Yonhap: BDA funds likely to be wired to N. Korea this week
Joongang Ilbo: North seeks Russian or Italian home for its funds
U.S. News: Bush Pressured to Move on North Korea Disarmament
AP: U.S. concessions may not be enough
Crisis Group: After the NK Nuclear Breakthrough: Compliance or Confrontation?
AFP: Non-proliferation conference to open in Vienna […]

Another apology would be useless, but continued denial is equally absurd: “Lee Yong-su was a “comfort woman” for two years after being kidnapped at age 16. Sixty years on, she cannot forget the relentless violence, rape and torture she suffered after being kidnapped in 1944.” If Germany had burned its records, as Japan did […]

Posted a day late, but: “The largest crowd to attend a professional wrestling event ever assembles in Pyongyang, North Korea for the second New Japan Pro Wrestling event held in Pyongyang Stadium as part of the World Peace Festival. The show drew a crowd of 190,000, shattering the record of 150,000 from the […]

Although BDA funds have been unfrozen since at least 10 April, North Korea has refused to take receipt, now using it’s inability to use the international banking system as an excuse not to fulfill its obligation under the 13 February (DOC) agreement, even though no BDA issues are included in that document. Initially North […]

James at Japan Probe has posted a ~10 minute video (English) of a PBS interview with, “Yoshihisa Komori of Japan’s conservative Sankei Shinbun newspaper,” who denies that “comfort women” (위안부) were coerced by the military, citing that many earned more than some high-ranging government officials. Denial of coercion will ensure this debate will never […]

AFP: US, Japan vow to get tough with North Korea
Reuters: Bush, Abe warn of tougher stance on North Korea
Bloomberg: Aso Says Stick, Not Just Carrot Needed on North Korea
DoS: Nuclear NPT Is Challenged by Noncompliance
AFP: NKorea may be about to invite UN atomic inspectors: SKorea
Daily NK: 32 Out of 52 BDA Account Holders […]

From the Korea Herald: “[Robots] are highly likely to become more intelligent and physically more like humans in the future, Koreans are devising the world’s first Robot Ethics Charter. The charter will prevent robots from harming people, and deter humans from taking advantage of robots for ill purposes, according to the Ministry of Commerce, […]

From the White House:
“I send greetings to all those observing North Korea Freedom Week. Those living in North Korea regrettably know firsthand the meaning of deprivation of freedom. I have met in the Oval Office with some of the courageous few who have managed to escape from the country. I have heard firsthand accounts […]

I recently ran across the Wordsmith.org Anagram Server. Enter words or phrases up to 29 characters and a large list of anagrams is generated, which is where “Errant Hook” comes from – it’s an anagram of “North Korea.” I thought that was particularly fitting due to the word “errant,” and because it sounds […]

Cutting right to the chase, the article describes these “comfort women” as Japanese, and there is no mention of Korean or other women being employed in the brothels for American soldiers. Of particular interest is mention of the Asia Women’s Fund in regard to abused Japanese women. The Recreation and Amusement Association (RAA) ran […]