I have posted a detailed argument against the theory that diplomatic recognition and free trade can dissuade North Korea from its evil ways while Kim Jong-Il continues to be in charge there. It’s lots of rich, linky goodness, but I didn’t want it to crowd the new human rights stories off the page, so I posted it here for your reading pleasure.

. . . from your webmaster, just an angry ex-soldier and bleeding-heart conservative waging war by other means. Stop to look at this brand-new BBC video clip first. Then get yourself a stiff drink. I’ll wait. Back already? Then you now know the level of Treblinka depravity we’re talking about. Now, take a look at this, edit as liberally as you like, cut and paste it into the Web form here, and do something about it. Our efforts may have already...

. . . from your webmaster, just an angry ex-soldier and bleeding-heart conservative waging war by other means. Stop to look at this brand-new BBC video clip first. Then get yourself a stiff drink. I’ll wait. Back already? Then you now know the level of Treblinka depravity we’re talking about. Now, take a look at this, edit as liberally as you like, cut and paste it into the Web form here, and do something about it. Our efforts may have already...

Another North Korean defector, this one a chemical weapons “scientist,” is telling the BBC how he killed people in gas chambers. Link and video clip here: “The purpose of this experiment was to determine how long it takes for a human being to die – we wanted to determine how much gas was necessary to annihilate the whole city of Seoul.” The South Koreans apparently tried to stop him from talking to the media, and of course, they say it’s...

NK Gulag’s founders, both of them refugees from North Korea themselves, send this message: On behalf of the 23 million North Korean people, we wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Congressmen and Congresswomen and to the American people who helped pass this landmark legislation. Later, when set free from Kim Jong Il’s dictatorship, the North Korean people will surely remember July 21, 2004.

You could search for a long time to find words more persuasive than this picture, but the words of the North Korean woman in this BBC story come close: I left because there was no food, but also because I wanted freedom. I wanted to be able to live how I wanted to live. The North Koreans are neither robots nor zombies nor programmed automatons. They are human beings just like us, but with a much keener understanding of what...

TYPE OF INCIDENT:  Aggravated Assault     LOCATION:  Peace Maker Center, Songtan Entertainment District, South Korea DATE/TIME OF INCIDENT:  241616 JUL 04              PERSONNEL INVOLVED: a. SUBJECT(S):  (1)  YANG, XX; Rank:  CIV; MOS:  None; KID:  Unknown; Sex:  Male; Race:  Asian; Age:  Unknown; Address:  Unknown; Security Clearance:  None; Duty Position:  Unknown; Duty Status:  Unknown   (2)  YANG, XX; Rank:  CIV; MOS:  None; KID:  Unknown; Sex:  Male; Race:  Asian; Age:      Unknown; Address:  Unknown; Security Clearance:  Unknown; Duty Position:  Unknown;   Duty Status:  Off Duty (3)  YANG,...

Another North Korean defector, this one a chemical weapons “scientist,” is telling the BBC how he killed people in gas chambers. Link and video clip here: “The purpose of this experiment was to determine how long it takes for a human being to die – we wanted to determine how much gas was necessary to annihilate the whole city of Seoul.” The South Koreans apparently tried to stop him from talking to the media, and of course, they say it’s...

NK Gulag’s founders, both of them refugees from North Korea themselves, send this message: On behalf of the 23 million North Korean people, we wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Congressmen and Congresswomen and to the American people who helped pass this landmark legislation. Later, when set free from Kim Jong Il’s dictatorship, the North Korean people will surely remember July 21, 2004.

You could search for a long time to find words more persuasive than this picture, but the words of the North Korean woman in this BBC story come close: I left because there was no food, but also because I wanted freedom. I wanted to be able to live how I wanted to live. The North Koreans are neither robots nor zombies nor programmed automatons. They are human beings just like us, but with a much keener understanding of what...

TYPE OF INCIDENT:  Aggravated Assault     LOCATION:  Peace Maker Center, Songtan Entertainment District, South Korea DATE/TIME OF INCIDENT:  241616 JUL 04              PERSONNEL INVOLVED: a. SUBJECT(S):  (1)  YANG, XX; Rank:  CIV; MOS:  None; KID:  Unknown; Sex:  Male; Race:  Asian; Age:  Unknown; Address:  Unknown; Security Clearance:  None; Duty Position:  Unknown; Duty Status:  Unknown   (2)  YANG, XX; Rank:  CIV; MOS:  None; KID:  Unknown; Sex:  Male; Race:  Asian; Age:      Unknown; Address:  Unknown; Security Clearance:  Unknown; Duty Position:  Unknown;   Duty Status:  Off Duty (3)  YANG,...

It’s as if the South Park guys are custom making this movie just for me.  Don’t expect to see this one on the marquis at Pyongyang.  Hat tip:  Budaechigae.  More here.

Joe Katzman at Winds of Change put up a terrific post about this blog, if you’re interested. Thanks!  My head is so swollen . . . .

It’s as if the South Park guys are custom making this movie just for me.  Don’t expect to see this one on the marquis at Pyongyang.  Hat tip:  Budaechigae.  More here.

Joe Katzman at Winds of Change put up a terrific post about this blog, if you’re interested. Thanks!  My head is so swollen . . . .

AP is reporting that the first 200 North Koreans have arrived in Seoul. Another 260 are coming tomorrow, for a total of 460, more than previously reported.

Don’t miss this must-read commentary by Lee Seon-Min, posted on the Marmot’s site: The North Korean human rights issue has become the �litmus test� for differentiating real and fake progressive in our society. We can guess as to why some �progressive� forces that are servile to the North Korean regime would work so hard to avoid this issue. Excluding them, if other �progressive� forces cannot sincerely respond to the North Korean human rights issue, they could no longer be called...

That’s the claim of at least one defector in today’s Chosun. Its lack of detail is frustrating, but given the obvious safety considerations, understandable. If it’s true, may God protect them.