Category: Uncategorized

Democracy: More beautiful every day. Ya habibi!

Dr. Zin’s weekly Iran roundup speculates that Bush’s “shift” toward giving Europe’s diplomacy a try is shrewd, since Iran wants the bomb and won’t make a deal. If Bush is ready to stick to his principles and we’re not in for another European double-cross, then he’s right. The key is to get the Europeans to commit to certain basics in advance, and to the trim the fuze short enough so that when the talks fail, we still have time to...

Democracy: More beautiful every day. Ya habibi!

Dr. Zin’s weekly Iran roundup speculates that Bush’s “shift” toward giving Europe’s diplomacy a try is shrewd, since Iran wants the bomb and won’t make a deal. If Bush is ready to stick to his principles and we’re not in for another European double-cross, then he’s right. The key is to get the Europeans to commit to certain basics in advance, and to the trim the fuze short enough so that when the talks fail, we still have time to...

Plans are already underway for this year’s North Korea Freedom Day, April 28th. Last year’s event marched from the Holocaust Museum to the Capitol to lobby for the North Korean Human Rights Act. This time, we’re taking our message directly to the Chinese embassies and consulates, and not just in Washington, either. According to organizer Suzanne Scholte of the Defense Forum Foundation, The protest will be worldwide. With the passage of the North Korean Human Rights Act, the focus now...

The final resolution of the Sixth International Conference on North Korean Human Rights and Refugees is here. As I tend to do with long posts, I backdated it a few years to conserve space on the front page. Someday Blogger will come up with an “extended entry” feature like Moveable Type . . . not to mention a decent trackback tool.

And I thought I’d seen it all: Two South Korean nonprofit groups say they have begun discussions with the Russian government about creating a farming and light-industry zone in eastern Russia’s Maritime Province that would utilize South Korean financing and North Korean labor. One of these nonprofits, which calls itself the Overseas Koreans Foundation, is affiliated with the Foreign Ministry. As for the land where this gulag is to be established–and that’s a fair description for a state-owned venture in...

Plans are already underway for this year’s North Korea Freedom Day, April 28th. Last year’s event marched from the Holocaust Museum to the Capitol to lobby for the North Korean Human Rights Act. This time, we’re taking our message directly to the Chinese embassies and consulates, and not just in Washington, either. According to organizer Suzanne Scholte of the Defense Forum Foundation, The protest will be worldwide. With the passage of the North Korean Human Rights Act, the focus now...

The final resolution of the Sixth International Conference on North Korean Human Rights and Refugees is here. As I tend to do with long posts, I backdated it a few years to conserve space on the front page. Someday Blogger will come up with an “extended entry” feature like Moveable Type . . . not to mention a decent trackback tool.

And I thought I’d seen it all: Two South Korean nonprofit groups say they have begun discussions with the Russian government about creating a farming and light-industry zone in eastern Russia’s Maritime Province that would utilize South Korean financing and North Korean labor. One of these nonprofits, which calls itself the Overseas Koreans Foundation, is affiliated with the Foreign Ministry. As for the land where this gulag is to be established–and that’s a fair description for a state-owned venture in...

And I thought I’d seen it all: Two South Korean nonprofit groups say they have begun discussions with the Russian government about creating a farming and light-industry zone in eastern Russia’s Maritime Province that would utilize South Korean financing and North Korean labor. One of these nonprofits, which calls itself the Overseas Koreans Foundation, is affiliated with the Foreign Ministry. As for the land where this gulag is to be established–and that’s a fair description for a state-owned venture in...

I guess this story nudges the evidence of Kim Jong-Il’s behind-the-scenes removal from power just over the 50-50 mark in my book: North Korea has abruptly postponed a regular session of its parliament slated for March 9. The official (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Friday the presidium of the Stalinist country’s Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) was postponing the third session of the 11th assembly “at the request of deputies to the SPA in all domains of the socialist...

I guess this story nudges the evidence of Kim Jong-Il’s behind-the-scenes removal from power just over the 50-50 mark in my book: North Korea has abruptly postponed a regular session of its parliament slated for March 9. The official (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Friday the presidium of the Stalinist country’s Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) was postponing the third session of the 11th assembly “at the request of deputies to the SPA in all domains of the socialist...

The Ukrainian old guard is disposing of the evidence that it murdered a journalist.

The Ukrainian old guard is disposing of the evidence that it murdered a journalist.

UPDATE: I’m getting some unverified information (but from a good source, and shared with some fairly important people) that the Yonhap report may not be true, Chun Ki-Won’s confirmation notwithstanding. This has to be absolute hell for Rev. Park’s family. Obviously, I want to give readers the most accurate and up-to-date information I can, so keep checking back. You will know when I know. This is one time when I pray that I was wrong. * * * * *...

About that press conference: Just got back, but there is much to do at the office. Will give you a full report later. Much pointed discussion of North Korea, and a little entertainment, too. UPDATE: OK, here are three posts for your reading pleasure– First, what’s in the bill itself; a nice, readable summary. Second, my observations on how the press has turned the U.S. Capitol into a closed shop, and how they managed to blow the story anyway. Third,...

Heh. Absolutely the last thing I’ll pilfer from Winds of Change today. North Korea sees that it has an image problem. Apparently this guy’s not meeting his quota. This apologia probably isn’t holding much water, either–not even on the left.