Daily Anju (Updated)

On the Daily NK: A Korean version of my interview with Chuck Downs. Mr. Downs is traveling this week and isn’t able to respond to your questions yet. I’ll post an update when he gets a chance. Thanks for your patience.

When You Hear “Uri Ttang,” Be Annoyed; When You Hear “Part of China,” Be Concerned: First Koguryeo, now Parhae. Will China-baiting be the politico-nationalist fad of 2007? It’s their turn, isn’t it?

Interesting Report: If Kim Jong Il isn’t traveling to China through Sinuiju, why is the city blocked off? For a guy who is so adored by his people, it’s interesting that Kim Jong Il feels the need to lock down every place he visits. Can anyone link me a reliable report of Kim Jong Il ever appearing before a crowd that wasn’t (1) in Pyongyang; (2) carefully handpicked; and (3) under extraordinary security, even by North Korean standards?

Chris Hill on KJI-Beijing Rumors: “As you know, I take planes and he takes trains [… s]o I’m not sure, really, what he’s doing.” Hill says there’s no new payola on the table: “All we have is a September agreement now unfortunately one full year old.”