National Security & Korea News Digest – June 23, 2026: Drones, Taiwan Strait Cognitive Warfare, and North Korea's Nuclear Posture

National Security & Korea News Digest – June 23, 2026

Originally published by the Small Wars Journal at Arizona State University.

🛡️ National Security News

1. USMC Issues Announcement on Unconventional Warfare and Competition Training The United States Marine Corps has formally announced a new round of specialized training programs focused on unconventional warfare and competitive operating environments.

2. The 'Female Warrior Witches' of the Ukrainian Resistance An in-depth report on the distinctive roles played by female combatants within Ukraine's resistance movement.

3. Keith Kellogg Tells Iranian Dissidents: The 'Window Is Open' for Regime Change in Tehran The former U.S. National Security Advisor has sent clear signals to Iranian opposition figures, suggesting current conditions are favorable for political change.

4. Beware of Those Who Claim Special Operations Forces (SOF) Backgrounds An analytical commentary urges heightened vigilance toward individuals falsely claiming special operations service credentials.

5. Drones Are Not the Future of Warfare — They Are a Problem to Be Solved This widely noted commentary argues that drones on the modern battlefield raise far more challenges than answers, calling for a fundamental reassessment of their strategic role.

6. The 'Inevitability Trap': How Destiny Narratives Shape Cognitive Warfare in the Taiwan Strait A deep-dive analysis examines how China leverages narratives of 'historical inevitability' to shape cognitive operations around the Taiwan Strait — a topic of particular relevance for regional observers.

7. Commentary: China's Ambitious Artificial Intelligence Roadmap Experts assess the objectives, challenges, and international implications of China's national AI strategy.

8. China's Newest Tool for Controlling a Disputed Reef: A Mysterious Floating Platform Reports reveal the deployment of an unidentified floating facility by China in disputed South China Sea waters, drawing international concern.

9. The Illusion of Chinese Military Superiority — Panic Is Misleading and Counterproductive A commentary argues that outside observers have significantly overstated China's military capabilities, and that such panic is actively harmful to sound U.S. strategic decision-making.

10. Losing the Next War — How Emerging Technologies Threaten America's Military Edge A detailed exploration of how AI, drones, and other emerging technologies could erode the United States military's long-term competitive advantages.

11. Why a 'China First' Strategy Is Destined to Fail — The Limits of Transactional Foreign Policy A policy commentary critiques the structural flaws in a purely transactional approach to managing relations with China.

12. China Is 'Graying' the Waters East of Taiwan Reporting on China's sustained gray-zone operations in waters east of Taiwan, progressively expanding its maritime control footprint.

13. U.S. Allows Iran to Sell Oil in Dollars for First Time in Decades A significant policy shift: Washington has eased certain sanctions, permitting Iran to conduct oil transactions denominated in U.S. dollars.

14. Commentary: Iran's Government Receives Its First Round of Sanctions Relief An assessment of the potential geopolitical implications of a thaw in U.S.-Iran relations for the broader Middle East.

15. Iran Embarrasses the U.S. Military Recent Iranian actions have been interpreted by some observers as a significant embarrassment to U.S. military prestige.

16. Parsing Trump's Shifting Rhetoric on War with Iran Media analysis carefully traces the contradictions and evolving positions in Donald Trump's public statements on Iran policy.

17. 'Operation Epic Fury' and Its Unexpected Role in Mississippi AI Data Center Litigation An investigation reveals an unexpected legal intersection between a U.S. military operation and civilian AI infrastructure investment.

18. U.S. Provides Underwater Drones to Philippines Amid Ongoing Maritime Disputes with China Washington has transferred underwater unmanned vehicles (UUVs) to the Philippines, enhancing Manila's maritime surveillance capabilities in the South China Sea.

19. As Trump's Approval Falls, Australians Prioritize China Relations Over the U.S. Alliance Polling data indicates a notable decline in Australian public confidence in the United States, with respondents increasingly favoring the preservation of trade ties with China.

20. Commentary: Ukraine Has Now Created Multiple Risk Points for Putin An analysis of how Ukraine's latest military operations are generating multi-front strategic pressure on Russia.

🇰🇷 Korea News

1. Kim Jong Un Reaffirms North Korea's Nuclear Expansion at Party Meeting North Korea's supreme leader reiterated at a recent Workers' Party session his commitment to continuing the expansion of the country's nuclear arsenal.

2. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's Disapproval Rating Exceeds Approval Rating for First Time A polling reversal since taking office signals mounting political pressure on the president.

3. Former Ministers Criticize Seoul's Stance on North Korea Policy Multiple former government officials have publicly questioned the current administration's approach toward Pyongyang.

4. U.S. Senate Bill Could Open South Korean Shipyards to U.S. Navy Contracts If passed, the legislation would allow South Korean shipbuilders to bid on U.S. Navy vessel construction and maintenance work.

5. South Korea Expands Investigation into Local Election Ballot Shortages Electoral controversy continues as authorities announce a broadened investigation into reported ballot discrepancies.

6. Plan for North Korean UNESCO Official to Attend Jeju Forum Online Collapses A North Korean representative had been scheduled to participate in the Jeju Forum via video link but ultimately did not appear.

7. Former Pentagon Official Calls for Greater Strategic Flexibility in USFK Indo-Pacific Deterrence Role A former U.S. Department of Defense official has recommended repositioning U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) to address broader Indo-Pacific security requirements.

8. South Korea and Philippines Hold Joint Committee on Logistics and Defense Cooperation The two countries convened a regular joint committee meeting to deepen bilateral defense logistics cooperation.

9. South Korea Defends Extended Deterrence Cooperation with U.S., Urges China to Play Constructive Role Seoul reaffirmed the necessity of the U.S.-ROK nuclear deterrence mechanism while calling on Beijing to take greater responsibility for stability on the Korean Peninsula.

10. South Korean Prime Minister Calls for Elevating Bilateral Ties to a New Level in Meeting with Chinese Premier High-level Korea-China talks signal positive momentum toward deepening the bilateral relationship.

11. Police to Question American Professor This Week Over Alleged Defamation of Lee Jae Myung A judicial investigation continues to advance, with a U.S.-based academic set to be questioned by South Korean authorities.

12. Army Officers Killed in 1979 Coup to Receive Posthumous Highest Military Honors The South Korean government has announced the posthumous rehabilitation and decoration of military personnel who died in the 1979 coup.

13. The Lessons of Starbucks Korea Must Begin with Accountability A commentary calls on Starbucks Korea to confront the company's historical corporate responsibilities.

This digest was originally published in the Small Wars Journal by Arizona State University.

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