Anju Links for 24 February 2009

SOUTH KOREANS BLAME THE NORTH for the current downturn in inter-Korean relations by 63 to 27, according to a new poll. A solid majority supports aid to the North only on the condition that it gives up its nuclear weapons. Assuming this poll is accurate, it suggests that North Korea’s recent behavior has created a backlash in South Korean public opinion, creating support for Lee’s North Korea policy that didn’t exist when he was elected.

MORE RESHUFFLING OF GENERALS in North Korea.

THE NEW YORK TIMES PROFILES THE ANONYMOUS NORTH KOREAN ARTIST who has shaken up Seoul’s art scene with his parodies of North Korean propaganda art. Unfortunately, South Koreans are not famed for their appreciation of satire. Still, this is another small step forward for the development of defectors’ impact on South Korean culture. One can hope that eventually, it will be felt in their homeland.

HOW MANY DIVISIONS DOES BAN KI MOON HAVE? North Korea rejects the visit of a U.N. envoy to talk missiles.

UH OH:

As the global economic crisis deepens and the demand for Chinese exports slackens, manufacturing jobs in the Pearl River Delta and all along the once-booming coast are disappearing at a stunning pace. Over the last few months, more than 20 million migrant workers have been cast into the ranks of the unemployed ….

This week, more than 3,000 public security directors from across the country are gathering in the capital to learn how to neutralize rallies and strikes before they blossom into so-called mass incidents. At a meeting of the Chinese cabinet last month, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao told government leaders they should prepare for rough times ahead. “The country’s employment situation is extremely grim,” he said.[N.Y. Times]