4 November 2009

HOPE, CHANGE, AND PEACE IN OUR TIME: Kim Jong Il announces that he’s reprocessed another 8,000 fuel rods, enough to make at least one more bomb. Thank goodness Chris Hill came along in time to end this d*ck-measuring contest with the give-and-take of compromise. Thank goodness our president isn’t afraid to talk to his enemies. Now please send Philip Goldberg to freeze the bank accounts of Orascom, Koryo Tours, and the Korean Friendship Association.

CYBER ATTACKS UPDATE: After some doubts, the consensus seems to be returning to North Korean culpability.

IT’S NOT JUST SANCTIONS that are taking a bite out of Kim Jong Il’s foreign trade profits; it’s corruption, too. The regime is now carrying out a round of inspections and purges, the sort of fratricide that’s abrasive to internal cohesion. It’s happening, in part, because the regime can’t find enough money to meet the needs of its bureaucrats. And sanctions are partially responsible for that.

THE HOTTEST BRIBE ITEM in Pyongyang, by the way? Instant coffee.

INTRODUCING KOREAN NEWS FEEDS: Some smart person has managed to aggregate a ton of Korea news sites and blogs on one page, including sites that don’t even have RSS feeds. I’m so thankful to the person who did this for explaining how he did it that I’m throwing him some links, here and on my right sidebar.