From the Japan Times: “The 58-year-old Chinese captain and 11 crew members were arrested in March… According to investigations so far, the skipper allegedly delivered about 55 tons of North Korean littleneck clams [to Japan]… Some of the [crew] have allegedly admitted to loading the clams in North Korea…”
Update: Angry Chinese Blogger covers the anti-satellite issue.
Original post: It is no secret that China poses a challenge to American hegemony in East Asia, and for Korea watchers it has been painfully apparent that China is best positioned to at least attempt to force North Korea to denuclearize - as its largest trade partner […]
According to Richard Halloran, the shutting down of Yongbyon may be a bit of a wooden nickel:
The nuclear power plant that North Korea has agreed to shut down in return for oil and other concessions is in such poor operating condition that Pyongyang may not be unhappy to give it up, according to informants […]
No, not Richardson of DPRK Studies, but Bill Richardson:
Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson plans to travel to North Korea for meetings with government officials from the hardline communist nation.
Richardson plans to make the trip in early April, officials familiar with the trip told The Associated Press on Friday. They spoke on condition of anonymity […]
Today Japan installed and deployed a ballistic missile defense system, which is separate from the U.S. PAC-3 system deployed on Okinawa last year and ship-based Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) missile interceptors at Yokosuka:
“We had initially planned to complete the deployment by March next year, but we accelerated the plan following North Korea’s missile launch,” the […]
Stars & Stripes: Expert: U.S., Japan ready to counter N. Korea
Yonhap: N. Korea accuses Japan of attempt to scuttle six-party talks
Kyodo: 6-way ministerial meet on NK likely to be held on time: US
Kyodo: Japan asks UN to address NK’s jamming of radio program
Kyodo: Australia’s Downer to discuss North Korea with China
Kyodo: Japan appoints […]
From AFP: “Two professional [ROK] marathon runners, Jae In-Mo and Kil Gyung-Sun, will travel to the North to attend the competition on April 15 in Pyongyang. ‘It would mark the first presence by the South’s professional athletes in the North’s marathon event…’ North Korea stages the event to mark the birthday of Kim Il-Sung, […]
The USinKorea blog has a YouTube video mixing images of Hitler’s Germany and present day North Korea. It’s enough to make me want to take vigilante/mercenary action against the regime. Please take a look.
Students at North Korea’s elite Kim Il-sung University will now have at their fingertips millions of electronic records extolling the accomplishments of the late Great Leader, as well as the current Dear Leader, thanks to the generosity of… South Korea. In what was no doubt a bureaucratic boondoggle:
A group of 143 South Koreans made […]
During a visit to Pyongyang 07-10 March, Former ROK PM Lee Hae Chan, now a political affairs special adviser to the president, called on North Korea to return the USS Pueblo to the U.S.:
“While speaking to North Korean officials after looking at the USS Pueblo, former Prime Minister Lee said it would help improve […]
Via the Times: "The exhibition features 400 hand-painted posters dating from the peak of the Dear Leader Kim Sung Il's power in the 1950s to the present regime led by his son, Kim Jong Il." The article has only one image, but has several interesting propaganda quotes.
- #Young Korean Herrenvolk engaging in their version of Agoge, at least according to the New York Times. The two Korean schools mentioned in the article are similar to Exeter or Andover in the United States in someways (they are private academies that serve children of affluent parents). But my guess is that the studious atmosphere and intense regimen compare more to the likes of Stuyvesant (my alma mater) in NYC or T.J. in Virginia (both highly selective, but publicly-funded high schools).
- #North Korea claims that on 25 April 1932 the Korean People’s Army (KPA, 조선인민군/ Chosŏn inmin'gun) was formed. However, the more likely accurate date is 08 February 1948. It is celebrated as “Military Foundation Day” in Kimland.
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