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Over to You

As I mentioned previously, there isn’t going to be much blogging time this month, given the convergence of some personal and professional projects. Some of you have been sending me links in the meantime. That’s great, and I appreciate it, but don’t expect much in the way of reaction. Unfortunately, it will probably be old news before I even find the time to read it.

Instead, why not share them with everyone else in the comments here? Give us a a link, a brief and pithy quote, and if you’d like, add some comment of your own. It’s not exactly an open thread — not a concept I’m fond of, frankly — since I’ll stop in to moderate it and delete anything uncivil, not related to North Korea, or which otherwise runs afoul of my arbitrary plenary authority. Now go forth, link, and thank you.

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  1. Former North Korean Soldiers Vow to Overthrow Kim Family Rule
    Sep 13, 2010

    A new organization in South Korea, claiming it includes more than 100 former North Korean military members, vows to end Pyongyang’s government and unify the Korean peninsula. The North Korea Peoples Liberation Front also says it has support from current members of the communist state’s military, but political analysts are skeptical. Exit 3 of Seoul’s Singil subway station seems an unlikely place to begin a revolution. But 75 people who say they are former North Korean soldiers and other defectors gathered there to do just that.

  2. KCJ-

    Thanks for that link. I know people are skeptical of this movement, but at the same time, it’s good to hear people speaking out against it all. Maybe this “The North Korea Peoples Liberation Front” will be the beginning of something.

  4. The picture with the article on VOA does nothing for the image of this group, whoever they are and wherever they are from. He looks like someone who never really stopped loving Park Chung Hee.

  5. And what is wrong with loving Park Chung Hee? I am for these bold condemnations of the barbarism in North Korea and I believe the very actions themselves have a spiritual effect that encourages the resistance.

  6. That you very well may be, KCJ, but looking like a not-that-long-gone, polarizing dictatorial figure is going to do little for the uniting power of your movement, is all i will say.

  7. Chris,

    I hear what you are saying, but the fact that anyone at all (looney looking or not) is standing up against KJI, is refreshing to see.

    I just watched the DVD “Berkeley in the 60’s” so I am a little amped up right now!!

    These resistance movements will make plenty of mistakes, but I welcome some resistance.

  8. Political flu, not just feeling liverish.

    http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2926005.

    Little Kim fled to China because the military wouldn’t accept Baby Kim: he came back when China guaranteed the accession after a Regency — but only if the Chinese way of Free Enterprise was adopted. The delay is due to infighting as to what is to be done to mollify the Chinese while still keeping an intact inheritance for the next Hermit King.

    Perhaps the conferees are also waiting for the goody bags to arrive from China — since there have been rumors that the country is so destitute that it can’t give going away presents as are customary at such events. That may be tha “aid” that Kim was supposedly asking for.

    Goody bags or not, every day’s delay plays into the hands of the opposition.

  9. Nice link KCJ, however I fear that Joshua will be gone when the big announcement concerning Kim Jong Un finally surfaces. Hopefully one of us here will update frequently.

  17. Kim Kwang-jin thinks it’s goody bags, not a regency, that is the problem:
    http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2010/09/14/kim-kwang-jin-on-the-kwp-conference/

    Personally I think Jang Song-Taek, Little Kim’s bro-in-lo, is already Regent. The problems aren’t “who” but “how.” Will he really demote the Military First policy to return to the hegemony of the Party? Will the generals give up their mines? Will markets be expanded into shops? Will Sinuiju and Rason (and even Kaesong) become real free enterprise zones on the Shenzhen model, as China demands? These are real conundrums, and a lot of senior families will live or die by the results.

    Real change is in the air.

  21. Here’s Jimmy Carter’s op ed.
    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/opinion/16carter.html
    No, he didn’t meet with Kim Jong-Il. Yes, North Korea wants negotiations, peace, and denuclearization. Of course, our northern brothers were concerned about “unwarrented sanctions, ostentatious inclusion of North Korea among nations subject to nuclear attack and provocative military maneuvers with South Korea.” But still, “positive messages from North Korea should be pursued aggressively and without delay…”

  23. The South Korean government has published a manhwa that details all the evidence in the Cheonan sinking entitled “The True Story of the Cheonan Attack.” Check it out here:

    http://www.cheonan46.go.kr/96 (in Korean)

    Also, for those of you in the Seoul area, the War Memorial Museum in Yongsan is hosting an exhibit where you can view all the Cheonan evidence in person. That includes the now-infamous torpedo fragment. The exhibit will run until the end of November.

