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Kim Jong Il Obviously Fears Rantings of Obscure U.S. Imperialist Running Dog

So no sooner do I publish my Capitalist Manifesto than I read that the Anjeonbu, notorious for operating all of North Korea’s large kwan-li-so prison camps except Camp 18, has been sent out among the provinces as a counter-subversion force:

According to sources, special police squads have been formed in each province under the People’s Safety Ministry (PSM) to take action to block out information on foreign countries and root out anti-regime suspects.

A source from Shinuiju reported on Tuesday, “The special police squads consist of some 300 agents in each provincial office of the Peoples’ Safety Ministry. Their purpose is to crack down on offenders against the regime and its system. [….]

The Shinuiju source said, “Pyongyang is trying to enhance the position of the People’s Safety Ministry. They will now deal with usage of cell phones in the border region, circulation of foreign video clips, spreading of leaflets, denouncements of the authorities and other anti-regime offenses.

Bearing in mind the Cheonan incident, there is a possibility that the North Korean authorities are preparing for confrontation following the impending re-launch of South Korean psychological warfare. North Korea has already said it will attack the broadcasting facilities if South Korea follows through on its promise to restart the broadcasts. [Daily NK]

There is no greater evidence that what I propose is a potential threat to the regime than the fact that the regime appears to agree with me.

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12 Responses

  1. I’ve been watching the current crisis closely — having lived in Korea for over a year, I can say my heart is still there, and I’m worried about what may transpire as a result of this incident.

    On another note, I’m wondering if the authors of the blog, perhaps Joshua, can recommend a book on North Korea, one of scholarly pedigree, preferably a good historical run-down of Kim family, the regime, and how it operates.

    There are a number of books on Amazon, but it’s hard to tell which one is an authoritative, scholarly dependable account.

  2. Do you know of an org to which I can make contributions for propaganda leaflets? Lotsa bang for my buck, I’d think.

  4. The best single book on North Korea I’ve read is Barbara Demick’s “Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea.” I’ve begun reading B.R. Myers’s “The Cleanest Race” and find it quite good, so far. If you want to really understand the roots of the famine and the food situation, read “The Great North Korean Famine” by Andrew Natsios” and “Famine in North Korea: Markets, Aid, and Reform” by Marcus Noland and Stephan Haggard. I also found a lot of useful information in Jasper Becker’s “Rogue Regime.” The Hassig book is on my list, too.

  9. Sorry, just to quote a couple of the best parts of that article. Here’s his take on Martin’s book which he thinks is excellent:

    “The question of where Europe ends and Asia begins has troubled many people over the years, but here’s a rule of thumb: if someone can pose as an expert on the country in question without knowledge of the relevant language, it’s part of Asia. Europeans hoping to lay claim to North Korea should therefore brace themselves, because Bradley Martin’s publisher is touting Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader (2004) as the definitive work on its subject, though it belongs squarely in the “a puzzled look crossed the faces of my guide and interpreter” tradition of monoglot scholarship. Although hardly definitive, it is still an excellent book, well researched and lucidly written. It is especially refreshing to find someone showing serious interest in North Korean propaganda instead of merely hooting at it.”

    While Cumings and Harrison get decidedly unfavourable reviews.

    [Thank you for those kind words over at Slate. – Joshua]

  10. I find the dispatch of the counter-subversion force a disturbing turn of events, and I wonder how it will play in the calculus of people deciding where the tipping point of death is. I also wonder how cooperative the party apparatchiks in the provinces will be with these SS CS Troops if they themselves have seen their life savings evaporate from the Great Currency Obliteration of 2009.