25 February 2010: Your Must Reading for Today
Only a few more days left to vote for LiNK!
Must Read No. 1: Christian Whiton, “How to Weaken Kim’s Grip”
Must Read No. 2: B.R. Myers, “North Korea’s Race Problem”
Must Read No. 3: Don Kirk writes on China and sanctions-busting.
Despite all the food aid North Korea is receiving, one-third of North Koreans are still in need.
Oh, No: I sense a great disturbance in the force.
You Don’t Say, Pt. 1: The Federation of American Scientists is worried about North Korea selling man-portable anti-aircraft missiles, quite possibly to terrorists. President Bush removed North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism on October 11, 2008, and President Obama recently refused to reverse this decision. Discuss among yourselves.
You Don’t Say, Pt. 2: Pro-North Korean schools in Japan have an image problem.
Quote of the day: “A single photograph has become the symbol of North Korea’s utter darkness, moral, political, economic and technological. It shows the two Koreas at night by satellite. The cities of the South are ablaze with electric light. In the North, there is only a single, dim pinprick of illumination, the capital Pyongyang; surrounded by a black void, a country hidden from sight, held prisoner in the dark, a vast memory hole.”
Open Radio interviews a Yodok survivor.
There is no other racially homogeneous society quite like the DPRK.
According to Table 5 of the recently released 2008 census, of the 23,349,859 citizens, 533 are “other nationalities” — and of those 533, only 55 are males. None are younger than 24. Their age distribution suggests the women are likely to be predominantly Chinese wives of revolutionary cadres. Even allowing for obvious falsifications in the exclusion of Japanese kidnappees and allied Korean War survivors, this is an intimidatingly singular society! It therefore becomes so much easier to demonize the foreign.
One can hope that Cao doesn’t count!
Might want to update this entry, Joshua.
Four South Koreans Enter North Korea
Notice how as time goes by the media narrative is that Robert Park entered North Korea “to urge its leader, Kim Jong-il, to shut down its concentration camps.” No mention of the contrived confession. That will be the 1-liner summation of the Robert Park incursion as time wears on, which is a media victory for the missionaries and anti-Juche forces.
I’m not saying this is a Spartacus moment, but as I posted weeks ago, a South Korean missionary friend informed me after Bob Park went into NK that there were others in the pipeline. Stay tuned.
Asia Pacific News is reporting that the 4 ROKs are Christian missionaries.
SEOUL: North Korea said Friday it had detained four South Koreans for illegal entry a day after tensions rose over Seoul’s joint military exercises with the United States.
A Seoul activist told AFP that the four, whom he suspected were Christian evangelists, had reportedly crossed the border from China in an attempt to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il.
South Korea could not confirm the reported arrests but said it was checking the safety of more than 1,000 of its citizens currently working in or visiting the hardline communist state.
“A relevant institution of the DPRK (North Korea) recently detained four South Koreans who illegally entered it. They are now under investigation by the institution,” Pyongyang’s official news agency said.
Its English-language report, headlined “South Korean Trespassers Detained,” gave no further details.
It was the third time in two months that the North has reported an illegal border crossing. One of the cases involved a US missionary on a human rights crusade.
Activist Choi Sung-Yong, quoting his informants in China, said the four crossed the border between China’s Tumen city and Namyang in the North several days ago.
“They told North Korean soldiers that they came there to see Kim Jong-Il,” said Choi, who campaigns to bring back South Koreans abducted by the North in previous decades and has contacts there.
Asia Pacific News is reporting that the 4 ROKs are Christian missionaries.
Incredible, what the ‘ell is wrong with all these muppets going into NK ? Now we have another batch of four socalled heroes – yet in reality losers – crossing the border…
I am all in favour seeing the NK leadership going down the pan, even if it means a temporary setback to stock indices.
But crossing into NK, wtf, it don’t make a f-ing difference, can’t believe how stupid these peeps are. They better waste their time writing stupid stuff they can put into balloons and blow’em across the border.
