Moved!

If anyone is still reading this/looking for me, I have headed over to The Korean Right.

Come on by and say hi.

Remembering Sept. 11th

Well, I recall that day quite vividly. I was logging onto a my usual game site and heard tlak of a building blowing up. I figured it was a castle siege - until someone explained that it was real. After rushing to the TV and watching in disbelief, I woke my roomies and we sat in shock.

Even as a non-American, I felt terrific shock and sadness.

Now that brings me to my next point, how much I do not like Hankyoreah. I try to site from them as often as possible, and they do a fine job of attacking big business, but all to often, they step over the line.

The Grand National Party is flying into a building titled the "transfer of wartime command authority," which they are opposed to currently.
"Thanks to this, we’re going to be able to get Korea to foot more of the bill for having U.S. troops over there," says Bush. - (Hankyoreh Geurimpan, 5 September 2006)

Way over the line.

Roh Defends Himself Against ... ME!

Noh Moo-Hyun is one of the worst presidents I've seen in my lifetime. Here he tries to convince me (ok, everyone) otherwise:

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200608/200608310021.html

Roh said the game arcade scandal “was caused by several complicated, connected reasons such as systemic faults and industrial deregulation policies and lax policing of gambling. It is difficult to deal with the case since a cluster of several small problems have combined into one big scandal.” He vowed to reveal on a different occasion what steps the government is taking. Roh waited 12 days to apologize after the gambling scandal broke on Aug. 19

Not one mention of his nephew? Of his "talent supporter's" leading role? What kind of appology is this?

Roh suggested the overall economy and people’s economic difficulties should be talked about separately. He said macroeconomic indicators including exports, prices and foreign reserves were strong and the stock market more than doubled during his tenure. “But even when our economy is doing well, people can find themselves in economic trouble,” he said, due to the growing wealth gap in a globalized era and a surge in the number of temporary jobs and small businesses.

I call BS. Sure the stockmarket is up, and I have little doubt that it is a result of his policies, but can anyone tell me the last time they heard lower income workers bragging about making money in the market? The truth is, Noh's family is heavily invested in the market and they are raking it in. I have no doubt this will come to light after he is out of office.

He also reiterated a class-conscious justification for the government’s controversial real estate policy. “Everyone wants to see housing prices rise, but if they do, those with smaller homes will lose out,” the president said, adding the hope that there will not be too much resistance to the policy. “There were those who raised the toast, ‘Let it be forever!’ during the financial crisis of the late 90s when our economy was in serious trouble,” he said. “They were not ordinary middle class people” -- an apparent suggestion that the rich benefited from the high interest rates during the crisis.

Wow, nice to try to sound like you're taking the working man's side, but what are you doing? I wokr in Seoul Station every day and things have only gotten worse! Noh has redistributed the wealth alright, right into the pockets of his supporters.

The president also rejected accusations of cronyism in his personnel appointments. “The administration has much improved in managing personnel affairs” from its predecessors, he said. “People keep taking issue when someone close to me is appointed to high office, but it’s only natural that I choose someone who understands my policy well.” He warned if the criticism refuses to go away, “it will make it very difficult to manage administrative affairs.” He added pointing out glaring errors in personnel appointments was fine, but constant griping was “inappropriate.”

He cannot keep a minister for longer than 6 months before they mess something up. He is surrounded by inexperience and idealism - a bad combination. here is a nice enough to give an old drunk friend a job:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200608/30/200608302216172279900090309031.html
Nice to know who is at the wheel of the Unification Ministry.

Turning to the question of Korea taking over sole operational control of its forces, the chief executive said the core of independent defense was “physical military force.” “We headhunt the most suitable Korean candidate, not a foreigner, when selecting the president or the chief of general staff,” he said. “That is the basic principle of managing a nation.” Roh reiterated the plan to “withdraw” wartime operational control of Korean troops from the U.S. was already hatched during the Roh Tae-woo administration, while the target date of 2000 was set by the Kim Young-sam government. “The Grand National Party shouldn’t oppose the plan just for opposition’s sake,” he added.

