Mickey Bristow

They were launched by the Chinese Eastern Command of the People's Liberation Army. They involved air, land and sea forces, also the rocket forces targeting targets on land and in sea around Taiwan. Most importantly, I think for Taiwan, they're practicing blockading the island from all directions. Taiwan's a very small island. It's a trading nation, a lot on trade for the import of food.

They were launched by the Chinese Eastern Command of the People's Liberation Army. They involved air, land and sea forces, also the rocket forces targeting targets on land and in sea around Taiwan. Most importantly, I think for Taiwan, they're practicing blockading the island from all directions. Taiwan's a very small island. It's a trading nation, a lot on trade for the import of food.

It also exports a lot of manufactured goods such as semiconductors. And so the ability to kind of control what goes in and outside of Taiwan is critically important. And many military analysts have been thinking over the last few years, this is what China is trying to do, blockade the island.

It also exports a lot of manufactured goods such as semiconductors. And so the ability to kind of control what goes in and outside of Taiwan is critically important. And many military analysts have been thinking over the last few years, this is what China is trying to do, blockade the island.

Instead of practicing an invasion, which would be quite difficult, it would be easier and perhaps just as devastating for Taiwan also. if they blockaded the island. They've carried out such drills before. Is this more of the same or are tensions rising? Yeah, it's a good question.

Instead of practicing an invasion, which would be quite difficult, it would be easier and perhaps just as devastating for Taiwan also. if they blockaded the island. They've carried out such drills before. Is this more of the same or are tensions rising? Yeah, it's a good question.

And it's interesting the way you phrase that, because even yourself, you'll have done this story a number of times before about China's military launching drills around Taiwan. How do you judge this? I think that's part of what China wants us to do. It's not like Russia, which invaded Ukraine. One day it wasn't, the next day it was. China is employing something called grey zone tactics.

And it's interesting the way you phrase that, because even yourself, you'll have done this story a number of times before about China's military launching drills around Taiwan. How do you judge this? I think that's part of what China wants us to do. It's not like Russia, which invaded Ukraine. One day it wasn't, the next day it was. China is employing something called grey zone tactics.

Essentially, it increases the pressure on Taiwan very, very slowly. So the world doesn't really notice what's going on. But in the end, it's in a position where a lot has changed. So, for example, over the last 10 years, these kind of drills hardly ever took place. Now they're commonplace, but nobody really has noticed because China has gone quite slowly. I'll just give you an example.

Essentially, it increases the pressure on Taiwan very, very slowly. So the world doesn't really notice what's going on. But in the end, it's in a position where a lot has changed. So, for example, over the last 10 years, these kind of drills hardly ever took place. Now they're commonplace, but nobody really has noticed because China has gone quite slowly. I'll just give you an example.

There is a median line between the island of Taiwan and China. Up until about five years ago, China rarely crossed this median line. Now it does so all the time. So it's really increased the frequency, the scale of these drills. No one has really noticed that.

There is a median line between the island of Taiwan and China. Up until about five years ago, China rarely crossed this median line. Now it does so all the time. So it's really increased the frequency, the scale of these drills. No one has really noticed that.

I think it's worth reminding listeners that the scale of all of this is huge. We're talking about across seven decades, 140,000, maybe as many as 200,000 Korean youngsters sent abroad for adoption. Most to the United States, but also to Europe, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Australia. Was diese Kommission betrachtet hat, war eine kleine Faktion dieser Adoptionen.

I think it's worth reminding listeners that the scale of all of this is huge. We're talking about across seven decades, 140,000, maybe as many as 200,000 Korean youngsters sent abroad for adoption. Most to the United States, but also to Europe, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Australia. Was diese Kommission betrachtet hat, war eine kleine Faktion dieser Adoptionen.

Sie hatten 400 oder so Anrufe und sie haben nur drei Jahre Zeit gehabt, um 50 oder so anzusehen. Aber auch in dieser kleinen Faktion von Anrufen haben sie so viele Verbrechen gefunden.

Sie hatten 400 oder so Anrufe und sie haben nur drei Jahre Zeit gehabt, um 50 oder so anzusehen. Aber auch in dieser kleinen Faktion von Anrufen haben sie so viele Verbrechen gefunden.

We've got a hint there from the chairperson of the commission. In the 1950s, after the Korean War, South Korea was a poor place. Lots of families had been broken apart. There were unwanted children, many fathered by soldiers from the United States who fought in the war. And that began the process. But by the 60s and 70s, it became something of an industry.

We've got a hint there from the chairperson of the commission. In the 1950s, after the Korean War, South Korea was a poor place. Lots of families had been broken apart. There were unwanted children, many fathered by soldiers from the United States who fought in the war. And that began the process. But by the 60s and 70s, it became something of an industry.

Lots of demand abroad and Korean private adoption agencies willing to supply that demand. So doing things like falsifying records, coercing single mums into giving up their babies and all this done with the government turning a blind eye because it meant at least they didn't have to do something. They didn't have to pay money to support these youngsters.

Lots of demand abroad and Korean private adoption agencies willing to supply that demand. So doing things like falsifying records, coercing single mums into giving up their babies and all this done with the government turning a blind eye because it meant at least they didn't have to do something. They didn't have to pay money to support these youngsters.