[S. Korea] 'Prepper' emerging as catchword amid N. Korea threat

Korea Times ^ | September 10, 2017 | Lee Min-hyung

[TigerLikesRooster]

'Prepper' emerging as catchword amid N. Korea threat


Seen in this photo is a collection of emergency items. They include combat rations, a self-powered radio and a first-aid kit. / Korea Times file

By Lee Min-hyung

"Prepper," or a person who believes a catastrophic disaster will come in the near future, is emerging as a catchword in South Korea, amid growing military uncertainties over North Korea's missile and nuclear threats.

The number of doomsday pessimists is rapidly growing here, as is shown from the number of relevant YouTube videos and their views.

In particular, Kang Yoo-mi, a famous female comedian, has recently posted a video showing in detail how to pack a survival kit into a bag in case war breaks out. The video, posted a day after a North Korean missile test, topped 400,000 views in less than two weeks.

When typing "survival bag" in Korean on the video-streaming platform, more than 21,000 relevant videos, mostly uploaded in recent months, are found. This shows that the series of military provocations by Pyongyang in recent months has scared more and more people in South Korea.

"Sales of combat rations, self-powered radios and gas masks surge for a few days after a North Korean provocation," said Kim Hyun-tak, CEO of the outdoor and prepper goods store Hangangsa.

"The three are considered basic items in the case of war," he said. "While combat rations have steady popularity for the whole year, gas masks are rarely sold unless the North launches a missile or conducts a nuclear test. The pattern has been almost the same for many years."

Noodles are not regarded as the optimum emergency food by preppers, according to him. This is because they require a pot or gas to boil water, all of which may be unavailable in an emergency. Popular combat rations, however, come with self-heating meal packages, allowing people to enjoy foods in any emergency.

Other basic items used by preppers include Polar-shield sleeping bags, portable lanterns and emergency medical kits.

The Ministry of Public Administration and Security is also recommending people prepare a so-called go-bag for each house. The term refers to an emergency bag with essential items needed for an unexpected evacuation.

The ministry states each household should obtain processed food provisions for 15 to 30 days to prepare for possible war. It also urges households to pile up enough water, and blankets and clothes that can keep people warm. Other recommended accessories in time of war include a portable battery, gloves and personal hygiene products such as toothbrushes and towels, according to the ministry.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Some of these people would go out and vow that war will never happen, berating anybody who disagrees, while they are prepping in private. They may have their passport ready and ready to bolt on moment's notice.

The problem with them is not prepping but misleading everybody else while they are doing the opposite. Many of them are from the political left.

[TigerLikesRooster]

P!

[Ciexyz]

Wow. God bless them.

[FreedomPoster]

Only a newbie would have a plastic spork. Titanium is where it's at.

[TigerLikesRooster]

I checked. At a local Internet shopping site, they have titanium spoon/fork/knife set at $24.

[Vermont Lt]

I have a carbon fiber one. It has a knife in the handle.

I’m ready.

[Fai Mao]

I’ve got a Fiskar’s machete an axe and a .45 ACP carbine. Oh, had 5 days food and water.

[FreedomPoster]

I just did a survival kit contents check:

- One forty-five caliber automatic
- Two boxes of ammunition
- Four days’ concentrated emergency rations
- One drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine,
vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills
- One miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible
- One hundred dollars in rubles
- One hundred dollars in gold
- Nine packs of chewing gum
- One issue of prophylactics
- Three lipsticks
- Three pair of nylon stockings.

Shoot, a fella’ could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff!

[Blueflag]

One of the best scenes in that movie ;-) 😎

[Blueflag]

Indeed.

First paragraph ‘definition’ of prepped misses reality by a mile.

We had nothing left to do to get ready for Irma besides physical site preps and a generators test.

Well, I did top off our propane tanks. But that needed doing anyways

[Blueflag]

I note the ministry’s list of personal hygiene items was CLEARLY written by a man. There are times when a woman needs other items FAR more than a toothbrush.

[FreedomPoster]

I’m in ATL and filled my generator gas cans Thursday night. They tend to get emptied over the course of the Summer from lawn mowing and such, and 3/4 were empty. We’re to get possible tropical storm level winds Monday night.

At around 8:15, the local Costco gas station was a madhouse. Cars filled the approach area 6 or more deep by 6 lanes, and were well into the main parking road, really boogering up traffic into/out of the store itself.

I punted and went to a QT a few miles away. It was very busy, you had to hunt for a pump, but you didn’t have a wait.

Friday afternoon, many of the local stations (nearest dozen or so) were out, or only had premium. This in a north Atlanta suburb only a few miles from the main petroleum terminal on the pipeline from Houston.

[KarlInOhio]

Warning: do not accidentally inhale the $100 in gold. (That amount gives a view of how much the federal reserve and treasury have destroyed the dollar since that movie was filmed.)

[Blueflag]

We are up north of you, on the north end of Lake Lanier on the Chestachee part of the lake (Murrayville, north of Dawsonville). The local Publix and Kroger AND Home Depots all sold out of water by Friday AM.

Gas stations were 2-3 deep Friday along 400, but I filled up in downtown ‘Murraville’ ... no issues.

I had flown out on business Tuesday so I had filled up my 4x4 Expedition right before parking at the airport. plus I had my Go Bag and other essentials locked in cases in the Exped as well ... just in case it was a mad house driving home Friday evening when I flew back from OH. Sure that was too much, but hey, it was a good drill. 400 N was bad, as usual, but no FL license plates on 400 ;-)

So when I got home Friday, my brother and daughter were already here from FL, and our friends from Hilton Head were a couple hours out, but they came in the back roads - up nuclear highway then thru Athens to us. NO traffic issues for them.

By 8 PM Friday, we could have withstood anything. Even the boat was secured at the dock.

My family could get here because they understood the idea of “realization” — meaning YOU have to get supplied and get out BEFORE “realization” sets in with the masses.

We’ve had a great weekend here, actually. Smoked a couple chickens and a pork butt yesterday. First BBQ, then a gumbo.

We’re good for at least 90 days with 8 people and 5 pets, though no need for that for this. ...

[FreedomPoster]

Sounds good! And today is looking pretty nice here.

>>up nuclear highway

We went from Augusta to Savannah a couple months ago down nuclear highway. You know what’s between the SRP and Savannah? A WHOLE LOT OF NOTHING!

Being in a close-in Atlanta ‘burb, I’m not used to not having cell coverage for miles at a time. The towns, if they were lucky, had a minute mart gas station that was closed by 7PM on a Saturday. No thanks!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Jimmah Cahtah turned a dollar bill into a quarter.

[Sawdring]

I read your post with a great southern accent.