N. Korean Army Starting To Starve

[jimmy olsen]

This is bad, I could easily see Kim doing ever crazier things in order to prop up support. On the other hand there could be a military coup, which would likely lead to better things eventually.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/27/3253979.htm

N Korean children begging, army starving

By North Asia correspondent Mark Willacy

Updated Wed Jun 29, 2011 2:06pm AEST

Footage shot inside North Korea and obtained by the ABC has revealed the extent of chronic food shortages and malnutrition inside the secretive state.

The video is some of the most revealing footage ever smuggled out of the impoverished North Korean state.

Shot over several months by an undercover North Korean journalist, the harrowing footage shows images of filthy, homeless and orphaned children begging for food and soldiers demanding bribes.

The footage also shows North Koreans labouring on a private railway track for the dictator's son and heir near the capital Pyongyang.

Strolling up to the site supervisor, the man with the hidden camera asks what is going on.

"This rail line is a present from Kim Jong-il to comrade Kim Jong-un," he is told.

The well-fed Kim Jong-un could soon be ruling over a nation of starving, impoverished serfs.

The video shows young children caked in filth begging in markets, pleading for scraps from compatriots who have nothing to give.

"I am eight," says one boy. "My father died and my mother left me. I sleep outdoors."

Many of the children are orphans; their parents victims of starvation or the gulag.

But markets do exist - private markets that stock bags of rice, pork, and corn. The state no longer has any rations to hand out.

But the state wants its share of this embryonic capitalism.

In the footage, a party official is demanding a stallholder make a donation of rice to the army.

"My business is not good," complains the stallholder.

"Shut up," replies the official. "Don't offer excuses."

It is clear that the all-powerful army - once quarantined from food shortages and famine - is starting to go hungry.

"Everybody is weak," says one young North Korean soldier. "Within my troop of 100 comrades, half of them are malnourished," he said.

Jiro Ishimaru is the man who trained the undercover reporter to use the hidden camera.

"This footage is important because it shows that Kim Jong-il's regime is growing weak," he said.

"It used to put the military first, but now it can't even supply food to its soldiers. Rice is being sold in markets but they are starving. This is the most significant thing in this video."

Kim Jong-il's grip on power depends on the military and if some of its soldiers have growling, empty bellies, it is bad news for the dictator and his hopes for a smooth transition to his son.

"The priority for Kim Jong-il is the succession," said Mr Ishimaru.

"But Kim Jong-un is still very young, just 27 or 28. He doesn't have any experience and hasn't achieved anything. So opposition to a third generation of the Kim family taking over is growing."

But this dynasty of dictators has proven that it is more than capable of keeping its wretched population in line through gulags, hunger and a total control over every aspect of life.

But as this footage shows, occasionally, a crack of light emerges from this dark, dark place.

-Editor's note: The ABC had 24-hour rights to publish the North Korean footage online, so it has now been removed from this story and replaced by a slideshow of still images from the footage.

[Josquius]

Hunger is quite the leading cause of rebellion...

Horrible news for the people involved but on a grand scale it is good news. The only potential downside of Kim doing something crazy is him managing to do a bit of damage to Seoul before he's smacked down.

[Viking]

Isn't Timmy within ranger of the Kim-ite howitzers?

[jimmy olsen]

Isn't Timmy within ranger of the Kim-ite howitzers?

Missiles yes, not artillery.

[DGuller]

Is the missiles start flying at you, remember one cardinal rule:  try to not be at the place where they land.

[Razgovory]

Isn't Timmy within ranger of the Kim-ite howitzers?

Missiles yes, not artillery.

What city are you in?

[jimmy olsen]

Country town outside of Suwon called Namyang. The only thing of worth is the big Hyundai factory/facility and the Hwaesong city hall (really more like a county seat). I'm about where Hwaseong is marked on the map.

[KRonn]

Is the missiles start flying at you, remember one cardinal rule:  try to not be at the place where they land.

Sound advice!   

[Siege]

So, the koreans are the kind of people that even starving don't rebel against their oppressors?

Its horrible a people that doesn't rebell until it starts starving.
That tells me they don't value freedom and as long as the dictator give them food, they are happy.

Now, imagine a people that doens't rebell even after they are dying of starvation!

[KRonn]

So, the koreans are the kind of people that even starving don't rebel against their oppressors?

Its horrible a people that doesn't rebell until it starts starving.
That tells me they don't value freedom and as long as the dictator give them food, they are happy.

Now, imagine a people that doens't rebell even after they are dying of starvation!

