1 June 2010

How many years have I been saying this?

CHINA HAS BEEN treating its neighbors, and the world, to a demonstration of why its rising power is not necessarily to be welcomed. Though it has become undeniable that its neighbor and client, North Korea, committed an act of war by sinking a South Korean warship in March, Beijing continues to shield the loathsome regime of Kim Jong Il. [Washington Post Editorial]

I wonder how many regimes’ archives will have to be opened before Bruce Cumings has the shame to retire, once and for all. Cumings has been led into so many grievous, unforced errors by his sympathy for the North Korean political system that I would respectfully disagree that he can still be called a “leading” scholar with respect to Korea.

Reading this New York Times story, you’d think South Korea has as great a need to send money to North Korea as North Korea has a need for the South’s money. What this really looks like is push journalism, the message of which is that Sunshine, failed and discredited as it may be, is the only alternative South Korea has.

If you get one of these propaganda faxes or e-mails from North Korea, by all means tell me the number or address it came from. I know someone who’d like to know.