NoKo after "Dear Leader" Kim

[Philip]

They seek him here they seek him there,those Yanquis seek him everywhere,is he in heaven or is he in he'll,that demmed elusive Kim Jong "ill" !

(with apologies to Baroness Orczy).

[vijaykarthik]

more on this: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/ ... me=topNews

[ramana]

VijayK
Forget them. What do you think and why?

[hnair]

Probably getting his fat ass kneaded by that nubile blondie sent in by Langley to slip a chip next to the Huwaei one. Rodman was chosen for his long, strong fingers

Very disappointing little dictator. Till now, he has done only what an average mallu lad would do during his sister's wedding - slap an a-hole uncle so he STFUP about "family traditions".

[vijaykarthik]

there was a minor clash bet NK and SK in the Yellow sea? Wonder whats REALLY cooking.

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1 ... aking_news

[Raja Ram]

The Young Kim's absence is indeed interesting! It comes at a time which is both critical for the survival of North Korea and the future prospects of its great benefactor China.

The events in Hong Kong is unleashing a new challenge for the Dragon State and the disquiet in the Peninsula is only going to complicate things. Korean peninsula is to China what Central America is to the US. North Korea is a buffer state against the US.

I had written long time back in this thread that the choices facing the Young Kim is going to be tough (refer to page 1). It is indeed proving to be true. If the emerging news is true that there is a power struggle on, then I believe that this could lead to a strategic shift that can disconcert China to a great extent.

Many possibilities are likely. It depends on who is able to gain the upper hand. From an Indian perspective, this is indeed something to watch very carefully.

The events that are unfolding in Pyongyang, if indeed true, cannot come at a worse time for China. If you add to that the leadership that is in charge at New Delhi, Tokyo and Seoul currently, it is going to cause some sleepless nights in Zhongnanhai.

I shall expand on this when I get some more time to collect my thoughts on this and the happenings in Hong Kong and share them with all of you. For what it is worth!

[vijaykarthik]

FWIW, I think Kim is having some trouble in the background... or he is being very smart and disappearing for effect.

If he is having trouble,
a. its very likely that Hwang has taken charge... and did act a bit unilaterally to get closer to SK. It means they are looking at an open economy and a bit of trade etc too.
==> Will lead to a more open and less naughty NK. Which will in turn lead to reduced sanctions. Reduced tension. Reduced nuclear tests, missile launches etc.

If KJU is smart:
a. he is sending feelers and making this up for a massive biggie [NK did talk of a special kind of test a few months back. Analysts took it to mean a nuclear capable warhead. But no one knows for sure if they have the ability to have shrunk the nuclear warheads yet]
b. The diplo dance and stance is very interesting. Is it to mean that he plans to test a missile once and if the talk of talks fail? No clue here.

If he is smart, I will be very worried. It is ideally for an almost immediate missile launch perhaps. If he is disabled / destroyed, it might mean that NK moves towards less belligerence.

My opinion:

a. Kim is perhaps cornered (if he hasn't died yet). Isnt in absolute control even if he is a notional head. But the next few days / weeks will give us further clarity. [But I am confused about US officials claiming that no coup has taken place. A silent coup, if it had taken place, will not be displayed so publicly in the open media?]

b. I still think NK/SK reunion currently is extremely unlikely. The public has to be readied and if that were so, NK wont have attacked the SK warships today in the yellow sea. [This part is consistent with their earlier efforts of a fig leaf in one hand followed by an attack on the other hand: To remind SK that there is no weakness and it shouldn't be construed as one. If this time were different, this attack will not have happened].

[vijaykarthik]

^^ Last thoughts, it is rumored that KN-08 is ready for missile tests. That will be massive. Is this show a prelude to that launch? No one knows for sure yet.

[UlanBatori]

This is almost as big as TN After Jayalalithaaa

[vijaykarthik]

NOKO goes out of Chinese orbit will be Big blow to Mr Eleven. Apparently the NOKO Khaki who visisted SOKO is 2nd in Charge and senior most after Kim.

I think China did a calculated move here. I will not be surprised if they almost said good riddance to NK. I don't think anyone expected Kim to kill his uncle. Regardless of how he died, the very fact that he was close to China and he was put to death was an alarm bell. And I don't think China has even attempted improving relns after that. And this yr, surprisingly neither China or NK were cloyingly friendly while they sent their respective lovey-dovey letters to other.

