Debates

I'm watching the debate right now and they've moved into the North Korea area...and it got me so angry that I had to post right now. Bush is claiming that "opening up a dialoge with Kim Jong Il" will not solve the North Korea problem because "that is what Kim Jong Il wants," (for us to open up a dialogue with him.) That seems to be entirely incorrect to me, seeing as how Kim Jong Il has been digging in his heels to these bilateral talks with China, Russia, etc., and has pulled out of the next one. Moreover, even if it is what Jong Il wants, wouldn't that be the first step in structuring some sort of civility and moving towards a more stable relationship and thus more stable world??? Am I the only one who sees the stupidity and fundamental IDIOCY in this?!?!

Kim Jong Il's Wife Dead?

I was browsing the web for articles on North Korea and found this. It is about a month old but pretty detailed.......And speaking of Kim Jong Il, his son was supposedly spotted in Beijing last week.

Here is an excerpt from that first article:
TOKYO -- South Korean officials said Thursday they were investigating reports that the woman considered to be North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's most influential wife has died after a long battle with breast cancer.

"U.S. Plan for Preemptive Attack on DPRK under Fire"

...headline today (Sept 30) from KCNA. The article goes on to discuss how the U.S. is secretly planning to attack North Korea, using the nuclear threat as an excuse. Here's the link

"The United States is making desperate efforts to bring down the dignified socialist system in the DPRK by use of double-dealing tactics of dialogue and military option. "

Another article references a release calling for both North and South to unite against the U.S.

"To this end, it is necessary for the north and the south to get united and cooperate with each other to foil the U.S. attempt to launch a new war of aggression. They should fulfill their responsibility and role in the struggle to protect the destiny of the nation as they are responsible for the peace, security and reunification of the Korean peninsula and wage a coordinated struggle against the U.S. and war. It is also necessary to take a fixed stand and will to trust the nation and depend on its strength in this struggle. The U.S. does not wish the peace and reunification of Korea. So it does not care whether the Korean nation remains divided for an indefinite period or whether the peninsula suffers a nuclear calamity, only seeking to meet its own interests as an aggressor. It is a daydream to harbor any illusion about the U.S. or calculate that the nation can avoid the danger of war and ensure economic stability when it depends on the U.S. The Koreans in the north and the south and abroad should struggle with transparent spirit of national independence that they have to avoid the daily increasing danger of war by their concerted efforts."

While the anti-American sentiment is surely nothing new, is the paranoia justified? Do the U.S.'s recent actions in Iraq imply that the DPRK is the next target of the American military scope? DPRK propaganda certainly gives that conclusion.

The U.S. and North Korean Nukes

I have been reading and watching the news to hear about North Korea and its nuclear program. Yesterday North Korea claimed that it has turned its enriched uranium and plutonium in real nuclear weapons. It kind of sickens me that the North Koreans have been able to complete such a task. It also sickens me that George W. Bush went into Iraq "because of claims", now claims is the key word, that Saddam had nuclear weapons, yet North Korea now says it actually has nuclear missiles, and yet George W. Bush is doing nothing about it but "talking peacfully."

North Korean refugees

Heres a link to the CNN story about the asylum seekers

just one more thing to add to the ever growing list of North Korean topics. One of the refugees says "We have nothing to eat in North Korea," she said. "Life is very hard. We all want to go to South Korea." The story goes on to mention that in the long run, they will probably end up in South Korea. According to what was discussed in class, we have a country that has nuclear capabilities and now humanitarian issues. When are we (the international community) going to do something about it?

activity around missile bases

A Japanese news agency is reporting that there is increased activity around several of North Korea's missile bases. The article says that the activity could be attributed to either preparation for a launch or possibly just as a "diplomatic and strategic ploy." Do you all think that an intentional missile launch on Japan is within the realm of possibility? I personally think that North Korea would have to be very desparate to do such a thing, because such an act would lead to an extremely severe response from the international community. I think North Korea is more rational than that. They would gain very little by attacking Japan.

