http://www.dprkstudies.org A focus on North Korean studies. Sun, 17 Jan 2010 04:07:05 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Today I attended the funeral for Kevin Kim's mother, in Alexandria, Virginia. I've been to many funerals and, as they go, this one went extremely well. Sad at her loss, but celebrating her spectacular ability to help family and friends, this was one to remember. Rest in peace. ... http://www.dprkstudies.org/2010/01/16/a-fine-funeral/ Joseph Bermudez, author of several books on North Korea's military and intelligence services, has launched a new journal focusing on the Korea People's Army (KPA), KPA Journal. It will be online later this year, but the first iteration can be found at NK Econ Watch. http://www.dprkstudies.org/2010/01/15/introducing-kpa-journal/ First of all, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Richardson and to the readers of the blog. My wife and I recently received a Christmas gift of sorts from my wife's, shall we say, less than mature brother. He travels frequently to Asia and lived in Japan for many years ... http://www.dprkstudies.org/2009/12/28/on-a-personal-note/ The Firearms Blog reports that the ROK Army unit being deployed to Afghanistan will be armed with the K11 airburst assault rifle (follow the link for more information including picture and video of the rifle). This rifle is derived from an American experimental project that was abandoned for good reasons. While I ... http://www.dprkstudies.org/2009/12/01/the-future-is-now-for-rok-army/ The last time the North and South Korean navies clashed seriously in 2002, the latter came off badly. The ROK Navy seems to have been better prepared this time: According to South Korean officials, fighting erupted when a 215-ton North Korean vessel ventured across the so-called Northern Limit Line, a sea border ... http://www.dprkstudies.org/2009/11/10/better-exchange-this-time/ The lack of recent posts will continue for an unknown period of time as I’ve been busy at work, and engaged in other projects at home. I do plan on resuming daily posting at some unknown point in the future. I also still monitor all things North Korea ... http://www.dprkstudies.org/2009/10/06/dprk-studies-on-hiatus/ My apologies to Richardson and the readers of this blog for months of silence (I will write an explanation at some point). But here is some good news from South Korea if you are a gun nut like I am: South Korea's defence ministry has announced plans to sell up to ... http://www.dprkstudies.org/2009/09/25/roks-gift-to-american-firearms-enthusiasts/ After missile and nuclear tests and uranium enrichment, the U.S. sanctions North Korean firms while Pyongyang reverses, making overtures. It’s not an accident, it’s a pattern of strategic disengagement. http://www.dprkstudies.org/2009/09/10/north-korea%e2%80%99s-crazy-act-an-act/ The Clan Records: Five Stories of Korea. Kajiyama Toshiyuki. University of Hawaii Press, 1995 (translated). The Clan Records is a collection of five short stories by a Japanese author who was born in Seoul (then called Keijo) in 1930, where his father was a civil engineer, and grew up ... http://www.dprkstudies.org/2009/09/07/book-review-the-clan-records-five-stories-of-korea-by-kajiyama-toshiyuki/ Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) programs don’t pop-up overnight, especially in third-world backwaters like North Korea. Yet North Korea has announced via state-run media that it is capable of the “final stage of uranium enrichment.” How shocking! There were no clues! There was no way to know this! ... http://www.dprkstudies.org/2009/09/04/fallout-from-north-koreas-heu-admission/