I think the NK people are thoroughly cowed by threats, or maybe have so little real idea of the outside world, and/or buy into the NK leadership's ideas that the world is out to get them and that they must pay any price to stand against the bad influences of the outside world. Has to be something difficult for us outside to grasp going on in NK to keep the people down so heavily, for such a long time, regardless of the hardships they face in daily life.

[Siege]

So, the koreans are the kind of people that even starving don't rebel against their oppressors?

Its horrible a people that doesn't rebell until it starts starving.
That tells me they don't value freedom and as long as the dictator give them food, they are happy.

Now, imagine a people that doens't rebell even after they are dying of starvation!

I think the NK people are thoroughly cowed by threats, or maybe have so little real idea of the outside world, and/or buy into the NK leadership's ideas that the world is out to get them and that they must pay any price to stand against the bad influences of the outside world. Has to be something difficult for us outside to grasp going on in NK to keep the people down so heavily, for such a long time, regardless of the hardships they face in daily life.

Only a coward chooses to starve and live in fear over freedom.

Reminds me of an old saying: "Every people have the goverment they deserve".

[The Brain]

So, the koreans are the kind of people that even starving don't rebel against their oppressors?

Its horrible a people that doesn't rebell until it starts starving.
That tells me they don't value freedom and as long as the dictator give them food, they are happy.

Now, imagine a people that doens't rebell even after they are dying of starvation!

I think the NK people are thoroughly cowed by threats, or maybe have so little real idea of the outside world, and/or buy into the NK leadership's ideas that the world is out to get them and that they must pay any price to stand against the bad influences of the outside world. Has to be something difficult for us outside to grasp going on in NK to keep the people down so heavily, for such a long time, regardless of the hardships they face in daily life.

Only a coward chooses to starve and live in fear over freedom.

Reminds me of an old saying: "Every people have the goverment they deserve".

Americans deserve a LOT worse.

[Siege]

So, the koreans are the kind of people that even starving don't rebel against their oppressors?

Its horrible a people that doesn't rebell until it starts starving.
That tells me they don't value freedom and as long as the dictator give them food, they are happy.

Now, imagine a people that doens't rebell even after they are dying of starvation!

I think the NK people are thoroughly cowed by threats, or maybe have so little real idea of the outside world, and/or buy into the NK leadership's ideas that the world is out to get them and that they must pay any price to stand against the bad influences of the outside world. Has to be something difficult for us outside to grasp going on in NK to keep the people down so heavily, for such a long time, regardless of the hardships they face in daily life.

Only a coward chooses to starve and live in fear over freedom.

Reminds me of an old saying: "Every people have the goverment they deserve".

Americans deserve a LOT worse.

You are a retard.

[The Brain]

So, the koreans are the kind of people that even starving don't rebel against their oppressors?

Its horrible a people that doesn't rebell until it starts starving.
That tells me they don't value freedom and as long as the dictator give them food, they are happy.

Now, imagine a people that doens't rebell even after they are dying of starvation!

I think the NK people are thoroughly cowed by threats, or maybe have so little real idea of the outside world, and/or buy into the NK leadership's ideas that the world is out to get them and that they must pay any price to stand against the bad influences of the outside world. Has to be something difficult for us outside to grasp going on in NK to keep the people down so heavily, for such a long time, regardless of the hardships they face in daily life.

Only a coward chooses to starve and live in fear over freedom.

Reminds me of an old saying: "Every people have the goverment they deserve".

Americans deserve a LOT worse.

You are a retard.

WTF I'm not a retard.

[Siege]

So, the koreans are the kind of people that even starving don't rebel against their oppressors?

Its horrible a people that doesn't rebell until it starts starving.
That tells me they don't value freedom and as long as the dictator give them food, they are happy.

Now, imagine a people that doens't rebell even after they are dying of starvation!

I think the NK people are thoroughly cowed by threats, or maybe have so little real idea of the outside world, and/or buy into the NK leadership's ideas that the world is out to get them and that they must pay any price to stand against the bad influences of the outside world. Has to be something difficult for us outside to grasp going on in NK to keep the people down so heavily, for such a long time, regardless of the hardships they face in daily life.

Only a coward chooses to starve and live in fear over freedom.

Reminds me of an old saying: "Every people have the goverment they deserve".

Americans deserve a LOT worse.

You are a retard.

WTF I'm not a retard.

Are you going to seriously compare the american people, the fought a revolution because of taxes, with the koreans that are starving and still taking it?

You are a fucking retard.