8 February 2010: I’m Sure It Depends on How You Define “Deal.”

State Department denies deal for Park’s release; also, Larry Craig still isn’t gay. If by some miracle the truth actually leaked out, State would probably say that President Obama’s announcement — the day before North Korea announced Park’s release — that he would not to re-add North Korea to the list of state sponsors of terrorism was a mere “goodwill gesture,” or an “understanding,” but not really a quid-pro-quo. When the transcript of the State Department news conference for February 5th becomes available, you’ll see that the reporters had to do everything but waterboard Spokesman P.J. Crowley to get him to deny that there was a deal. Sorry, I wasn’t born yesterday, I smell a rat, and I don’t believe it.

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Our human rights envoy Robert King speaks, but does this really mean anything? “‘Respect for human rights by the DPRK (North Korea) will have significant impact on the prospect of closer ties with the US and will be necessary for North Korea to fully participate in the international community,’ King said in the message read at the seminar.”

On the other hand, this statement from U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens speaks of something our government is doing that’s actually effective: “‘We will continue to fund radio broadcasts into North Korea to try to provide information about the outside world,’ she said, adding that her government will also work to support North Korean refugees.” Well, not so much on that last part, so far.

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Since Iran is using North Korean technology in its rockets, would it be unreasonable to assume that they’re sharing nuclear technology, too? Of course not.______________
An escaped artist talks about the perils of painting portraits of you-know-who: “While concentrating on painting, it is not unusual to smear paints on the photos, put the photos on the floor or even step on them. But when that happened, we were then officially accused by others.______________
WTF? Developers are building three artificial islands at in the Han River estuary.______________
I’m sure it’s carrying gumdrops and chocolate bunnies:

Pirates seized a North Korean-flagged cargo ship owned by Libya’s White Sea Shipping in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia and Yemen, an anti-piracy task force said. The 4,800-ton MV Rim changed course and was headed for the Somali Basin Wednesday, the European Union Naval Force said, CNN reported.

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Good Grief: The Human Rights Industry’s obsessions with Gitmo and Gaza has already damaged it by distracting its attention from far greater abuses in other places. But Amnesty International’s unholy alliance former Gitmo prisoner and prominent Taliban supporter Moazzam Beg must be a new low.______________
Don Kirk rounds up the week’s Korea news, including the propaganda victory Robert Park handed to Kim Jong Il.______________
North Korea calls for regime change, and the “elimination” of “anti-reunification” forces. I wonder why most of the press either ignores or laughs off North Korea’s threats against its neighbors, yet recoils in shock at calls for the overthrow of the world’s most repressive regime? After all, there’s nothing worse that instability, right?______________