Shifts in tack and perception. No wonder NK is also pushed to the wall.


But who is Mr eleven? XI? He is a useless arrogant idiot. But more on that later!

[ramana]

Vijaykarthik, Maybe we are seeing Hamlet in play.

Essentially old order is crumbling and taking out the Kim family.

We are seeing the remaking of new order and don't know which way.

[gunjur]

Kim Jong-un misses North Korea party event

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un missed a key political anniversary ceremony, state media said, amid speculation over his absence from public view.

On Friday his name was not on a list of those who visited a mausoleum to mark the ruling party's anniversary.

Mr Kim has not been seen for more than a month, the longest hiatus since he came to power in 2011.

State television last month said he had an "uncomfortable physical condition" and later showed him limping.

On Friday, South Korea said it believed Mr Kim remained in control of the communist state.

"It seems that Kim Jong-un's rule is in normal operation," Unification Ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-cheol was quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying.

"With regard to his specific health conditions, our government has no information to confirm yet," he said.

Health problems?
On Friday North Korean officials visited Kumsusan Palace, a mausoleum for late leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, to mark the 69th anniversary of the Workers' Party.

For the first time in three years, Mr Kim's name was not included in the list.

The young leader, who inherited power after his father Kim Jong-il died in 2011, has not been seen in public since 3 September.

His absence has led to speculation over both his health and his grip on power.

A "no show" by Kim Jong-un isn't definitive - but it would increase the feeling that something untoward has happened.

Close watchers of North Korea discount the idea of a palace coup against him by pointing out that there haven't been unusual movements of the military, and that the Supreme Leader continues to be praised by the state media.

On Saturday, North Korean organs credited him with helping the country's athletes do well at the Asian games. He was also said to be the driving force behind the visit by his inner circle to Seoul.

He is probably on his sick bed but with undiminished power.

South Korean media outlets, citing unidentified sources, suggest the 31-year-old, who is overweight, has gout.

Appearances by Mr Kim's number two, coupled with recent claims by a former North Korean official, have also led to some speculation that Mr Kim may have been toppled.

Hwang Pyong-so, a top military aide who is considered Mr Kim's number two, has made high-profile appearances.

Mr Hwang led a delegation of North Korean officials to Seoul for the closing ceremony of the Asian Games, in a visit seen as a rare opportunity for high-level talks between the North and South.

None of the speculation can be confirmed.

Mr Hwang's visit, coupled with continued coverage in North Korean state media of Mr Kim's leadership, were cited by the Seoul on Friday as evidence that Mr Kim was still in power.

North Korean state media said a floral tribute from Mr Kim was presented at the mausoleum. Mr Hwang was reported as attending the ceremony.

[vijaykarthik]

Night Watch speculates that Kim went to the place where a few other old Kim's were interred. [Kumsusan palace?]. Sometime in the night with other sr mil leaders. Just that he isn't ready to show his mug to the public yet.

If that's so, its perhaps a case of strange affliction because of too much of "tongue in cheese"?

[KLNMurthy]

They seek him here they seek him there,those Yanquis seek him everywhere,is he in heaven or is he in he'll,that demmed elusive Kim Jong "ill" !

(with apologies to Baroness Orczy).

who should have bought some vowels when they were still cheap.

Sorry...

[vijaykarthik]

Looks like the young 'Un is back?

[member_28108]

yes he is back

[vijaykarthik]

Yet another case of walking one step fwd and 2 steps back.

Just when we least expect it.

Looks like NK/SK have had sr lvl mil-mil exchanges on Wednesday to ensure that the last 2 skirmishes dont balloon into a bigger problem.

Mmh, I wonder why. Sequence of events:

a. Incheon talks happen
b. On Oct 10th when we expected Kim to surface, SK sends anti-Kim & anti-regime propaganda on balloons which land in NK.
c. NK dislikes it and fires at the balloons and also makes a strong statement about calling off talks. I do believe that SK also fired back.
d. Park warns that the nxt round of firing will get further responses.

[There was another event where a NK patrol boat went into SK waters and got into a hot water moment too]

Now the talks happen... Who initiated it? And more importantly, Why is Kim acting so docile?

