Free Republic

FAR across the frozen river two figures hurried from the North Korean shore, slip-sliding on the ice as they made a break for the Chinese riverbank to escape a regime that, by many accounts, is now entering its death throes. It was a desperate risk to run in the stark glare of the winter sunshine. We had just seen a patrol of Chinese soldiers in fur-lined uniforms tramping along the snowy bank, their automatic rifles slung ready for action. Police cars swept up and down the road every 10 or 15 minutes, on the look-out for refugees. A small group...

It is playing a key role in curbing and caging North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il. It played a key role in disarming Libya, discovering and rolling up the Pakistani A.Q. Khan nuclear smuggling network, and has become a framework for international military and police exercises organized by the United States. Its membership includes most of the world's largest economic powers, most of the world's largest military powers, and most of the most influential states on earth. The United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Russia, the Netherlands, France, Australia and Germany are among its 15 member states, and it is one...

WASHINGTON ¡ª The U.S. government denied its involvement in the alleged defection of 20 high-profile North Koreans, including a nuclear scientist, but would neither confirm nor deny that the alleged defections took place. Australian media earlier reported that Kyong Won-ha, the nuclear scientist known to be the father of North Korea¡¯s nuclear program, had been smuggled out of the country along with other military officials over the past six months. Mr. Kyong was reportedly in the United States.In a daily press briefing Monday, Richard Boucher, spokesman of the U.S. State Department, denied reports that Washington paid for the establishment...