Your Wednesday Briefing: Anger over ‘false alarm’ in South Korea

Good morning. We’re covering panic in South Korea and NATO’s challenge in the Arctic.

Fear and anger over South Korea’s ‘false alarm’

When North Korea launched a rocket carrying its first military reconnaissance satellite yesterday, it triggered evacuation alerts in South Korea that were followed shortly after by a new wave of messages saying that the earlier notice was a “false alarm.”

For half an hour, confusion and panic swept across Seoul. Then that anxiety turned into anger and exasperation.

The launch was later described by North Korean officials as a failure. But for South Koreans, who have grown inured to the North’s frequent provocations, their government’s reaction was a disturbing sign that it was unprepared to handle a real emergency.

“They messed up big time,” said an office worker in Seoul who woke up to the sirens.

Details: South Korea issued an evacuation alert on Baekryeongdo, an island near the northwestern border with the North, but officials were investigating why the same alert was also issued to Seoul, even though the rocket flew hundreds of kilometers west of the city. Officials in Seoul said they decided to issue an alert in the city as a precaution. The mayor of Seoul later issued a public apology.

Response: Critics say that the government’s reaction was symptomatic of an administration that has championed a tough stance against the North yet has failed to assure the public of its safety amid a growing nuclear threat.

NATO’s big challenge in the Arctic

Climate change is opening the Arctic to more commercial and strategic jostling. Russia, China and the West are all seeking to expand their military presence in the region.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will attend an informal NATO meeting in Norway today as the alliance is embracing Finland — and Sweden, too, the U.S. hopes — which would give the alliance new reach in the Far North.

While NATO has been cheered by Russia’s difficulties in the war in Ukraine, the alliance still has significant vulnerabilities in the Far North, where Russia has its air power, northern fleet, nuclear submarines and nuclear-armed missiles.

Russia has said it wants to make the Arctic one of its military districts, a defense expert said. China has also been busy trying to establish itself in the region and use new unfrozen routes. Creating a “northern bubble” to deter Russia and monitor China has become one of NATO’s newest and biggest challenges.

Other developments in the war in Ukraine:

• The U.S. will send $300 million more in aid to Ukraine, including ammunition for drones and long-range artillery.
• Tankers carrying Russian oil use sophisticated technology to hide their location, probably to avoid U.S. sanctions.
• After the U.S. and Britain declined to denounce the drone strikes on Russia, Kremlin officials accused them of tacitly supporting the attacks.

A shrinking space for protest in India

Two female wrestlers who accused a powerful sports official of sexual harassment were detained this week and their protest camp in New Delhi was dismantled. Two days later, the athletes planned on throwing their Olympic medals into the Ganges River and starting a hunger strike, but community leaders stepped in to appeal for calm.

Activists and opposition politicians say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has grown increasingly intolerant of dissent. Modi’s party uses its majority in Parliament to disrupt debate, the police to thwart protests and the national media — as well as trolls and social media influencers — to demonize those who question it.

Protests in the capital have increasingly been relegated to a small designated site called Jantar Mantar. There, too, permission to assemble is required from the police.

Related: Modi’s government plans on scrapping the 2,000-rupee note, worth about $24, by early fall, which has triggered a public rush to spend the bills.

What’s L.G.B.T.Q. life like where you are?

Many countries celebrate Pride in June to recognize L.B.G.T.Q. people and their struggles for equality. But that fight and that celebration look different around the world.

We would love to hear your story. What’s it like being L.G.B.T.Q. where you live? How has being part of the community changed over time? You can share your experiences with us here. We may feature your response in a future edition of the briefing.

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THE LATEST NEWS

• Pakistan’s judicial system has started to resist its powerful military during the political crisis over the fate of Imran Khan, the former prime minister.
• The first trial relating to China’s efforts to stamp out dissent by harassing its citizens overseas began in New York. A former police offer is among the accused.

• Sudan’s army withdrew from cease-fire talks, a blow to efforts to end the war.
• The United Arab Emirates pulled out of a U.S.-led maritime security force in the Persian Gulf after Iran seized two tankers there recently.
• U.S. lawmakers are preparing to hold a crucial vote to raise the debt limit, racing to act before a default on June 5. Here are live updates.
• As the Israeli military targeted leaders of the Islamic Jihad group in Gaza last month, it dropped bombs into the apartment of a civilian, killing three family members.

• L.G.B.T.Q. people in Turkey are worried that the discrimination they face could worsen after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly vilified gay people during his re-election campaign.
• The E.U. is worried that U.S. climate subsidies will lure away new investments in electric car and battery factories that are not already destined for Asia.

• A U.S. court ruled that members of the Sackler family, who own Purdue Pharma, would be shielded from all civil legal claims.

• A new genetic test in the U.S. could help identify people most at risk of heart attacks and help them get early treatment for heart disease.
• Ketamine showed promise as a treatment for some patients with depression, a study found.

In some coastal communities in Ireland, fishing has been the backbone of the economy, even as it has been whittled down over the years. Now, some fear that new quotas agreed after Brexit and the retiring of boats will be the final death knell.

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ARTS AND IDEAS

Could it have been ‘Mongolian Rhapsody’?

Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” released in 1975, sold millions of copies, topped charts and helped redefine what pop music could be.

But it could have gone a different way — in one aspect, at least. An early draft of the song by Freddie Mercury reveals the word “Mongolian” scratched out, suggesting that he once considered giving the anthem a slightly different title.

The draft is among thousands of items that belonged to Mercury that are being auctioned in September by Sotheby’s. The sale includes drafts for other Queen hits including “Somebody to Love,” “We Are the Champions” and “Killer Queen.” All show Mercury searching for words to make his lyrics sing, sometimes trying out multiple lines.

PLAY, WATCH, EAT

Buttermilk adds gloss to this herbaceous take on a classic macaroni salad.

Geena Rocero, a transgender model from the Philippines, writes about living openly in her memoir, “Horse Barbie.”

Witch, a rock band from Zambia, is putting out its first album in about four decades.

Play the Mini Crossword, and a clue: Sticky stuff on a tree (three letters).

Here are the Wordle and the Spelling Bee. You can find all our puzzles here.

That’s it for today’s briefing. See you tomorrow. — Justin and Amelia

P.S. Our colleague Julie Turkewitz spoke with KALW about her reporting on Afghans crossing into the U.S. on foot through South America.

“The Daily” is a political fight between Republicans in Texas.

We welcome your feedback. You can reach us at briefing@nytimes.com.

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