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Jenny Town

@jennytown.bsky.social
3.4K followers 159 following 76 posts

Korea specialist | Senior Fellow, Stimson Center | Co-founder & Director, 38 North | Director, Korea Program | Associate Fellow of SAIS Foreign Policy Institute www.38North.org

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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
I get why the Blue House has said this but I doubt this haphazard gesture will change North Korea’s disinterest in resuming dialogue with the U.S. whether this was really about NK or simply some dig at South Korea is unclear. But it’s just one more example of eroding credibility of US as an ally.
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Steve Herman @newsguy.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
"If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the shit out of them," declares President Trump in expletive-laden Fox News phone call this morning. www.foxnews.com/world/trump-c...
foxnews.com
Trump confirms IRGC backchannel, but calls for Iran's 'white flag of surrender'
Trump confirmed a direct backchannel with the IRGC for peace talks and issued an extraordinary bombing warning to Oman as the ceasefire expires.
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Dr. Mark P. Barry ☯︎ @drmarkpbarry.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
N. Korea blasts S. Korea, U.S. for 'abusing' ASEAN meetings to pursue its denuclearization | Yonhap News Agency en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2026...
en.yna.co.kr
N. Korea blasts S. Korea, U.S. for 'abusing' ASEAN meetings to pursue its denuclearization | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Friday accused South Korea, the United States an...
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James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
-Anyone who had considered combat w Iran knew its first move would be closing strait. Second move, attack US allies/bases in region -Anyone who studied air war knew bombing alone doesn't capture territory -Anyone who observed Ukraine (or Vietnam!) knew about "asymmetrical advantage" And yet...
Headline:
Satellite Images Show Iran Is Rebuilding. Fast.

Subhed:
Tehran’s speedy recovery from damage done by the U.S. and Israeli air campaign raises concerns about its effectiveness
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38 North @38north.org · 23/06/2026
Pyunghwa Park and Uri Kidron examine how the varied willingness of states facing a regional nuclearizing rival to absorb the costs of war as a counterproliferation strategy has played into North Korea's nuclear advancements versus Iran's restraints. www.38north.org/2026/06/why-...
38north.org
Why North Korea Got the Bomb (And Iran Did Not, for Now) - 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea
Why did North Korea get nuclear weapons when other states with similar nuclear ambitions like ...
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Meet our new cohort of emerging fellows. Welcome to them all!
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
While the outcomes of the Xi-Kim summit may seem a bit underwhelming, flashy outcomes weren't necessarily the point of this diplomatic showing for either Kim or Xi. Check out these short takes from myself and some of my talented colleagues from 38 North and the Stimson Center.
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CSIS Korea Chair @korea.csis.org · 10/06/2026
ICYMI: France 24's The Debate on North Korea, China, and Russia @csis.org @victordcha.bsky.social joined @france24.com's The Debate alongside Claudia Astarita, @jennytown.bsky.social, and Philippe Le Corre. Moderated by @francoisf24.bsky.social. Watch it here:
youtube.com
Unbreakable Kim? China's Xi visits Russia-backed North Korean leader • FRANCE 24 English
It takes convincing these days to get China's leader to go abroad. Xi Jinping has just wrapped up what was only his first foreign visit of 2026. Why Pyongyang? It's hard to deduce from official…
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Lokman Karadag, PhD @drlokmankaradag.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
🎥 REPLAY AVAILABLE In this timely conversation, I sit down with Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social, one of the world's foremost North Korea experts, to explore Pyongyang's evolving role in international affairs and its growing significance in a changing global order www.youtube.com/live/PZLOMkM...
youtube.com
North Korea and the New World Order: Whats is Pyongyang’s Role in Today’s International Affairs?
YouTube video by Dr Lokman Karadag
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38 North @38north.org · 16/04/2026
North Korea's Sinpo-B class (Gorae-class) ballistic missile submarine appears to have been moved to the dry dock at the Sinpo South Shipyard, likely for maintenance; while the cargo vessel is now fully inside the construction hall. Analysis by @jennytown.bsky.social . www.38north.org/2026/04/quic...
38north.org
Quick Take: North Korea’s Sinpo-B Class Submarine Drydocked - 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea
On commercial satellite imagery of North Korea’s Sinpho South Shipyard, it appears that the ...