The Debates: Beyond Iraq

Later this week President Bush and Senator Kerry will likely debate each other on the one issue that could very well determine the outcome of this election. But regardless of what happens in Iraq, developments unfolding elsewhere are more likely to be a top concern for the next administration. As the Sun Herald was apt to point out "The Presidential debates could be a forum to discuss these dangerous hot spots in a serious, concrete way. But they probably won't be. Presidential debates are notorious for not eliciting fresh observations from candidates eager to say nothing that might alarm voters." The debates are likely to consist of Bush mumbling something that not even O'Reilly can translate and Kerry debating with himself over weather he actually does or does not support the war. Still, it would be a nice change of pace if either of the candidates would approach this issue with more veracity.

N. Korea says it has nukes

Oh, was this a surprise? It may be if it actually has nuclear weapons, but the DPRK's been taking the stance of possessing (or atleast seeking to possess) nuclear deterrents for awhile. Now the DPRK has told the U.N. officially that it seeks to use its nuclear arsenal to deter U.S. and other foreign aggression in Asia. Here's the article.

North Korean missile testing

Colin Powell said that he has received intelligence reports stating that North Korea is about to test a short-range missile system. This could be dangerous for Pyongyang's neighbors, who would be in range of these missiles.

"U.S. Is to Blame for Failure to Open Six-Party Talks"

A couple weeks ago I posted a blog about a possible six party talk that was to include North Korea and led by the U.S. This week the U.S. is sending around a rumor that six-party talks are being delayed due to the DPRK. Yet truely it is the U.S. that has demolished the possible talks according to the article. The article could be found at (http://www.Kcna.co.jp/item/2004/200409/news09/28.htm

KCNA release about Koguryo

Because we've been discussing the association between the North and South Korean governments and historical time periods, I found this Sept. 27 article "Koguryo, Pride of Korean Nation" from KCNA to be enlightening. Their take reflects the themes we've been talking about in class, like the "Korea as the center of influence" world-view, as well as the vision of Koguryo as militarily strong and unsubmissive. Another interesting tidbit is that they list the founding of Koguryo as 277 B.C., not 37 B.C., to further emphasize the longevity of Korean culture.

In a general sense, I find it interesting to explore the historical perspectives given off by the KCNA articles. We can probably assume that if this is the only source of news for the North Korean people, then they probably have an identical mindset.

PBS Frontline North Korea

The PBS newsmagazine Frontline aired an episode on North Korea and its nuclear program about a year ago. I remember seeing it on TV. Anyway, Frontline has a good site where you can watch the original program in its entirety and browse other supplimentary materials. It is definitely worth watching if you haven't seen it.

Matter of perspective

Here is an article that represents a North Korean view about North Korea's nuclear program. This article points out the difficulties of the nuclear talks. I personally can't see a way these talks will prgress unless someone gives up some major ground, which I don't find very likely.

Japaneese Abductees

Here is a short but interesting article about an abduction situation that took place during the 70's and 80's involving Japan and North Korea. I don't know much about this topic and would apprectiate any information anyone has.

"6-Nation North Korean Nuclear Talks in Doubt"

According to this article, political analysts outside of North Korea are doubtful of the six-party talks taking place anytime soon. This comes only a week after speculation over North Korea’s possible missile testing over Japan.

North Korea initially projected that a six-party meeting would take place in early November, yet after South Korea’s nuclear weapons testing was disclosed, North Korea refused any talks until the US stopped its “hostile policy based on double standards” toward North Korea.

What does everyone think? Is North Korea justified in its refusal to negotiate over its nuclear weapons program?

North Korea's Missile Test?

According to this article, there had been speculation that North Korea planned to test its missiles that were capable of reaching Japan. What is odd is that talks of this came on the day that North Korea was scheduled to speak to several countries about possibly dismantling their nuclear weapons programs. Yet North Korea is committed to postponing talks until the election is over and a presidential candidate is officially elected into to office. This way, “Washington’s policies are defined.”

While Japan’s Prime Minister says there is little chance this will occur, the article does in fact mention the incident in 1998 when North Korea fired a missile over Japan.

