Predictable Old North Korea

The Beeb is reporting more about the official North Korean response to the Ryongchon disaster. Nothing shocking.

1. As thousands of children lie suffering–many of them blind–on metal file cabinets for lack of hospital beds, the North Koreans are refusing to allow international medical aid that might put the victims in contact with sympathetic foreigners. A disproportionate number of them are children. One must conclude that their suffering means nothing to their leaders; even South Korean aid–much of it raised in telethons–was rejected. Even I was a little surprised by this. After all, bandages and medicine don’t spread infectious ideas, do they?

2. The North Koreans are treating this like a hit and looking for someone to pin it on.

3. The Beebs suggests, as I have, that Kim Jong-Il’s visit and the extraordinary luxury and security he demands, threw the rail system into disarray and contributed to the cause of the accident. Once again, many suffer for the selfishness of one.