Posted on 12/06/2009 5:34:54 PM PST by AmericanInTokyo
OK, this is confusing: but this is the LINK to the original Japanese language article from the conservative/trustworthy South Korean "Chonsun Ilbo" daily newspaper website in Korean which reported from a Russian news agency just a little while ago.
The headline is 北朝鮮デノミ：「住民騒乱を懸念、軍が戦闘準備」 ("North Korean Currency Devaluation: Worries Over Uprising By North Korean People; North Korean Army Goes on Sub-War Status")
You might be interested in the link in post 174. I should have copied you on it.
For such a meeting to occur, N. Korea has to show imminent and concrete sign of crisis. For example, the day after Beijing Olympic's closing ceremony, Hu Jintao flew in to Seoul, ostensibly pay a return visit for S. Korean President's previous visit to China. Official explanation was that it was the only time slot which can fit in Hu's crowded official schedule. However, we know now that Hu came in such a hurry to talk to SK president because Chia Head suffered from stroke and was in and out of consciousness at the time.
I don't think the current crisis over currency revaluation rises to such a level of crisis. If there is indeed some urgent serious development, it could be something else we don't know about. For example, there is an unmistakable indication that serious organized challenge to Chia Head is afoot.
“If there is indeed some urgent serious development, it could be something else we don’t know about. For example, there is an unmistakable indication that serious organized challenge to Chia Head is afoot.”
That was kind of my guess. Would SK opening a diplomatic liason office in Pyongyang neccessarily be preceded by this kind of an unscheduled visit?
I think ole Jimmy is suffer from demetria or alzehemir disease does he remember anything of his adminsation Gee Louize
He’s been suffering from dementia since he was elected President. JMHO
Thank you - Stalin. Another class act. I bet Barry 0 prays to him daily.
That’s just what the standard North Korean shift change looks like at Panmunjom.
I had my photo taken there when the Norks were doing just this back in 2002. Looks like nothing’s changed.
You statement seems to indicate that despite the threat of losing Seoul, an attack on North Korea is worth it.
Considering that Seoul’s population is roughly *HALF* of the entire South Korean populace, the South Korean government would think otherwise... and probably do everything in it’s power to try and stop us.
20-25 million dead out of a total population of 55 million isn’t a good bargain on the hope of bettering North Korea.
Depends on the NK response.
A full-scale NK invasion of South Korea would probably end up with the use of US nukes to stop their multi-million man military.
(wow, that’s a lot of ‘m’s)
Why is it an either-or for you?
Just seal the dang border and tell lil’ Kimmie to follow that Juche (self-reliance) philosphy the Norks love so much.
Considering that they can’t grow enough food to feed themselves, produce enough electricity to power themselves, or make any of the weaponry they use to threaten us with... lil’ Kimmie wouldn’t be in a position to do jack-squat in that situation.
And eventually, even he’d feel the hunger pangs as their food distribution network broke down. Though, most likely, the military would depose him as soon as *THEY* felt the hunger pangs.
This is a template for us. I am expecting that the people in charge here will try a similar stunt or devalue the currency via hyperinflation, profligate printing and government spending.
Perhaps a dumb question...
Does Pyongyang Radio broadcast solely in Korean or do they have an English language service?
North Korea is much more totalitarian and closed than Communist Romania ever was.
I do not think there is any hope of popular uprising. Their population control and repression against any shadow of dissent surpasses even Stalinist USSR. For example 10-20 familis in an apartment building are organized in a unit that is supposed to check and report on each other. If one member of a group turns out to be “an enemy of the state” not only his/her immediate family is also punished, but also members of the group for failing to notice/report this on time or allowing this to occur period.
They do have an English language service, or at least they did when I still listened to Shortwave.
That's a non-human, undead existence.
So sad.
Its almost impossible for a Westerner to imagine life in a North Korean society. There are no parallels in the Western life experience to relate to. Therefore, most comparisons that people make here to the Second Amendment, armed populace and uprising, or even to the European communist social experiments are wishful thinking and fantasies.
Even for myself, who grew up in the former USSR (during the last decade of its existence), many things about North Korea are very strange and hard to fathom.
There’s also a lot of traditional Asian collectivist culture that is intermingled with the Juche philosophy that makes things markedly different. You have to remember, that until 1980’s even South Korea was not a free country in a Western sense.
But the divide between South and North Korea is an order of magnitude vs. East Germany, West Germany.
Ah, Projection is a hoot.
That was just a figure of speech of mine. Belligerence is the DPRK's middle name; but I wanted to portray that it continues, even though Obongo rattled through here a month ago in Northeast Asia, talking about some kind of idiotic *Grand Design* to bring *North Korea back into the community of nations*. Which has gone NOWHERE because they know they if they rattle Ozero's cage enough, even a little bit, they as savvy Asians have sized up his guts and that he hasn't enough "MAN" in him, that he is going to get the squirts, talk big and nothing more.
That is why
a) DPRK have not dropped their beligerence;
b) DPRK now have an across the board shoot to kill policy on their border with China, and
c) DPRK just essentially spat in the face of Obama's envoys Stepehen Bosworth and Son Kim today up in Pyongyang, hoping (and knowing) that we will cave.
By the way, I don't know how a "nation will be readmitted to the world community" no matter WHAT promissory note they sign with us, but continue to have concentration camps and cannibalism. "WHAT world community".
Is the Republic of Honduras, a free, multiparty democracy with free elections, now a member of the "world community", Mr. President, after the continuing human rights and militarily aggressive transgressions of North Korea but allowing them into your global club? /sarc
Bingo. If the rank and file army could some how revolt—and they have weapons—that would be good, for starters. Some courages seargents, lieutenants, captains. But that would be just as assured as signing their own death warrants.
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