What does everyone think? Did North Korea sincerely plan on testing its missile or was it just a rumor? If it was true, do you think they would actually test it? It seems to me that it would be absurd to test a missile, especially during a time when North Korea is under careful surveillance.

South Korea exports chemical to North Korea

For some reason, I am not able to make a hyperlink on my computer. Whenever I try to create a new post the toolbar Professor Larson showed us in class does not show up. I think the problem may be that I have a Mac and not a PC. If someone could help me that would be great. For now cutting and pasting may have to do. I found this Associated Press article tonight. According to the article, North Korea imported 107 tons of chemicals from South Korea that may be used to make sarin nerve gas. South Korea has been having problems with controlling its exports of such serious materials. Here is the link to the article, sorry you have to cut and paste it.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Koreas-Dangerous-Chemical.html

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War

Has anyone watched Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War? I saw the movie and found it to be very gory and intense but do recommend anyone interested in the Korean War to watch it. While the movie focuses on the familial bond of two brothers suddenly drafted into the army, there are several important issues that are raised. The division between North Korea and South Korea, China’s entry into the war and its impact, and the persecution of “communists” in Korea are just a few of the significant ideas and events that are addressed in the movie.

What I find most effective in the movie is the director’s ability to essentially draw the audience into experiencing the Korean War. Historical facts alone at times fail to do so, but Tae Guk Gi effectively emphasized the gravity and dire consequences of a war.

Should anyone be interested in watching Tae Guk Gi, you can visit the official website of the movie and take a look at the some clips.

Enjoy.

The Ambassador's Speech

I just got back from seeing South Korean Ambassador to the US Han give a speech at the Elliot School. I was very impressed by it. Dean Harding of the Elliot School and President Trachtenberg both gave introductions before the Ambassador spoke.

The Ambassador himself was very well-spoken. More importantly, he covered a lot of issues pertaining to South Korea and addressed them clearly and well. The official topic of the speech was the Korea-US Alliance, and Han spent a lot of time covering this subject. He said that he feels the Alliance between the US and Korea is strong and growing stronger. He closed his speech by saying he remained "bullish" about our alliance. He spoke about the US plan to withdraw troops from Korea as well as the Republic of Korea's decision to keep troops in Iraq despite Iraqi insurgents' threats.

Han also spent a lot of time devoted to discussing the North Korean "situation." He mentioned that the DPRK does indeed have Nodong missiles; these missiles have the potential range to hit Japan if the North Koreans so desired. He argued that because the US is hostile toward the DPRK because of its nuclear policy, the DPRK is unwilling to engage in multi-party talks, which would hopefully solve the quagmire. And if North Korea won't participate, of course, such discussions are for naught.

Abassador Han also touched upon Sino-Korean relations, especially those between China and North Korea. He concluded that China is pretty sympathetic with Pyongyang but also wants to participate in the multi-party talks regarding the nuclear program.

Besides the dean of the Elliot School and the university president, there were a number of other interesting guests in the room. Asking questions to the ambassador after his speech were both a Belarussian diplomat and a Defense Department analyst. Well-regarded and -respected North Korean History Professor Kirk Larsen also attended the forum. I didn't notice anyone else from our class, though.

I'm not sure if my earlier short posting actually counts as a posting, but I think we can agree that we can combine the two to create a SUPER-posting.

DPRK AND CHINA

A former student of mine who is currently in China (check out his blog here) sent me some interesting links to articles about current relations between North Korea and China. The first article recounts the brouhaha that surrounded the publication of a startlingly frank criticism of North Korea in a PRC policy journal. Having read the piece (NK Zone mentioned it here)in question, I was not surprised to find that the PRC authories recalled the journal and that, according to the Asia Times (online)

The previous day, a suspiciously well-written polemic blast at Wang's article was posted on the S&M website; it was entitled "Some of our Intellectual Elites Advocate Selling North Korea Down the River" [5]. It said the United States is China's traditional enemy, North Korea is China's friend, and anyone that suggests otherwise is "even more corrupt that the Qing government of over a century ago".

The second article (from the Washington Post) adds some more detail to the controversy and hints that the offending journal may be closed down for good.

Thanks to Matt for the links. Happy reading!