9 January 2010: The Value of Propaganda

LESS BREAD, MORE CIRCUSES:

In addition, Kim went on, “To become a strong and prosperous socialist state we must see a period of renaissance in military-first Chosun,” and stressed, “Movie studios should be established in each province in order to publicize the good conduct of local citizens, and local citizens themselves should also bring about an era where basically anyone can create movies or become a movie star.

If I had to make a list of things the North Korean people really could use more of, propaganda wouldn’t be on my list, but then again, I’m not an art collector.

SERVES THEM RIGHT, I’D SAY: Much of that trendy North Korean propaganda art turns out to be fake, which is a delicious irony for given that it’s usually North Korea counterfeiting other peoples’ cigarettes, pharmaceuticals, and currency. This isn’t exactly a victimless crime, it’s just one where the victims are exceedingly unsympathetic. The kind of asshole who’d buy North Korean propaganda art is only a degree removed from the kind of asshole who’d wear a Che Guevara T-shirt, or collect Nazi memorabilia. The main difference is that Hitler and Che aren’t around to collect the royalties.

THE DEFECTIONS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORALE IMPROVES: 3,000 North Koreans who fled the workers’ paradise made it to South Korea last year.

KREMLINOLOGY: The Daily NK reports that the mandatory adulation for Kim Jong Eun’s birthday will be a modest, private affair.

One of The Daily NK’s sources from inside North Pyongan Province said on Thursday, “The North Korean authorities will hold lectures regarding the succession and commemorative events on Kim Jong Eun’s birthday, proclaiming it a day of national significance. However, events are not public, but to be held secretly within the Party and military.

I continue to believe that Jong Eun will play a symbolic role at most, and that the real succession story isn’t the rise of Jong Eun, it’s the musical chairs game between the octogenarian generals in the National Defense Committee, all of whom seem to have similar-sounding names (when everyone is named “Kim” and “Chol,” there’s only so much room for variation). I’ve taken to following Michael Madden’s blog when I want the latest on that, though the actual situation is still inscrutable to me.

AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH IS AIMED AT THE SPICE CHANNEL: Google Earth reveals that Kim Jong Il has more satellite dishes than a Wyoming trailer park.

MORE GOOGLE EARTH ZANINESS: Just when I think Curtis Melvin has found everything interesting in North Korea, he finds something else.

ANOTHER THEORY ON THE GREAT CONFISCATION:

It is also possible that the authorities expected and welcomed the prospect of depreciation of the North Korean won against foreign currencies, after taking into account the redenomination, in private markets. There are reports that it has depreciated significantly against the Chinese yuan–if so, there could be a substantial boost of exports to China in informal trade, and a decline in imports from China. [James Lister, Korea Economic Institute]

This sounds plausible, although I think ordinary incompetence is a more likely explanation.

FACES OF THE DEAD: I really question whether printing pictures of these womens’ faces was a good idea. If the Bowibu didn’t shoot these women already, they’ll soon remedy that shortcoming.

THE KOREA SOCIETY IS RUNNING ANOTHER of those “scientific exchanges” with North Korea. Previously, the Koreans apparently showed a keen interest in defeating anti-pirating technology “digital watermarking” and “secure fax technology.” This time, the North Koreans will learn how to cook better meth and make an aerosol from live ebola cultures (just kidding, they actually didn’t say what they’re teaching the North Koreans this time).

SHAMELESS: Iran accuses the opposition of faking Neda’s death and then murdering her, but a witness debunks the theory, propounded in a “documentary” made for state TV. I find it difficult to believe that anyone really believes this, and what’s more, it really proves that in death, Neda continues to be a symbol of oppression that the regime can’t obliterate. And just when you think they can stoop no lower, they’re shooting at opposition leaders.