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🗞️연합뉴스 속보 봇 @news-bot.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
중동 전쟁에 '물가급등' 우려…여행·식품·중기 예의주시
n.news.naver.com
중동 전쟁에 '물가급등' 우려…여행·식품·중기 예의주시
국제유가·해상운임 급등으로 먹거리 물가 상승 가능성 중기부, 중소기업 피해 지원 체계 가동 구정모 김윤구 한주홍 기자 = 미국과 이란의 전쟁으로 중동 정세가 극심한 혼란에 휩싸이자 물가가 빠르게 오를 우려가 커졌다.
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Reuters @reuters.com · 03/03/2026
Middle East oil shipping costs surge to all-time high as US-Iran conflict intensifies reut.rs/4bkdDF1
reut.rs
Middle East oil shipping costs surge to all-time high as US-Iran conflict intensifies
The cost of hiring a supertanker to ship oil from the Middle ​East to China surged to an all-time high ‌of over $400,000 a day as the U.S.-Iran conflict intensifies with Tehran targeting ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, LSEG data showed.
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
There’s obviously a lot going on right now but this is not the time to fall asleep on North Korea. They have proven themselves a useful military partner as the big powers have become more prone to use of force. There is opportunity for NK in that equation. Worth examining their evolving calculus.
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CNN @cnn.com · 28/02/2026
The US is carrying out strikes on Iran, two US officials tell CNN. Follow live updates: cnn.it/4rFzzQF
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Reuters @reuters.com · 28/02/2026
Israel's operation against Iran was coordinated with US, Israeli official says reut.rs/4qVoObP
reut.rs
Israel's operation against Iran was coordinated with US, Israeli official says
The Israeli operation against Iran on Saturday was coordinated with the U.S., an Israeli defence official told Reuters.
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38 North @38north.org · 21/11/2025
North Korea is watching US escalation toward Venezuela, notes Rachel Minyoung Lee. This kind of "interference" echoes previous US regime change operations toward Iraq and Libya, reinforcing North Korea's conviction about its own nuclear deterrent. www.38north.org/2025/11/quic...
38north.org
Quick Take: North Korea on US-Venezuela Tensions - 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea
How does North Korea view the Trump administration’s escalation of pressure on Venezuela’s ...
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
China has been restrained to the announcement re: South Korea's pursuit of a nuclear-powered subs. LEU vs. HEU fueled reactors and building good relations with Lee factor into that approach. But given the implications of where US-ROK relations are headed, can this restraint last?
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38 North @38north.org · 01/10/2025
🚨EVENT: Join us on Wed. Oct 8 from 1-2:30 PM ET for a deep dive into information access and information freedom in North Korea. Featuring Rohit Mahajan, @martynw.bsky.social, Hannah Oh & @jennytown.bsky.social.
stimson.org
Investing in the North Korean People: Broadening Access to Information in North Korea • Stimson Center
The event will discuss the current status of information access and freedom in North Korea, first-hand accounts of effective models for information dissemination, and challenges faced by the sector. S...
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
The optics couldn't be better for Kim Jong Un at his first time attending a multilateral event. Front and center with Xi and Putin, with South Korea trailing far in background.
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Jesse Johnson @jljzen.bsky.social · 23/08/2025
At meeting rich in symbolism, Ishiba and South Korea\'s Lee agree to steadily build ties www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08...
japantimes.co.jp
At meeting rich in symbolism, Ishiba and South Korea's Lee agree to steadily build ties
In the two countries' first joint document in 17 years, the leaders agreed to work together 'to advance future-oriented and mutually beneficial common interests.'
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Martyn Williams @martynw.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
For the first time, North Korean state TV has shown its soldiers battling inside Ukraine. This came the same day it televised a ceremony where Kim Jong Un honored over 100 soldiers who were killed in the fighting.
