Today’s Theater of the Absurd

Korean press reaction to Bush’s signing of the NKHRA here, and the Unification Minister’s futile two cents’ worth of regret here. Now, the GNP (Grand National Party, South Korea’s “conservative” opposition) wants to get into the act. So they finally found their voice, now that the song is half over. And it’s a dirge.

Meanwhile, the spigot on North Korean emigration has loosened another half-turn with only the second known successful defection by sea:

Two North Koreans defected to South Korea on Tuesday after crossing the western sea border aboard a small boat, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The two–one man and one woman–crossed the border around 9:30 a.m., the JCS said. They were handed over to maritime police for questioning, the JCS said.

This brings up more interesting questions about how the North Korean military can handle such challenges to its internal control. North Korea has two long, deeply indented coasts, and a fairly small navy. If there were to be a mass exodus by sea, something that’s obviously a possibility given the history of Viet Nam’s “boat people” exodus, how could North Korea stop it? If they suddenly had to make a major investment in patrol boats, could Hyundai afford the cost?