Korea Thread: Liberal Moon Jae In Elected

[jimmy olsen]

Anyone who hasn't read the Cleanest Race yet, check out this lecture, it'll give you a lot of insight on why the North acts the way they do.
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/292562-1

[derspiess]

Anyone who hasn't read the Cleanest Race yet, check out this lecture, it'll give you a lot of insight on why the North acts the way they do.
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/292562-1

Pretty fascinating.  Not sure I buy it entirely, but he makes a very good case.

But it seems like he underestimates the repressiveness of the regime (I heard no mention of the camps, for example).  He gives the impression that most North Koreans buy into the propaganda, which I doubt.  I'm sure the favored/trusted class buys into it, but the masses? And he mentions that half of North Koreans that escape the country to China end up coming back, which sounds either dubious or misleading.  Wish he had given some statistics, as it's just counterintuitive that people would want to return to such starvation and misery.   

[jimmy olsen]

I read the book when it came out in 2010, and from what I remember he did have statistics and citations within that.

[derspiess]

This seems to be a pretty good sign from China.  The CPC-affiliated Global News carried an article pretty critical of the Norks:

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/774129.shtml#.UWcBsqJwo-I

Being stubborn on nukes no way out for NK
Global Times | 2013-4-11 0:08:01
By Global Times

Today is the first anniversary since Kim Jong-un took power. This is a celebratory occasion for North Korea. However, outside the country, there are worries that the North may take new moves to escalate the situation.

Since the transition of Pyongyang's leadership, the outside world has been speculating over the future direction of the regime. North Korea is sure to change, because its current situation is unsustainable and is placing huge pressure on the country. Escaping this pressure fits the North's interests and would allow the country to meet external expectations.

During the past year, the nuclear issue has remained at the center of the North's domestic and foreign policies. The new leadership has shown its resolve, which is to develop nuclear technologies, rather than solve the nuclear crisis. The regime has taken an extreme path.

Many believe North Korea will eventually focus on improving its people's livelihoods. But others think that it needs a more secure international environment for its economic development, so they keep guessing the country's real intentions, even as the North keeps escalating tension.

Pyongyang should clearly understand that it does not have the capability to dominate the situation in the Korean Peninsula. Its nuclear capacity to some extent makes it feel secure, but at the same time it worsens its international strategic environment. Pyongyang should drop its illusions that it can make the world stay silent over its desire for nuclear arms through its hard-line stance and deceptions.

The international community will never permit North Korea to have the legal status of a nuclear country, because it would lead to more devastating consequences. A number of Asian countries have acquired nuclear weapons, but none of them use them in the manner North Korea envisions.

The North Korean regime has to face up to the difficulties in returning to the international community if it refuses to give up its nuclear ambitions. Even if the US and South Korea make concessions, the North still confronts problems such as sanctions and economic obstacles. Concrete moves are needed to solve the current dilemma that the North faces.

China respects North Korea, but it also holds the responsibility of preserving peace in Northeast Asia. Pyongyang's nuclear issue concerns China's national interests. We hope that the North Korean regime can stay rational and pay attention to the interests of the whole region as its bottom line. We also hope that its moves will not pose threats to the peace and stability of China's northeastern area.

North Korea has more difficulties in opening itself up to the world. The stances of South Korea, Japan and the US are partly the reason. Regardless of the situation, we believe the North still has a chance and we regret that it has become mired in this crisis. We hope the crisis is only temporary.

[Ed Anger]

CNN is in full panic mode right now.

[DGuller]

CNN is in full panic mode right now.

What's going on?

[Ed Anger]

CNN is in full panic mode right now.

What's going on?

A line in pentagon intel report was accidentally declassified and blabbed by a congresscritter saying NK can deliver a nuke on a missile.

[Sheilbh]

I don't see the connection.

General global anti-Americanism rose because of things like Iraq. It now seems to have subsided. So anti-American presence sentiment in Korea ebbed and flowed based on that. Now it's back to a harder core group.

[derspiess]

I thought it had been declassified, just not yet released to the public.

[DGuller]

That Oral-B commercial was incredibly poorly timed, I thought.

[Admiral Yi]

General global anti-Americanism rose because of things like Iraq. It now seems to have subsided. So anti-American presence sentiment in Korea ebbed and flowed based on that. Now it's back to a harder core group.

Korean anti-Americanism long predates Iraq.

[Sheilbh]

Korean anti-Americanism long predates Iraq.

Iraq and the general atmosphere during the Bush Administration expanded it. Now that's gone a lot of day-tripper anti-Americans have ebbed away with it.

[CountDeMoney]

CNN is in full panic mode right now.

Sorry, Parks and Recreation is on.

[CountDeMoney]

General global anti-Americanism rose because of things like Iraq. It now seems to have subsided. So anti-American presence sentiment in Korea ebbed and flowed based on that. Now it's back to a harder core group.

Korean anti-Americanism long predates Iraq.

Yeah, doesn't anybody remember the riots in the early 80s?  Don't they still blame us for that massacre?

[Ed Anger]

And Apolo Ohno.