But then again, I never felt Koreans making sense anyway. I think they’re very intelligent folk, but their sentimentality gets them down all the time. That’s why sometimes Korean business folk offer you their tie in Shinchon, Seoul on a random evening, and a next evening they beat you up for being a foreign bastard.
I wrote about the four two days ago, but there was very little information then. Thanks for the update, KCJ. I’ll give you a hat tip after I get back from Sandy Beach for Hawaiian-style taeborÅm celebrations.
Kushibo,
Depending on what happens (brainwashing and forced ‘apologies’ or martyrdom) to this quartet, this is probably the tip of a very zealous and committed iceberg. Remember, there is still another American in custody as well.
Like I maintained here, Park has broken new ground in the war to topple Juche and even in apparent defeat has mortally wounded the cult. These four (+1 American) are proof that the will exists even outside the DPRK to make the ultimate sacrifice to bring liberty to North Korea.
KCJ wrote:
Come again? Mortally wounded? Pardon me if I don’t share your optimism. Moreover, I think you’re now trying to set this group of ideologues up to take credit for something that, if it happens, is the result of entirely different events, like the botched currency revaluation or forcing Chinese banks and others into living up to UN sanctions (if that ever were to happen).
Why do you need to break new ground in the war to topple Juche? Because everything tried before this has failed. I hate to sound pessimistic, but when I read about these naïvely self-indulgent treks into the North “toppling Juche,” it makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.
Do you really think Robert Park put a kink in the Juche armor? Do you really think the forty-percent-of-budget Juche cult was really threatened by him? It was built to absorb the threat he poses; it worked exactly as it should. Wake up and smell the coffee, brother.
If this is the tip of the iceberg, as you say, let those zealous and committed brothers in Christ who are willing to walk through the valley of death do something that will actually help someone, like working to ferry refugees out of China. Why lemming their way into North Korea when gutsy people willing to risk their safety are needed in China?
Just one question, Kushibo: has anyone before Robert Park ever walked into North Korea demanding that KJI step down, that the gulags be emptied, that the borders be opened to NGOs and that KJI repent of his sins?
Do you not see that this frontal assault on Jucheism is the “special forces” of the Christian war to bring it down? The ‘regular Army’ forces are already arrayed in battle formation. KJI fears nothing so much as committed evangelists.
I’d have to say I’m with Kushibo on this one. As much as I’d love to believe Robert Park’s actions did anything to help, and while I admire his good intentions, he was soundly outmaneuvered. Although dissidents within the DPRK may have taken heart from his actions, and perhaps even a couple of his captors may have, when presented with an alternate set of conceptual resources, thought twice briefly, I think that’s possibly all the good he could have achieved — which in my opinion pales by comparison to the work of other groups and individuals.
You are thinking short term, gentlemen. The fact is Robert Park made the Juche cult play defense. His actions (and those of the other trespassers into NK) are solidly linked to the balloon launches and leaflet campaigns which even the KCNA admits have been highly effective. Soldiers are believing in God. Robert Park’s actions should not be isolated from the comprehensive campaign being supported by the international Christian community and spearheaded by the converted defectors. There are a half-million underground believers in the DPRK. They too are involved in this campaign to bring down Jucheism. Finally, Jucheism as all false religious cults eventually collapse under the weight of their own impractibility. This rarely occurs however, without the external pressure from competing ideologies (SEE: the fall of Ceaucescu in Romania).
I understand your skepticism but I doubt you are seeing the issue comprehensively, at least from the perspective of those who zealously pray, preach and work for the evangelization of North Korea.
kcj
This link says DPRK sold 45 tons of yellowcake to Syria. That’s a lot. http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3903101
KCJ wrote:
Indeed, as you tell us, they are linked. As in Robert Park and his co-naïfs are trying to tie their foolhardy acts to these other, broader, and possibly more effective efforts in the the public’s mind.
In terms of effectiveness, the balloons are an entirely different manner from traipsing into North Korea and demanding to see the leader. The balloons can affect so many more people and I imagine that they do indeed have the authorities scrambling, but Robert Park’s walk is so easy for the DPRK and KCNA to handle that it is laughable you think it had any effect.
