It’s the best news yet: the United States, via USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios, will have no part of North Korea’s plan to cut off food and and demand fungible, unmonitorable “development aid.” The Chosun Ilbo is reporting on Natsios and Marcus Noland’s speeches at the Woodrow Wilson Center, which I was forced to miss Monday. There are two stories, the first of which I graf here: Andrew Natsios told a symposium hosted by the private U.S. Committee for Human Rights...

We should have called their bluff. South Korea allegedly threatened the United States that it would have to rethink the two countries’ longstanding alliance if Washington refused to offer concessions to North Korea in the recently concluded nuclear dismantlement negotiations, a U.S. expert said. “South Koreans told (the U.S. delegation) . . . if you don’t follow through, get us to the next level, we consider this an alliance issue,” Derek Mitchell, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic...

This is one of the projects I’ve been meaning to write up for several days. Don Kirk himself–he’s most famous for exposing the illegal payoffs to Kim Jong Il that became the 2000 Summit Scandal–was kind enough to forward it, and I offer him my thanks for doing so and my apologies, not only for the delay, but also for not giving the piece the level of discussion I think it merits. Because most readers won’t be able to access...

High fuel costs are starting to have a significant impact on the Chinese economy, reports the WaPo: FOSHAN, China — Known widely for its porcelain, this grimy city in southern China is the source of much of the world’s tiles and bathroom fixtures. Yet several factories have shut down in recent weeks, and nearly all are running at a reduced clip: Here in Guangdong province, the heart of China’s industrial boom, many manufacturers cannot find enough gasoline and heavy oil...

Found Pork: Another expense we can spare while we’re paying for Katrina recovery: SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea estimates it will cost as much as 15.5 trillion won (US$15 billion; euro12.27 billion) to finance energy aid to North Korea in exchange for the country dismantling its nuclear programs, a top official has said. As my well-informed source on Capitol Hill has already reported–how I love writing that phrase–Congress will never pay for this. I mean, whose district is...

Kremlinology Update: A right hand, cut off.

More than you ever wanted to know about Oranckay (see comments), although I’m not sure his comparison is entirely fair. Nice of him, at least, not to criticize Norbert Vollertsen too harshly.

Christopher Hitchens has a must-read article on deceptive reporting of the A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition as “anti-war. The name of the reporter on this story was Michael Janofsky. I suppose that it is possible that he has never before come across “International ANSWER,” the group run by the “Worker’s World” party and fronted by Ramsey Clark, which openly supports Kim Jong-il, Fidel Castro, Slobodan Milosevic, and the “resistance” in Afghanistan and Iraq, with Clark himself finding extra time to volunteer as attorney...

When it comes to North Korea, food aid is not our weapon. It’s already North Korea’s weapon. Our goal should be to feed as many innocent people as we possibly can, with or without the North Korean government’s cooperation. The distribution of food is the most important human rights issue of all. I’ve been tracking the reports of a return of famine conditions closely this year, but it wasn’t until several days about that I became convinced that North Korea...

What’s Next? Outlawing Room Salons? More proof that Roh is the political (if not the psychological) equivalent of a ledge case. I mean, this is political suicide if I’ve ever seen it.

The Curse of Kaesong lives on. This time, a South Korean man has fallen to his death. Which labor union will demand a review of worker safety conditions this time?

“Seoul Raises NK Human Rights Issue“* *by agreeing to discuss it later. Maybe the HRC can start by talking about North Koreans’ right to wear their hair long, and then work their way up to this, this, and this.

China has arrested another 15 South Koreans for helping North Koreans escape . . . lest we forget the courage of some.

Another Setback for Ethnic Purity: “U.S. Envoy to Woo Young Koreans.”

From the Korea Times: Assets, totaling $31.7 million, of the Choson Mining Trade Company, Choson Ryonbong General Company and Danchong Commercial Bank have been frozen since July 1 when Executive Order 13382 came into effect, the ministry said in a report to Rep. Kim Won-wung of the ruling Uri Party. The three companies were allegedly responsible for importing and exporting the missile parts. The amount of North Korean assets are the fourth largest to be frozen, following $1.24 billion from...

I just knew this would happen. If you haven’t seen my analysis of why North Korea’s recent statements are in direct conflict with the terms to which it agreed at the last session of six-party talks, you can read it here. To summarize it, the North agreed to rejoin the NPT “at and early date,” which would require it to let in inspectors, reveal its uranium enrichment program, and hand over its nuclear weapons. The other parties agreed to “consider”...

No wonder South Korea’s leftist thugs are trying to shut down Radio Free NK (as the South Korean police seemingly do as little as possible about it). It has published what it purports to be pictures and video of North Korean border guards abusing a female prisoner. Obviously, there is no way to confirm the pictures’ authenticity, and I must admit to some skepticism that anyone would have dared to take video like this. Still, the treatment is relatively mild...

You will not believe who is coming to South Korea “at last. Read the article and tell me if you think those words are as pregnant with trouble as I think they are. Personally, I think the entire Ohno spectacle was divine justice for every time some ajjumma or ajjashi has shoved me aside on the subway, but I fear this will get very, very ugly. Thanks to a reader for the tip.