[vijaykarthik]

Muhaha. Evil.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/n-kore ... =rss&rss=1

So, does it mean they have shrunk the missile yet? In a while the young 'Un can be a proud nuclear $ickhead?

[wig]

North Korea officials 'publicly executed for watching South Korean soap operas', whilst another report suggest he was suffering from tarsal tunnel syndrome and underwent a surgical intervention for relief

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/worl ... 978006.cms

North Korea has reportedly publicly executed up at least 50 people this year, including several party officials for watching soap operas.

According to South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS), Pyongyang has purged about 10 officials from Kim Jong-un's Workers' Party for watching South Korean soaps.

The officials, who also faced charges of bribery and womanising, were thought to be close to Kim's executed uncle, Jang Song-thaek, Yonhap news agency reported.

All television and media is under strict state control and access to the internet is limited but despite a harsh crackdown, banned foreign shows and films have been gaining popularity in recent years.

Some are believed to be secretly streamed over the internet, while others are smuggled into the country on DVDs, video cassettes of memory sticks sold on the black market.

A North Korean defector calling himself "Mr Chung" revealed North Korea's preferences in a Channel 4 documentary last year.

He smuggles radios, USB sticks and DVDs of soap operas and entertainment shows into the North, posing as a mushroom importer.

"The men prefer watching action films," he said. "Men love their action films! I sent them Skyfall recently. The women enjoy watching soap operas and dramas.

"The more people are exposed to such media the more likely they are to become disillusioned with the regime and start wanting to live differently."

A group of activists in South Korea led by another defector from the North send satchels containing anti-regime flyers, noodles, $1 bills and USB sticks containing South Korean soap operas over the border attached to balloons.

North Korea forbids its 24 million people from watching foreign broadcasts and videos out of fear outside influence could undermine the dictatorship's ideology.

Anyone caught smuggling them in or distributing illicit material can be executed for crimes against the state and viewers have reportedly been sentenced to years in prison camps or hard labour.

A similar purge was reported last year, when around 80 people were said to be executed for watching South Korean television shows in November.

In the eastern port of Wonsan, the authorities gathered 10,000 people in a sports stadium to watch the execution of eight people by firing squad, JoongAng Ilbo reported.

It is not known whether the most recent group of officials executed include the six reported missing earlier this month.

Kim recently sparked global speculation over power struggles and even a coup by disappearing from public view for 40 days.

South Korean spies have since claimed the leader is recovering following an operation to remove a cyst from his right ankle, although there is a chance the condition could recur because of his weight.

[SSridhar]

North Korea launches ballistic missile submarine: reports - Kyodo, Japan Times

North Korea has launched a submarine capable of firing ballistic missiles, South Korean media reported Sunday, quoting South Korean government sources.

The Yonhap News Agency said North Korean engineers reverse-engineered a Soviet-era Golf-class diesel submarine to build a copy with a suspected displacement of 2,000 to 2,500 tons.

The Soviet vessel was built in 1958. North Korea acquired it in the early 1990s, and dismantled it to study how to build submarines capable of firing ballistic missiles.

North Korea has yet to mount missile tubes on the submarine but has reportedly carried out dozens of missile tube tests both on land and at sea.

Furthermore, it is thought to be trying to build nuclear warheads small enough to fit on a submarine-launched rocket, potentially posing a new security threat to South Korea, Japan and the United States.

South Korean military experts believe North Korea would be able to install the missile tubes in the new submarine within one to two years.

According to South Korea’s Defense Ministry and other sources, North Korea has about 70 submarines, including around 20 1,800-ton Romeo-class vessels and small submersibles of about 325 and 130 tons.

The South Korean government believes a small North Korean submarine fired the torpedo that sank a South Korean warship in the Yellow Sea in March 2010.

[vijaykarthik]

Looks like NK and Russia have gotten closer. Looks likely that a meeting between Cheese and Steel is likely sometime too?

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20141121000684

[RamaY]

The little kingdom shows middle finger!

THE DISASTER STORY THAT HOLLYWOOD HAD COMING

As implausible as those movie plots might have been, the screenwriter hasn’t yet been born ballsy enough to pitch Hollywood’s current epic disaster: a grade B comedy that leads to an international confrontation with North Korea and a cyber-takedown of the studio that made the picture.
Pitch that and security will walk you out to your car.

