North Korea "facing food crisis"

This article highlights the major humanitarian crisis facing North Korea. Since North Korea continues to pursue a nuclear program, many countries refuse to send food. This policy could lead to major food crisis that will affect the people more than the government. Kim Jong Il may not give into to such international pressure, and could continue to develop nuclear weapons while the people starve. The "dear leader" has put his country is a precarious place by refusing the discuss his weapon arsenal. If famine conditions grow worse and the people are deprived of food, Kim Jong Il may face retaliation from his people.

North Korean and South Korean Conflict Timeline

Hey guys,
I was looking for a summary of the relationshp between North Korea and South Korea. CNN gives a nice timeline that helps provide a good understanding of what happened from 1950-2003. Its a bit old, but it helps show what happened before and how the past plays a part on future relations.
http://http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/02/14/korea.timeline/

China as possible muscle against NK nuclear program?

Found this article in my browsing of current news that suggests China may in fact serve as some muscle against North Korea's insistance on being a nuclear power. Could these two nations come to blows or how will KJI react to an ultimatum of "dire consequences" imposed by China regarding a spoke of nuclear test in NK?

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15407123-401,00.html

MIA recovery halted in North Korea

I had no idea that the US even had a thought out agreement/system in place in order to try and retrieve remains of soldiers that never returned from Korea... unfortunate to read this agreement is now on hold.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/25/mia.nkorea/index.html

Pre-emptive Nuclear threats

In the article below, the possiblity of pre-emptive nuclear strike by North Korea against the US is mentioned as the latest diplomatic turn between the two countries. Quinones' work suggests that North Korea may have enough plutonium for about 8 nuclear warheads and also that there are nuclear research facilities in North Korea. Also, the media recently has devoted much attention to the possibility of North Korea's conducting their first experimental detonation, as shown by a big hole dug, and then filled up again. As Quinones points out however, North Korea may not be able to back up their threats. We still do not know if the trigger for the bomb will work, and even if it does, North Korea does not appear to have the technology to launch a nuclear weapon at a great distance. While North Korea could 'pre-emptively' destroy Seoul and many American lives and bases, one must consider skeptically a North Korea-lead nuclear attack on North American soil.
http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20050524%2F1242902861.htm&ewp=ewp_news_north_korea&floc=NW_1-T

Pyongyang refuses to rule out first strike amid nuclear standoff

Nothing new really, however, it seems N.Korea has once again put "nuclear first strike" on the table as a means of negotiation

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.nkorea25may25,1,6042259.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines

US Considering Food Aid to NK

Here's an AFP story highlighting US discussion on working with the UN's WFP to deliver food aid to famine-stricken North Korea, despite heightened nuclear tensions.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050520/wl_asia_afp/usnkoreafood_050520213056

CFR, North Korea: The Nuclear Threat

I found this good question and answer piece published by the Council on Foreign Relations.
<http://www.cfr.org/pub8079/mary_crane/north_korea_the_nuclear_threat.php>

It gives a brief account of the supposed current state of the North Korean nuclear arsenal, and the U.S. administration's refusal to engage in direct negotiations with the DPRK, as doing so would be engaging in "nuclear blackmail"

North Korean Art

Hello All,

I found an interesting article online at NY Times entitled "A Gallery Peers Into the Closed World of North Korean Art," published May 18, 2005. Since much of what North Korea does is often closed to the public, it is nice to get a glimpse of some of its cultural expressions. Over 1,000 pieces of artwork that was produced in the Pyongyang Art Studio are now being displayed in Beijing due to a negotiation between the North Korean Government and a Briton named Nicholas Bonner. There is not much creative or individual expression allowed in North Korea, so painting is probably one of the few ways artists can express any form of creativity. However, the article explains that this creativity is limited and strictly regulated. There are basically only two types of artwork produced: Soviet-influenced socialist realist depictions of industrial workers, and traditional studies of nature. The article also goes on to discuss how North Korean artists are trained, "artists are still trained largely so that they can celebrate the state's accomplishments and help guide the people according to the government's wishes." I recommend the article to get a taste of North Korean culture. If you go to the article, you can also view a picture of one of the paintings entitled, "Breaktime at the Ironworks."

"Panel Urges The U.S. To Make A Better Plan For North Korean Nukes"

The 26 members for the panel that plan for aid in the north if the North disarms. Well the panel called on washington to create a "sweeter" plan. "North Korea is not likely to move toward complete denuclearization ... unless the United States is prepared to match North Korean concessions with reciprocal steps toward the normalization of political and economic relations," said the international policy group for Aisa. It is clear that the panel believes if the U.S. offers a better aid then North Korea will look at it and maybe will accpet it.