This I am not opposed to. I think it is becoming too much of a political issue, where it should be a defense one. All parties involved need to let the experts figure it out...

They just have to figure out who the experts are.

The North is a Push Over

well, at least that is what old Rummy has to say.
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/152628.html

It seems that the man who said to "watch out for a musroom cloud from Iraq" and "the war will be over quickly" is now sharing his wisdom about the Peninsula.

I'm not saying he is wrong, but honestly, at this point, who trusts him?

"I think the real threat that North Korea poses in the immediate future is more one of proliferation than a danger to South Korea,"

Testing, testing...

This is a test. This is only a test. If you are surprised to see me writing on this blog again, please realize that... this is only a test. I'm writing again to find out if I have time to try to revive this 'ol thing. If I keep posting, then I guess you'll know eh?

Speaking of tests, the Chosun Ilbo http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200608/200608280027.html
is warning that a North Korean Nuclear test is just over the horizon.

National Intelligence Service director Kim Seung-kyu said Monday. “Nuclear test facilities are always on standby in North Korea, but we don’t have any direct information indicating that the North is preparing for such a test,”

And what is the South going to do about it? Nadda! As it stands right now, the current administration is planning to do exactly, well not exactly, well, almost something... ok, not much. But they just might get "red in the face" - oh wait, that's only for the Americans. For their Northern Brethren, I'm guessing Noh will send rice! Gotta' celebrate a passing test score somehow!!! lol

Yodok Story

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200603/200603150026.html

A controversial musical set in a North Korean gulag has at last been staged, overcoming pressure from powerful circles to bin the production for fear of offending Pyongyang. Wednesday night saw the opening of “Yoduk Story” at the Seoul KyoYuk Munhwa Hoekwan auditorium.

It has been a difficult road for producer Chung Seong-san, himself a North Korean defector, that saw him reportedly exposed to death threats and official pressure. “Yoduk Story” centers on Kang Yeon-hwa, the daughter of a party official and a promising dancer. When her father is falsely accused of being a South Korean spy, she and her family are detained in the notorious Yoduk concentration camp, where she is raped and becomes pregnant.
If you are able to I recommend checking out this musical. Although I have not seen it yet, and most likely I will understand little when I do (it's in Korean), the back story is quite interesting.

Rumor has it the producer put up his rights to his kidney (that's right, his own kidney) to some mobsters to finance the show. Good luck to him, just for guts like that, I'll shell out the dough to check it out.

Plus, ya just might learn someting! ;)

The PM is leaving

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200603/200603140036.html
Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan has resigned because of a "scandal" over his golfing (with some bad guys) during a holiday (that also saw the launch of a nation-wide railway strike). Now, I'm glad to see the guy go. Personally, I've always felt he was a Noh lapdog, but I guess that what the position of Prime Minister is often about.

Leaving because of a golf scandal though, I'm not sure about it. I am the first to say that this administration needs to leav, but all too often nowadays it seems that they bow far too quickly to public opinion. A Super Comment Tribe (http://news.naver.com/news/read.php?mode=LSS2D&office_id=025&article_id=0000599179&section_id=105§ion_id2=226&menu_id=105) Seems to be ruling online opinion (See Marmot for translation - http://www.rjkoehler.com/?p=2541).

I worry about how this will affect politics in the future. It seems far too easy to bend to the eb and flow of internet waves.

*sorry for bad link, I have forgotten how to hot-link
/sigh

Noh is makin' Moh!

That's right, people think that president Noh is your average joe. That he made his money legally and such. Well take a look at this:

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2006/03/01/200603010040.asp

President Roh and his immediate family saw their wealth increase by 12.9 percent or 94.47 million won (about $97,400) with total assets now reaching about 829.3 million won.
The increase mostly came from bank savings and stock investments, according to the government ethics committee.