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News Feed @news-feed.bsky.social · 22/06/2025
@MiddleEastEye: Iranian media has published a video of Iran's Fordow nuclear site which had reportedly been targeted in US air strikes. According to US president Donald Trump, three nuclear facilities, Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz were "completely obliterated". t.co/OJzHmebjfq
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ISDP Sweden @isdp-sweden.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
🧵 🔹 June 17, 15:00-16:00 (CEST): Korea Strategic Talks Webinar VII www.isdp.eu/event/korea-... Featuring Bruce Klingner, @heritagefdn.bsky.social ‪, and @jennytown.bsky.social , Stimson Center
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aptwhatnow.bsky.social @aptwhatnow.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
APT43 activity with multiple European embassies being spoofed and likely targeted. Rapport building themes and lures center around DPRK Human Rights and reactions to DPRKs official stance on NK troops in Russia cc @jennytown.bsky.social @elias.foxhold.net @garyfreasbysm.bsky.social
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The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 09/05/2025
President Trump said he is appointing Jeanine Pirro — a Fox News host whose misstatements about the 2020 election were cited in two defamation lawsuits against the network — as the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.
washingtonpost.com
Trump names Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. attorney for D.C.
President Donald Trump is appointing Jeanine Pirro, a Fox News host and longtime ally, to serve as the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. She replaces embattled nominee Ed Martin.
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
The U.S. is invoking North Korea on a daily basis now…
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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Because who knows what else is going to happen in South Korean politics, here’s the order of succession for a presidential vacancy. The PM resigned to run for president and #2 resigned to avoid impeachment, so #3 (education minister) is the acting president as of today.
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
South Korean politics these days is dizzying. 4th President since Yoon's impeachment and with only a month until the snap presidential election, Lee Jae-myung still faces legal troubles, there's no clear PPP candidate yet and a possible third/coalition party seems more likely.
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
South Korea can finally move forward. Snap elections in 60 days. Should be an interesting (and intense) campaigning period.
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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
BREAKING NEWS - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol REMOVED from office by the court's unanimous decision www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
washingtonpost.com
South Korean court removes president from office, says he violated duties
The Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his attempt to impose martial law, a decision expected to exacerbate political divisions.
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Michelle Ye Hee Lee @myhlee.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
NEWS: President Yoon REMOVED - UNANIMOUS DECISION
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Yoon’s impeachment was upheld!
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38 North @38north.org · 03/04/2025
WEBINAR: The ROK Constitutional Court will rule on Yoon’s impeachment on April 4. What are the implications of this ruling to domestic stability and regional geopolitics? Join us on April 9, 10 AM ET w/ Rachel Minyoung Lee, @frankjannuzi.bsky.social, Yun Sun & @jennytown.bsky.social
stimson.org
South Korea: Impeachment Ruling and Foreign Policy Implications • Stimson Center
The South Korean Constitutional Court is set to rule on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment on April 4th. What are the implications of this ruling to domestic stability and regional geopolitics?
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News Feed @news-feed.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
@CNN: Four Senate Republicans joined Democrats to rebuke President Trump over tariff policy. House GOP leaders are not expected to take up the measure.
cnn.it
Main link in OG tweet
https://cnn.it/42rZ9OZ
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🗞️연합뉴스 속보 봇 @news-bot.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
'탄핵선고 D-1' 찬반집회 총력전…경찰, 을호비상 발령
n.news.naver.com
'탄핵선고 D-1' 찬반집회 총력전…경찰, 을호비상 발령
윤석열 대통령 탄핵심판 선고를 하루 앞둔 3일 탄핵 찬반 진영이 헌법재판소 일대 곳곳에서 집회를 열어 막판 총력전을 벌인다. 윤 대통령 파면을 촉구하는 윤석열즉각퇴진·사회대개혁 비상행동(비상행동)은 이날 오후 7시께
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Raphael Rashid @koryodynasty.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
South Korea 'at breaking point' ahead of tomorrow's ruling on President Yoon's impeachment. Latest:
theguardian.com
South Korea ‘at breaking point’ ahead of ruling on President Yoon’s impeachment
Barricades go up in Seoul as court prepares to rule on whether to uphold Yoon’s impeachment or restore his powers
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hi, no thanks @hmmvryintrstng.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
james surowiecki has discovered where the completely fabricated trump tariff rate has come from for each country "...for every country, they just took our trade deficit with that country and divided it by the country's exports to us."
Just figured out where these fake tariff rates come from. They didn't actually calculate tariff rates + non-tariff barriers, as they say they did. Instead, for every country, they just took our trade deficit with that country and divided it by the country's exports to us.

So we have a $17.9 billion trade deficit with Indonesia. Its exports to us are $28 billion. $17.9/$28 = 64%, which Trump claims is the tariff rate Indonesia charges us. What extraordinary nonsense this is.