Golf in North Korea?

Interesting tidbit I found today. The DPRK is planning to build a lavish golf course at the Mt. Kumgang resort to try to attract more South Korean tourists. This is still so ironic, how people are starving yet the government wants to bring in foreign dollars to fill its own pockets.

Here's the article

More Rights for North Korean citizens?

Hello again,

This is an article about the North Korean government's revision to the "criminal and civil rights laws" in the DPRK. Here are some changes as quoted from the article:

Under the new guidelines, an individual found guilty of illegally seizing another's possession will be sentenced to more than 10 years of hard labor from the current less than 10-year period.

Also, as indication of expectations within the country for more foreign investment, the revised framework includes a clause speaking against tax evasion. With respect to civil rights law, authorities have slashed the term for hard labor for defectors from the present less than three-year requirement to less than 2 years.

I wonder whether there is hope to believe that the North Korean government is ready to implement some changes, or whether this is another one of Kim's schemes to perhaps receive aid from the international community. Hm, this possibility is one to consider.

"North Has Up to Six Nukes"

Hello all,

This article discusses North Koreas possession of nuclear weapons. According to the IAEA, "since Pyongyang refused access to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors almost two years ago, the Stalinist enclave has had time to secure enough plutonium for four to six nuclear weapons."

However, this is not based on any factual information, but only on "assessment," which brings us back to the question about whether North Korea actually has nuclear weapons. Although many believe that North Korea possesses nuclear weapons, the question is one that we should think about further, as discussed at length during one of the professors lectures and class discussions.

North Korean Food Harvest

North Korea's food harvest is up 2.4% from last year. Despite this, Korea will still suffer a large food shortage, even after foreign aid is considered. Many poorer families will still be lacking in basic nutritional foods due to declining purchasing power--prices in private markets are up. See full story at: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200411/kt2004112322235311990.htm

The "red line"

According to a New York Times article today North Korea says that the United States' red line policy towards them will cause war. This red line is the United States' way of calling for the end of North Korea's nuclear proliferation. North Korea feels like the United States is falsely charging it with sponsoring terrorism. According to the article "The United States has pressured the North with `distorted rumors' about the nuclear issue, `threatening a military punishment,' the newspaper said." This article is yet another example of the uncertainty over North Korea. You can find the article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-korea-north-usa.html?oref=login

To Follow Up

Charles Jenkins, the American deserter to North Korea was released from jail sometime last week. He served less than a month in a military jail. The case of Charles Jenkins is the longest case of desertion before turning oneself in. He deserted in 1965. Most of this article is information we have already discussed, here is the article:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/11/26/korea.jenkins/index.html

CIA link

I'm not sure if this has come up before. Here is a link to the CIA's website on the DPRK. It's very interesting and provides a ton of statistical material.

Nukes

According to this very short article, the IAEA "cited" South Korea as making small amounts of weapons grade plutonium.. Why doesnt the north jump all over that? I think that both sides need to see each other as equals before anything can happen, and the DPRK may be thinking the south is getting away with their programs, why should we stop..

Also, this article brings up the extension of the freeze of the light water reactors for the north. It was originally intended to expire 12.1.04 and has been extended a full year. They say construction is 1/3 complete, and they're doing maintenance work on the site, i guess to keep it ready for a miraculous return to construction. if we ever finished the reactors, the north would not really have much weight behind the argument that we never tried to help them, and that we were causing the energy crisis. We stopped the shipment of fuel oil after the 2002 discovery of the HEU program.

if KEDO finished the reactors, do you think the north would feel pressure to stop its nuclear program or just continue on like nothing has developed in its relations with the international community?

Korea Watch

Stumbled across this site......It gives two different explanations for the removal of Kim Jong Il's photos...

The experts: This consequentially leads to my assumption that, by reducing his own role for the ideological stability of the system, Kim Jong-il might be resolving one of the most pressing issues in North Korean domestic politics: his succession.

The bloggers: I'm still not convinced. I think there has been a coup or some sort of physical ailment or death to the leader. In my previous entry I reported that media had also stopped referring to him as "Beloved Leader".

Psychological Warfare

Apparantly NK has accused the US of using psychological warefare against them in effort to cease peace talks. NK accuses the US also of using mass propaganda against them. The good news out of this is that six party talks are supposed to take place in mid-Dec which is a very positive.