Korea Thread: Liberal Moon Jae In Elected

[Queequeg]

I really dont' see any substantive difference between his antics and Bed Head's.

He seems to be ratcheting this up without even the pretense of aspiring to talks.  I always remember Bed Head having tantrums in the hope that it would lead to more favorable talks. 

[derspiess]

He seems to be ratcheting this up without even the pretense of aspiring to talks.  I always remember Bed Head having tantrums in the hope that it would lead to more favorable talks. 

Yeah, and he wanted to have talks directly with the US.  Apparently multilateral talks were an insult to him.

[Queequeg]

Right.  Is Un even demanding that? 

[Caliga]

I'm not entirely convinced he's really the one in charge in North Korea.

[mongers]

I'm not entirely convinced he's really the one in charge in North Korea.

I don't disagree, but I'd add there doesn't necessarily have to be one in charge; there can be a situation where there's one notionally in charge, but different power blocks vying behind the scenes for the real power.

[derspiess]

According to one theory his aunt is still pulling the strings.

[MadImmortalMan]

N.Korea 'Planning Fresh Missile Test Soon'

North Korea notified foreign diplomats from several countries of its plan to launch a missile over Japan toward the Pacific Ocean around Wednesday, the Sankei Shimbun reported citing informed sources.

The North on Friday urged foreign embassies to evacuate their missions in Pyongyang, saying it cannot guarantee the safety of staff.

South Korea believes the North may test a Mudusan-type missile with a range of 3,000 to 4,000 km as early as Tuesday, given that communication on the east coast has been on the increase.
[email protected] / Apr. 09, 2013 13:28 KST

[derspiess]

Dunno how legitimate the source is, but the DailyNK website is saying that while NK is maintaining its external war rhetoric, internally the propaganda banners & posters have changed from war preparation to economic/productivity themes.  Also, reserves & militia forces are being de-mobilized so that they can get started on the farming year.

All of which means the time for us to strike is now

[MadImmortalMan]

Do they have some sort of soldier-farmer system like Cao Cao or something?

[Caliga]

All of which means the time for us to strike is now

If we actually did, would NK be the first regime in history that got destroyed for being too annoying?

[derspiess]

Do they have some sort of soldier-farmer system like Cao Cao or something?

Well, yeah.  They do draw a lot of labor from military ranks.  But the ones reportedly being sent back to the farms right now are reservists and Red Guards militia types, whose "day job" is farming.

[PDH]

The have to grow enough grass for everyone to eat.

[CountDeMoney]

Mmmm, tree bark soup.

[Caliga]

A while back I read an article that made me burn with anger re: the North Korean government.  As you people have either heard before or will not at all be surprised to hear, the North Koreans keep a lot of people in concentration camps where they basically work them to death, Nazi-style.  The rations are so meager at said camps that the inmates will pick bits of corn out of cow shit and fight over who gets to eat them.

[derspiess]

A while back I read an article that made me burn with anger re: the North Korean government.  As you people have either heard before or will not at all be surprised to hear, the North Koreans keep a lot of people in concentration camps where they basically work them to death, Nazi-style.  The rations are so meager at said camps that the inmates will pick bits of corn out of cow shit and fight over who gets to eat them.

I saw a video where a camp guard (?) who escaped to the south related that story.  In the context of North Korea, entirely believable.  I think it was the same National Geographic Explorer video I mentioned a few days ago about the Nepalese eye surgeon who went to North Korea to do 1000 cataract procedures: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxLBywKrTf4

Disturbing but informative.