N. Korea: 10,000th defector arrives on Kim Jong-il’s birthday

JoongAng Ilbo ^ | 02/17/07 | Ser Myo-ja

[TigerLikesRooster]

10,000th defector arrives on Kim Jong-il’s birthday

February 17, 2007

	A ceremony marking the 65th birthday of Kim Jong-il was held Thursday evening in Pyongyang in front of a flag of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party. [AP]

The total number of North Koreans who defected to the South climbed above 10,000 yesterday with the arrival of the latest group of 10 defectors, the Ministry of Unification said.

The defectors who arrived yesterday morning brought the figure to 10,006, the ministry said. Only 607 North Koreas had escaped their communist homeland and arrived in South between the Korean War and 1989, when food shortages began to plague the country.
The number has grown the most in recent years. In 2002, 1,139 came to the South, and 2,019 came here last year alone, the largest annual number ever.

On the same day yesterday, North Koreans celebrated the 65th birthday of their leader, Kim Jong-il. Leading organizations throughout the country issued a joint congratulatory message.

“All of the People’s Army soldiers and the people will maintain war preparedness to the fullest to deal with the U.S. imperialists’ aggressive maneuvers,” the North’s Korean Central News Agency quoted the letter as saying.

The leadership gathered on Thursday and gave their allegiance to Mr. Kim while vowing to fight against the United States.

Mr. Kim’s birthday is one of the major celebration days in the reclusive communist country.


By Ser Myo-ja Staff Writer

[TigerLikesRooster]

An interesting coincidence.

By the way, Kim Jong-il's birth day is Feb. 16. Numberically, it is 02/16. Therefore, N. Korea holds the number 216 in special regard. One of the way they do it is to emphasize that 216 is 6 x 6 x 6 = 216. So 216 is 'number six multiplied three times.' 666 is a sacred number in N. Korea.

He does not appear to care what sinister connotation 666 carries outside his country. Or is he proud of being associated with the mark of beast?

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[shoebooty]

What a great birthday present for Dumb Leader.

[EagleUSA]

Hmmm -- the photo would make a good backdrop for the DNC...

[Always Right]

Most liberals are shocked that more people are not trying to escape South Korea for North Korea.

[stm]

More rats jumping from a sinking ship

[oldironsides]

Had John Kerry been born earlier we would not have a vibrant South Korea. He would have meddled in the war effort and the north would have taken over the south.

[DungeonMaster]

Oh reary.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #5

There is a conservative activist here who argued in his interview that we should enact a law to send all pro-North pinkos to N. Korea. Liberals in U.S. would have a heart-attack if any Republicans say such a thing.:-)

[ishabibble]

Some lead would be an even better gift. Right in the back of the Elvis wannabe pompadour!

[EagleUSA]

Had John Kerry been born earlier we would not have a vibrant South Korea.
-----
Such a sick bastard. Only from the socialist anus of New England...

[verum ago]

hmmm... I wonder what the opportunity cost of that huge fake banner thing is, in units of loaves of bread...

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #12

Maybe enough to feed an entire city district for months.

[CATravelAgent]

Did he get a toaster oven?

[JimRed]

How many of the 10,000 are NK special forces plants?

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #15

There could be some within their rank. One of them did turn himself in.:-)

[verum ago]

I never thought of that... and that's horrifying, considering that's how North Korea (which has one of, if not the largest spec. ops corps of any country in the world) plans on fighting any war with South Korea

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #15

Well, he was a spy, but not a SpecOps.

[3AngelaD]

Will the last North Korean please turn out the lights when he defects? Oh, no, wait, there aren't any lights because there's no electricity.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #19

They have candle light, though.:-)