In fact, if it had any effect on Christians in the DPRK or other disaffected, it would likely be a demoralizing one. For he walked in and utterly failed at his mission. After three crows of the cock, he denied being with Christ, metaphorically speaking. He broke down, was brainwashed, or possibly even became at least temporarily convinced of something different from his original set of views, and he became a propaganda tool for them. That is not a mortal blow, that’s not even BBs off a whale’s hide.
That you and others not only think this is a positive thing but that you encourage it is, methinks, actually dangerous. The failed trip of a troubled person is being glorified as a success and now others are following. What do you think is critical mass for this to work? Four every month? Four every day? A hundred a day? You are nowhere near the numbers needed for this to cause a disruption in operations, not like the balloon drops.
I do see the big picture, the long view, and this is a waste of lives and resources.
Again, if there are such people willing to sacrifice their liberty or life for others in the name of Christ, have them go risk their liberty and life to ferry refugees out of China. When they are caught, they can describe to their captors exactly how China’s behavior toward the refugees is sinful and immoral. Maybe some of that actually has a chance of getting into the local press and it might change minds.
No American has ever gone into the DPRK as Robert Park did on Christmas Day 2009 in the light of day, openly proclaiming Christ‟s love for North Korea and calling attention to its abysmal human rights record. Park went in to offer himself as a martyr for the suffering people of North Korea and to share their misery. Some will say that his
mission was a failure that resulted in recantation – and this appearance is indeed compelling until you peel back the layers of the DPRK‟s response to Park’s brazen confrontation.
Largely ignored by the media is the fact that the operation was conceived by Park’s missionary organization Pax Koreana in December as a 2-pronged attack. Prong one of course, was Park’s defenseless incursion into North Korea proclaiming Jesus Christ’s love and demanding the opening of the DPRK’s borders for humanitarian assistance. The second prong involved the launching of 150,000 leaflets across the demilitarized zone (DMZ) by helium balloons on January 27th that explained the reason for Park’s incursion into North Korea and denounced Kim Jong Il’s excesses.
Lest one think that helium balloons and plastic leaflets are inconsequential instruments in getting the truth into the cult-controlled state, consider that the task force charged with policing up the leaflets is the Korean Peoples‟ Army. The KPA was so concerned about religion making inroads to the soldiers that this 18 page field bulletin was issued to the military in 2007 warning against the „evils of religion‟ which was “… not only taking over the regular citizens but is becoming an influence within the army of North Korea.â€
Full analysis of the Robert Park Incursion into North Korea here.
KCJ wrote:
Self-serving analysis of the Robert Park incursion into North Korea and later recanting.
There. Fixed that for you.
Hmm… I wrote:
And then you wrote in response:
Goodness, KCJ, you are so busy parroting — quite literally just repeating someone else’s words verbatim without any thought (in this case John Proctor’s) — that you’re not even reading what other people are writing, much less digesting it and considering it in any meaningful way.
My point in quoting Proctor’s analysis is that the balloon launch with 150,000 leaflets was part of a synchronized effort to capitalize on Park’s headline-grabbing actions:
I won’t argue with you about my obtuse focus and lack of analytical prowess. I am just a Soldier, not an expert. I am sure I come across as uneducated and lopsided in my views. That’s life.
Not that it will convince you, but the 1-liner version of Park’s incursion into North Korea is being reported in the media without the recantation part of the story. As time goes on, the soundbyte/bumper sticker version of Park’s action will probably be that he went into North Korea demanding KJI step down and repent and open up the DPRK.
I disagree with you that Park was an easy situation for the DPRK and KCNA to handle. As Mr. Proctor points out, the KCNA reported that an American illegally entered the country on 25 December. They did not say why. Then on 27 January, Pax Koreana delivers 150,000 leaflets explaining Park’s mission. It is only after that that the people of NK are given the standard “he saw the light” report in the KCNA. I do not think that they bought it. Therefore, it presents an ongoing threat and challenge to Jucheism. The people will learn sooner or later (probably later) what really happened (when the leaflets make the rounds and the gossip gets thoroughly circulated) and by then Park will be seen much more sympathetically by the North Koreans living under KJI’s boot heels.
