Monthly Archive: December, 2004

They’re actually contemplating ways to deny North Koreans refuge in the South, while denying South Koreans who assist the refugees travel papers to leave the country. Have they the slightest concern for the shame with which they will be remembered? I’d also add that Norbert Vollertsen called this one a month ago. This isn’t the first time he’s had the goods before they were printed anywhere else. He obviously has good sources. This inclines me to post his leaks, since...

I had much to blog this weekend, but the flu had other plans for me. This was no ordinary flu. This was a tossing, sweating, clogged-up assault on every nerve ending in the body, the kind that makes you feel as if your pillow is bruising your face. I’m somewhat better today, although this bug seems to specialize in false recoveries. Thanks in advance for any good wishes. I will leave you with just a few thoughts before I lay...

They’re actually contemplating ways to deny North Koreans refuge in the South, while denying South Koreans who assist the refugees travel papers to leave the country. Have they the slightest concern for the shame with which they will be remembered? I’d also add that Norbert Vollertsen called this one a month ago. This isn’t the first time he’s had the goods before they were printed anywhere else. He obviously has good sources. This inclines me to post his leaks, since...

I had much to blog this weekend, but the flu had other plans for me. This was no ordinary flu. This was a tossing, sweating, clogged-up assault on every nerve ending in the body, the kind that makes you feel as if your pillow is bruising your face. I’m somewhat better today, although this bug seems to specialize in false recoveries. Thanks in advance for any good wishes. I will leave you with just a few thoughts before I lay...

I had much to blog this weekend, but the flu had other plans for me. This was no ordinary flu. This was a tossing, sweating, clogged-up assault on every nerve ending in the body, the kind that makes you feel as if your pillow is bruising your face. I’m somewhat better today, although this bug seems to specialize in false recoveries. Thanks in advance for any good wishes. I will leave you with just a few thoughts before I lay...

Meanwhile, South Korea shows its complete unseriousness about getting back its abducted citizens, human rights, or nukes by cutting ribbons and issuing letters of credit. One can’t be bothered with trivial matters when there’s money to be made. The South Korean position, of course, is that it cares about these people, wants to bring them home, but will get them back when trade has liberalized the North. This is a transparent lie. South Koreans are apparently willing to accept that...

South Korea has charged a South Korean man for conspiring to help North Korean agents kidnap Kim Dong-Shik in China, where he was helping North Korean refugees. The essential facts have been known for years, but the evidence recently and inexplicably became impossible to ignore. It may be perfectly true, as this article suggests, that a North Korean spy caught posing as a defector led to the big break in the case. Could Korea’s inferiority complex about Japan also be...

Meanwhile, South Korea shows its complete unseriousness about getting back its abducted citizens, human rights, or nukes by cutting ribbons and issuing letters of credit. One can’t be bothered with trivial matters when there’s money to be made. The South Korean position, of course, is that it cares about these people, wants to bring them home, but will get them back when trade has liberalized the North. This is a transparent lie. South Koreans are apparently willing to accept that...

South Korea has charged a South Korean man for conspiring to help North Korean agents kidnap Kim Dong-Shik in China, where he was helping North Korean refugees. The essential facts have been known for years, but the evidence recently and inexplicably became impossible to ignore. It may be perfectly true, as this article suggests, that a North Korean spy caught posing as a defector led to the big break in the case. Could Korea’s inferiority complex about Japan also be...

South Korea has charged a South Korean man for conspiring to help North Korean agents kidnap Kim Dong-Shik in China, where he was helping North Korean refugees. The essential facts have been known for years, but the evidence recently and inexplicably became impossible to ignore. It may be perfectly true, as this article suggests, that a North Korean spy caught posing as a defector led to the big break in the case. Could Korea’s inferiority complex about Japan also be...

That much was a given after the events of last week. It’s astonishing that the issue of sanctions is still an issue at all. UPDATE: Here’s your “hostile policy” update. Cry “wolf,” and eventually the world will disbelieve you. Cry “war,” and they open their checkbooks. The North Koreans are clearly on to something.

China was also considerate enough to soften the blow from the Eberstadt interview by behaving in a way the Chosun called “hegemonic.” They’ve certainly been giving the members of the Assembly a lot of warnings lately. As if they expect to be in a position to take retribution.

It’s all a CIA smear campaign–as John Lovitz used to say, that’s the ticket! Much more here. How unfortunate for them that the Chinese appear to be in on it, too.

That much was a given after the events of last week. It’s astonishing that the issue of sanctions is still an issue at all. UPDATE: Here’s your “hostile policy” update. Cry “wolf,” and eventually the world will disbelieve you. Cry “war,” and they open their checkbooks. The North Koreans are clearly on to something.

China was also considerate enough to soften the blow from the Eberstadt interview by behaving in a way the Chosun called “hegemonic.” They’ve certainly been giving the members of the Assembly a lot of warnings lately. As if they expect to be in a position to take retribution.

It’s all a CIA smear campaign–as John Lovitz used to say, that’s the ticket! Much more here. How unfortunate for them that the Chinese appear to be in on it, too.

One of my regular readers is a teacher in Seoul who has visited North Korea and now volunteers his time to assist and teach English to North Korean defectors. Several weeks ago, I asked him if he would pose some questions to his students, contingent on them being comfortable answering. My correspondent asked me to be patient while he found the right circumstances to pose the question to the group. Today, I am pleased to report the responses of the...

Even I didn’t see this coming, and I’ve been salivating for it for years now. Nicholas Eberstadt sat down with the Chosun Ilbo today. He did more than take off the gloves; he’s swinging his numchucks. His comments seem to have scared even the Chosun, the proponent of what passes for “conservative” in South Korea–we hate you, but you’re very good for business. In today’s critical journalism consumer exercise, see if you can spot the interviewer’s sneer and the interviewee’s...