  24. Huanqiu Shibao/Global Times reports that some important (but unnamed) North Korean cadre have left Pyongyang, and may return for the delayed Party Congress in early October. The paper further notes that the anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party is October 10, traditionally an auspicious date upon which to conclude a Congress. That, and a few notes on Jimmy Carter’s reception in China, the North Korean men’s soccer team trip to Vietnam, possible delegates to the Party Congress, and North Korea’s praise of Jiang Zemin theory, is up here: http://adamcathcart.wordpress.com/2010/09/18/north-korea-notes-from-chengdu/

  27. “Conference of WPK to Be Held Sep. 28
    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) — The Preparatory Committee for the Conference of the Workers’ Party of Korea made public as follows as regards the party conference:

    The meetings of delegates of the party committees of the Korean People’s Army and provincial (political bureau), city (district) and county party committees took place to elect delegates to the conference of the WPK against the background of a high-pitched drive for effecting a new great revolutionary surge now under way on all fronts for building a thriving nation with the historic conference of the WPK and its 65th birthday approaching.

    The meetings of delegates of the party committees of the KPA and provincial (political bureau) party committees elected General Secretary Kim Jong Il as delegate to the conference of the WPK representing the unanimous will of all the members of the party, servicepersons of the KPA and people.

    The meetings elected working people and officials who have displayed patriotic devotion at the work sites for effecting a fresh revolutionary surge, remaining intensely loyal to the party and revolution as delegates to the conference.

    The meetings once again powerfully demonstrated the might of our revolutionary ranks in which all the servicepersons and people are single-mindedly united around the headquarters of the revolution headed by Kim Jong Il.

    The conference of the WPK for electing its supreme leadership body will take place in Pyongyang on Sept. 28.”

  36. Poor Kim Jong-nam. The David Miliband of North Korean politics.

    From the Washington Post:

    Seoul’s government intercepted a 17-page document, an apparent draft of lecture materials for military members, extolling the accomplishments of the general comrade Kim Jong Eun. The lecture notes, provided to The Washington Post, mention Kim Jong Eun as a “legendary person” who received the same “holy blood” as the Dear Leader. Jong Eun is credited for drafting strategic maps. He’s lauded for his excellent shooting skills. He’s said to be knowledgeable about modern military technology. “He is a genius with exceptional talent,” the document reads. “Anybody who meets him . . . wants to worship him.”

  40. I think the guy looks kinda freaked out,

    Looks to me like he’s in the middle of bowel movement.

    Seriously, though, I agree with your assessment. Doesn’t look to thrilled to be there. I wonder if this guy will become Asia’s version of Bashar al-Assad.

    His position in the enlarged photograph is interesting to note as well. KJU is one seat to his father’s right, which seems to indicate he is not his father’s right-hand man yet. When KJI was being groomed as KIS’s successor, he was always photographed standing right next to (and just behind) the Big Guy.

    Also, every other male in photograph is wearing a dress uniform or a suit—except the two Kims who are wearing their tradmark pajamas/인민복 or whatever their called.

    Next, we’ll have to see if KJU starts to accompany his father on on-the-spot guidence tours. If history is a guide, then when he starts being photographed beside his father, rather than in the entourage, we’ll have a good indication of how cemented his position is.

  42. BTW, I added a third picture to that post, one from the Chosun Ilbo, that has him looking like a North Korean version of Eric Cartman.

    Hahaha, he really does resemble Cartman. Tubbo over there could probably stand to lose a few kilos, And what’s up with the hair? Why do they always gotta go with the fade/bouffant combo?

    I will say this: he does indeed bear a strong resemblance to a young Kim Il Sung. Check out the second picture from the bottom:

    http://blog.chosun.com/blog.log.view.screen?blogId=52679&logId=4200530

    Spitting image indeed.

  43. Given that this whole charade is about pretending that Kim Jong Il is not just arbitrarily and at his own whim handing power to his son, about acting like rules are being followed and so on and whatever, it is not surprising that KJE is two seats right of his father.

    The man in the middle is Lee Young Ho, who was given the Vice Marshal title when KJE got “generalled” on Monday, making him higher ranked.

    On Kim’s left is Kim Yong Nam, a man who, like Lee, got added to the previously-a-one-man-show that is the Standing Committee of the Politburo at the Conference, not to mention already being the nominal head of state.

    So I guess KJE is in his “official” position.

  50. I second Theresa’s applause.

    Alec, I thought I read somewhere that that rabbits-for-North Korea story was a hoax. Either the giant rabbit part or the export-to-DPRK part. Not sure.

    At any rate:

    I looking folwald to supper of flyed labbit.

    It would be rue-king poe-wad too suh-puh of pried nabbit.

    When mocking accents, I’m a stickler for authenticity. Team America was a laughable.

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