I do not want to think that they bought it.
There. Fixed that for you.
The man gave a televised recantation. Are you really suggesting to me that that was part of the plan? You are doing damage control, trying to undo damage that everyone else saw coming… that everyone else sees coming again with these four.
What will it take to break them? How long and at what cost to others?
Stick with the balloons. There are so many messages that could go with them, some religious, some economic, and all underscoring the moral bankruptcy of the regime. Stop sending in wannabe martyrs with a Moses and/or Messiah complex who put others at risk. Please.
Please provide link Kushibo on the televised recantation. Perhaps you have it on YouTube?
My bad. I thought the KCNA interview was televised and not merely reported.
But that doesn’t change what I’ve said: The man is reported in the KCNA giving a detailed recantation during an interview. Was that part of the plan, KCJ? Will be part of the plan when the current batch of naïfs do the same?
KCJ wrote:
I thought your question was whether I had the interview up on YouTube. I made it pretty clear I don’t.
If your question is something else, I can tell you it’s probably irrelevant. For you do not see the gaping holes in your ideas here.
Sadly, KCJ, you are unable to stand next to every North Korean and tell them how to interpret Park’s entry, the balloon message, and then the fake recantation.
Your idea is that an average North Korean (who manages to see a balloon or hear its message) will hear a KCNA report that a foreigner has entered, will see or hear of a balloon message telling about how this foreigner was a Christian bringing a message of God’s love for their people and telling of the immoral ways of the regime. Then of course, later, when they hear of this Christian recanting, they will know it must have been faked or coerced.
But without you there offering the approved play-by-play, a person hears the KCNA report of a foreigner entering, possibly sees an inspiring message of Christ’s love for their people and the immorality of their government, and then reads or hears about a recantation that some will believe is true and others (maybe many others) will know was coerced, maybe with torture. For the group that believes, Robert Park has reinforced faith in the regime’s goodness. For the group that knows it’s a lie, even this savior bringing the message was broken. Broken. Whether by deceit or by force or coercion, they broke him, and that is a demoralizing message.
You have not answered my question: Was Robert Park’s recantation part of the plan? With the “how NK converts critical foreigners” thing you posted above, you seem to be indicating that you know North Korea would at least try. So was the recantation part of the plan?
I don’t think it was. I think you and others who support Robert Park naïvely thought he could go in there against Luke 4:12 (Don’t test Me!) and come out unscathed, and when you saw the news of the interview, you started scrambling.
And you didn’t answer my other question: What do you think the end result will be of these four new naïfs traipsing into North Korea? Will they hold out longer than Robert Park? What will they eventually give up?
Do you think the DPRK and KCNA machines eating up and spitting out these people is “inspiring” to the average North Korean? Is it supposed to provide hope?
Let them take their willingness to die for God and do something productive that will save people’s lives.
One more question: Do you think these naïfs with a Moses complex (and Park possibly with a Messiah complex) are working in a vacuum? Do you think their jaunts across the river affect nobody else in any way, shape, or form? In its effort to mitigate the effects of their entry into North Korea, do you not think the authorities are trying hard to plug up their porous border, thus blocking a path of escape for would-be refugees?
Really, I’d rather have them chasing after balloons in the interior.
The question was posted on 28 February.
Ah, that question. I thought I’d answered it, and yes, it’s irrelevant.
I don’t know if he’s the first. I don’t know what the recently converted Evan Hunziker said after he swam to North Korea. I don’t know if there were any others.
But ultimately, it’s irrelevant.
Now will you answer my questions?
I may, if I deem them relevant.
😀
They’re highly relevant, I’m sure many will agree.
It’s the three questions right after “one more question,” plus a couple more before that.
kushibo, you must understand his unique situation