a> on August 18.
Authorities used personal and household items that were found along with the suitcases to identify the children, as well as watching surveillance footage from the storage facility.
Vaaelua also insisted that the family that bought the suitcases at auction had no connection to the deaths and were distraught over the discovery.
“We want to reassure the community our investigation is continuing to establish the facts to ascertain the full circumstances around the deaths of these children. This includes establishing when, where, and how,” Vaaelua said in the press release. “[W]e are continuing to treat this matter very seriously and we are determined to hold the person, or persons, responsible for the deaths of these children to account.”
“Police can confirm the discovery of these children’s remains occurred after the residents of the Moncrieff Avenue property brought unowned property back to their address from a storage facility,” he added.
At a news conference, Vaaelua offered sympathy for the family of the victims.
“I really feel for the victims or the family of these victims. And, you know right here, right now, there are relatives out there that aren’t aware that their loved ones have deceased,” he said, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/18/world/new-zealand-children-remains-suitcase-intl-hnk/index.html">according to CNN</a>.

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