North Korea’s state media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), on 30 January 2009, released statement declaring the DPRK’s unilateral withdrawal from all political and military agreements with South Korea.
Specifically cited was a 1991 agreement that included a sea border in the Yellow Sea. This signals North Korea’s dissatisfaction with ROK President [...]
Remember the mad protests about American beef in South Korea? The mass hysteria of biblical proportions (”cats and dogs living together!”) that gripped the country and led to its otherwise sensible president to apologize regarding the “hurried” negotiation over resumption of the importation of American beef?
Well, now, apparently, American beef is welcome in ROK again:
Now, [...]
In a previous post on Pyongyang Soju being imported to the U.S., I used pics from a bottle I have, which was purchased in South Korea. Jason Perlow of Off the Broiler sampled some Pyongyang Soju at a Korean restaurant in New Jersey and has photos of the updated labels (looks like it was $5.99 [...]
This post is continued from last July, when rumors or Kim Jong-il having heart surgery had (again) brought up the question of who would lead North Korea should he die. That post basically covered dynastic succession and focused on his three legitimate sons, Kim Jong-nam (김정남), Kim Jong-chol (김정철), and Kim Jong-eun (김정운), none of [...]
Via Reuters: “…there was strong suspicion a huge shipment of methamphetamines seized at the former U.S. navy base of Subic north of Manila this week came from clandestine drugs laboratories in North Korea.” The Joker took over Batman’s abandoned cave.
The UN’s audit of the UNDP – which last June the internal audit was noted as being somewhat of a fiasco – has, surprise, surprise, cleared the UNDP and itself of any wrongdoing in the matter:
The case has in part revolved around accusations that some of the hard currency UNDP spent in North Korea ended [...]
As a former immigrant, I revere America’s car culture. Automobile, to me, means freedom — to go where one wishes, rather than to be limited by the rail tracks or bus routes that the government determines. This freedom of mobility might increase in China as more Chinese buys cars, including foreign cars. This is certainly [...]
From Reuters:
North Korea’s number two leader is expected to sign trade and defence deals with Uganda where he is due to make a rare visit this month, Uganda’s international affairs minister said on Sunday. Kim Yong-nam, the president of the presidium of North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly, is expected to start a three-day visit to [...]
North Korea and Russia have reached an agreement to renovate the 55 km Khasan-Rajin railway, which will link North Korea’s port city of Rajin (Najin) to Russia’s Trans-Siberian Railroad. Some reconstruction is required as the two countries use different rail gauges, and North Korea’s portion likely is in varying stages of disrepair.
Though it will take [...]
Late in 2007 Russia delivered “its most advanced long-range jet,” to North Korea’s Air Koryo (h/t GS). A variant of the Tupolev TU-204 twin-engined medium range Russian airliner was purchased, the TU-204-300:
It is a shortened, longer range and more efficient derivative of the Tu-204. It is about 6 meters (20 ft) shorter than the basic [...]
Gizmodo has an excellent array of Kim Jong-il photos; In Which We Provoke Kim Jong Il in 77 Offensive and Hilarious Ways. Some are sure to become often used classics.
- #Missed it on the 30th as I was working late, but it's now been four years since DPRK Studies has been in blog format.
- #From the Japan Times: "Yasushi Chimura and his wife, Fukie, abducted by North Korea in 1978 but repatriated in 2002, expressed relief Friday that their children [now ages 27, 25, and 21] are adapting smoothly to Japanese life as they marked the fifth anniversary of their arrival in Japan."
- #Via the NYT: "Former President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea, who had been under criminal investigation for corruption, died on Saturday from a fall while hiking on a hill near his retirement home... it was unclear whether the fall was accidental or whether Mr. Roh had committed suicide ... Roh left a will, indicating that the death might have been a suicide." While the man never should have been president, it's sad to see what likely was a suicide.
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