Yet, Sony Pictures finds itself the lead character in exactly that scenario with a massive data breach leaking unreleased films, the Social Security numbers of stars and studio executives, and, most damaging of all, lifting the veil of secrecy on how Hollywood talks about itself to itself.

A previously unheard-of hacker squad, the Guardians of Peace, has claimed responsibility and promises a sequel for Christmas as a reprisal for Sony releasing a film depicting the assassination of North Korea’s pudgy and insane “Dear Leader,” Kim Jong Un.

While Hollywood A-listers scramble to change their passwords and cellphone numbers, Sony Co-Chairwoman Amy Pascal continues to work the phones shoring up support from African Americans after the leak of condescending and implicitly racist emails with uber-producer Scott Rudin showed her “guessing” which movies—all black-themed— President Obama might enjoy.

While the mountain of personal data breached represents the growing threat hackers pose to cybersecurity, Pascal’s private emails confirm for many their worst suspicions about how privileged whites talk when they’re behind closed doors.

Al Sharpton is upset.

“Hollywood is like the Rockies,” said the reverend. “The higher up it goes the whiter it looks.”

One can only imagine what Sharpton’s private emails look like.

Still, Pascal is in serious trouble because it’s not just Sharpton.

Selma’s Ava Du Vernay, the first black female director to earn a Golden Globe nomination, called Pascal’s email “sad, limited, crass.”

Of course, Du Vernay would like to direct more pictures so she’s not quite willing to go as far as Scandal and Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, who called out the media as well as Pascal.

“Calling Sony comments ‘racially insensitive remarks’ instead of ‘racist’?” tweeted Rhimes. “U can put a cherry on a pile of shit but it don’t make it a sundae.”
Rhimes has her f-you money.

The fear that Pascal might weather the storm has Du Vernay, Oprah Winfrey, and other Hollywood elites pulling their punches. Lyndon Johnson famously said, “Don’t tell a man to go to hell unless you’re sure you can send him there.” Right now, Amy Pascal is only in purgatory.

Power attorney David Boies has sent out a flurry of threatening letters to The New York Times, The Daily Beast and other media outlets for publishing and broadcasting the content of his client’s private communications. The material is, after all, stolen.

Morally, Boies is right, if one can use the word “morally” in the context of anyone in Hollywood.

Yet Boies’ bluster won’t un-ring the bell.

Neither will Academy Award-winning writer Aaron Sorkin’s defense of his friend Amy Pascal. In a culture that worships celebrities while pretending to disdain them, the Sony emails are catnip for the masses. You’d think the guy who created The Newsroom would recognize a good story when he sees one.

Of course Hollywood had no problem with hackers as long as it was the United States government they were hacking.

2013’s The Fifth Estate starred Benedict Cumberbatch as WikiLeaks founder and perennial house guest of the Ecuadorian embassy in London Julian Assange. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been cast to play NSA hacker and Vladimir Putin bunkmate Edward Snowden, in an as-yet-untitled film to be directed by Oliver Stone.

While Assange and Snowden argue they’re whistleblowers who acted in the people’s interest by exposing the nefarious doings of an out-of-control government, the Sony hackers can make no such claim. No crimes were committed by Sony with the possible exception of all those Adam Sandler movies they insist on making. The only interest served by the Guardians of Peace is our prurient interest.

[vijaykarthik]

Heh. The kid is back.

Reports that the nuclear reactor may be restarting. I always think that NK moves from a dip to aggressive stance in an unspecified time period. They have done a lot of things and haven't got enough support or dip bribes in return.

Return to roots? http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/j ... -bomb-fuel

Should be interesting to see. Only yday I got a partial answer to what I have been confused about - how exactly does / did China bottle up NK. Yday, MSM carried an interesting article.

China got wind of the possible 4th nuc test and 'controlled' fuel and food supply. [for the uninitiated: Its common knowledge that China is critical for support of NK regime. China also in critical in the logistical supply of food and fuel... and china has controlled it in such a way that NK realize the lever, understand the pressure and not act towards a 4th nuc test: did a smart calc and rationed supply in such a way that its difficult but doesn't topple the regime. WOW]

Now it all adds up.

[Multatuli]

I couldn't resist, but this isn't just a meaningless report, it shows just how crazy the 'leaders' in NoKO are, what kind of psycho (fascist) system they have.