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🗞️연합뉴스 속보 봇 @news-bot.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
최상목 "과도한 시장변동성엔 가용한 모든 안정조치 즉각시행"
n.news.naver.com
최상목 "과도한 시장변동성엔 가용한 모든 안정조치 즉각시행"
F4 회의…"美상호관세 조치로 금융시장 높은 변동성 지속될 것" 업종별 세부지원방안 순차 발표 방침 최상목 부총리 겸 기획재정부 장관은 3일 "미국 정부의 상호관세 조치로 당분간 글로벌 금융시장의 높은 변동성이 지속
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The Diplomat @thediplomat.com · 03/04/2025
A first-of-its-kind Central Asian summit boosts regional connectivity and authoritarian domestic agendas.
buff.ly
Kygyz, Tajik, Uzbek Presidents Hold Groundbreaking Trilateral Summit
A first-of-its-kind Central Asian summit boosts regional connectivity and authoritarian domestic agendas.
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Tobias Harris @tobiasharris.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
New by me @foreignpolicy.com: I argue that despite the seeming normalcy of the US-Japan defense ministerial over the weekend, Tokyo shouldn't be under any illusions about the potential risks to the alliance. foreignpolicy.com/2025/04/01/j...
foreignpolicy.com
Japan Can’t Trust That Things Are Normal With Washington
An erratic president means even long-term allies are on thin ice.
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38 North @38north.org · 19/03/2025
🚨Calling all young professionals interested in #NorthKorea & #NortheastAsia: 38 North is now accpeting applications for the second cohort of its Emerging Scholars Fellowship Program! Apply by April 14. More here:
bit.ly
Call for Applications: 38 North Emerging Scholars Fellowship Program 2025-2026 - 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea
38 North is a program at the Henry L. Stimson Center, a nonpartisan policy and research ...
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J.M. Berger PRE-ORDER THE POPE'S HITMAN @jmberger.com · 24/03/2025
It'll take you a while to work through all the wtf in this story. Once I got past the obvious topline madness, I was struck by a) the obvious effort to circumvent public records disclosure laws and b) the nakedly transactional approach to military operations. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
theatlantic.com
The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans
U.S. national-security leaders included me in a group chat about upcoming military strikes in Yemen. I didn’t think it could be real. Then the bombs started falling.
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Georg ‘Maverick’ Löfflmann @gloefflmann.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Aside from the obvious, a staggering breach of national security protocols regarding the sharing of classified information, this Signal group episode offers a behind the scenes look at the basic transactional logic of US foreign policy under Trump.
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Ankit Panda @nktpnd.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Among the many consequences of this Atlantic story is confirmation that the contempt for Europe is, in fact, genuine and not for show.
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Wow. 🤯
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Ugh. Plane crashes, raging wildfires, and now this - a massive sinkhole in Seoul -- Korea has been having a rough time since the whole martial law fiasco. I wonder what the shaman take is on this string of turmoil? m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2025...
m-en.yna.co.kr
20-meter-wide sinkhole swallows motorcyclist in Seoul | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) -- A motorcyclist fell into a 20-meter-wide sinkhole that appeare...
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Not sure this gives any indication of how Yoon's impeachment decision will go, but it does make appointing the 9th Constitutional Court justice highly unlikely. It also doesn't help project political stability as Korea awaits clarity on Yoon's fate. apnews.com/article/sout...
apnews.com
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo reinstated as acting president after impeachment overturned
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has been reinstated as the acting president as the Constitutional Court overturned his impeachment.
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Dr. Mark P. Barry ☯︎ @drmarkpbarry.bsky.social · 22/03/2025
Top diplomats of S. Korea, Japan agree to continue exchanges amid improved ties | Yonhap News Agency en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2025...
en.yna.co.kr
(LEAD) Top diplomats of S. Korea, Japan agree to continue exchanges amid improved ties | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details; CHANGES photo)By Kim Seung-yeon ...
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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
France and Canada will launch a new intelligence and security partnership after the meeting between Macron and Carney today, Reuters reports.
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Jenny Town @jennytown.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Wow. Didn’t expect this as the cause for the DOE designation of Korea to its “sensitive” list. en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2025...
en.yna.co.kr
(LEAD) DOE lab contractor employee terminated after attempting to fly to Korea with reactor design software: report | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout; RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS photos)By Song Sang-ho and Kim Don...
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