North Korea Newspaper Calls For The Execution Of Country’s Soccer Players

North Korea lost 1-0 to South Korea in the 2014 Asian Games and the athletes are now facing deadly consequences. The official newspaper of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Rodong Sinmun (씹새끼), shamed the team in a front page article which also called for the players execution.

Kim Jong-un has yet to officially comment on the team’s loss, but insiders close to the dictator indicate he’s beyond angry, and fully intends to publicly execute the men who lost to their South Korean rivals.

After the game, North Korea’s athletes were escorted to a waiting bus where they were then transferred to a maximum security North Korean prison.

This makes for the first time North Korea has faced South Korea in the Asian Games since 1978; A match that ended in a 0-0 tie. The unresolved grudge has been a dig to the country’s pride ever since. Kim’s grandfather, Kim ll-sung who was in power at the time, is quoted as saying “The Democratic People’s Republic Of Korea has been greatly shamed by this, what we perceive to be as an utter loss.”

Perhaps this event led to Kim Jong-un’s ire surrounding the recent loss, and why he is going to such great lengths to punish each of the players.

This isn’t the first time North Korea has faced charges of too harshly chastising their athletes, either. In 2010, FIFA probed North Korean officials after claims were made that their football team had been severely tortured after losing all three games of the World Cup.”

http://civictribune.com/north-korea-new ... r-players/

Why didn't the NoKo players seek asylum?

[vijaykarthik]

Hes baaack.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/ ... me=topNews

North Korea has erected a new, taller launch tower at its missile base, possibly in preparation for firing a long-range rocket to mark an important national anniversary in October, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday.

The 67-metre (220-ft) tower will be able to accommodate the launch of a longer-range missile than the rocket test-fired in December 2012. That launch was widely considered successful in putting an object into space orbit, the Yonhap report said.

[ramana]

X-Post...

Writing this from among the Concrete Lawn of Seoul (so many tall buildings it's like they are grass). While West Asia is doing a fine job of killing each other, these ppl are leaping ahead. I don't think they need India as a Big Power, but I think India can do very well to collaborate with them.

By the same geopolitics calculation, NoKO has been used as a puppet by PRC to counter SoKo and Japan and eliminate them as effective mediators in checking Chinese expansion westwards and southwards. The war started, remember, with the US determined to set up SoKO to check the Chinese takeover of Korea to check US power in East Asia after conquering Japan.

Now BO is doing what should have been done 60 years ago, with a resolution to end the Korean War. That is the primary sticking point from NoKo's pov. I think a nuke agreement like with Iran, will happen b4 end of BO's term. Long back on PeeAref 'v' argued that a move towards reunification will be the best way for SoKo to break Chinese hold on NoKO and end the state of war on SoKo's terms.

Next is Korean reunification, after which there will be no excuse for stationing 35,000 US troops in SoKO.

What happens next is anyone's guess: Chinese influence in SoKO is already quite heavy, and I don't think there is much antipathy if any from SoKO's side against China. The travel guides say (don't blame me for that!) that in the Korean War, SoKO ppl considered Chinese soldiers to be "much better behaved" than Americans.

India is considered friendly, though conversionist propaganda is very strong.

Indian TV channels available prominently, and show NaMO news 24-hours. India should establish enough commercial influence in SoKO to have some say in countering a PRC swamping of SoKo. Wow! these ppl are amazing in infrastructure development and most technology! But Patel Motels in the US are now (meaning within the past 5 years) well ahead of them in hotel amenity standards.

Pannikar wrote about Western Domination of Asia.

This Korean Unification and withdrawal of US troops would complete decolonization.

[vijaykarthik]

^ I think China is trying to decouple a bit after KJU killed his uncle too. China is also trying for a 3P talk with Japan and SK? Its not happened for about 2 years, I think and a fair bit of talk about reviving it. Subject to right climes, atmosphere etc.
But China is also leaning SK nowadays.

[Austin]

The Truth About North Korea ? This is How North Korean People Live - North Korea Documenatry

[Austin]

Inside North Korea - Tourism Travel People and More

[Austin]

North Korean Airline "Air Koryo" uses many Soviet and Russian Aircraft ( Photos of N Korea is interesting )

North Korea: The Reserve of Soviet civil aviation and simply interesting country

http://alexeyvvo.livejournal.com/148074.html