And then think about how much Noh has been pushing the devaluation of Real Estate. His family is heavily invested in the Stock Market and he is flodding investors into that sector by making Real Estate a bad buy.

maybe his strategy has less to do with the nation's welfare and more to do with his own pocketbook?

Danger: Chung takes another step

It seems that this past weekend was an interesting one for the Uri-party. They had their leadership election and they all smoked A LOT of Marry-Jane. I'm not sure on the second point of course, but how else could they have elected someone like Chung?

My only positive feeling about this is that it might just result in the chrushing defeat of Uri-dang that I have so long dreamed for.


Korea's ruling party has a new leader in former unification minister Chung Dong-young. Chung was elected chairman of the Uri Party on Saturday at a national convention attended by some 12,000 party members with 48 percent of the vote. His main rival, former health minister Kim Geun-tae, lost by a 6 percent margin.

President Roh Moo-hyun, himself a member, sent Chung a congratulatory message, saying he hopes the transition of power will help advance the ruling party. Party officials expect the new leadership to boost the party's chances in local elections on May 31. The party hopes to recover from a crushing defeat by the main opposition party in last October's parliamentary by-elections.

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200602/200602190012.html

Ban Ki-moon for UN Secretary-General

Well, someone who I've liked on the political scene for quite some tie has been Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon. I've always felt that while the current administration has tried it's best to subjegate the South to the North, Minister ban has taken the middle-road to most issues. he has always seem to play the level head in a feild of occasional loons.

I'm not sure he'd be up for this challenge though:

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200602/200602140009.html

Korea will field Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon as a candidate for leadership of the UN to replace Secretary-General Kofi Annan, whose term ends in the second half of this year. The decision was made last December but the government delayed making it public to avoid prejudicing Ban’s candidacy.

“I humbly accept the nomination, which is based on the nation’s strength on the global stage and on public support,” Ban told reporters Tuesday. The UN secretary-general is the world body’s chief administrative officer in charge of 3,000 UN staff. He earns US$200,000-300,000 a year and is treated on a level with heads of state around the world.

Dubbed the CEO of the international community, the secretary-general also has a role to play as a mediator in international conflicts in a post symbolic of the global community’s administrative, political and moral authority.

Government officials give Ban a 50:50 chance of being elected. Given the principle of rotation by continent, it is theoretically Asia’s turn, but on the continent Ban is up against Thai Vice Premier Surakiart Sathirathai, who has the support of ASEAN. The AFP news agency reports Surakiart and Ban are the “leading” candidates. Singapore’s former prime minister Goh Chok Tong is also reportedly in the running.

However, the U.S. has recently come out against rotation by continent and could support a candidate from Eastern Europe. A high-ranking Foreign Ministry official said the U.S. was also not helping in another sense since Seoul’s alliance with Washington could make Ban suspect to other members of the UN Security Council, who could exercise their veto in the belief that he will side only with the U.S.

China, which is on the Security Council, has warned it will veto any non-Asian candidates. France is sticking to a notion that the secretary-general must speak French, and Ban is reportedly learning what was once the language of international diplomacy.

Another disadvantage for Ban is that Korea is $130 million in arrears in UN membership dues. Even government officials say it is “like a billionaire trying to get a top government post without paying his taxes.” The government has promised to pay up soon.

North Korea is another factor. A high-ranking Foreign Ministry official said, “We informed North Korea of Ban’s candidacy separately but haven’t received a response.”

North Korea may think twice about Ban’s candidacy. Any increase in South Korea’s international standing could mean problems for Pyongyang, but Seoul could counter North Korean objections by pointing to the plentiful help it has given the North. Pyongyang would probably prefer to work behind the scenes by urging its ally China to support the ASEAN candidate.

What happens in the deadlock over North Korea’s nuclear program over the next few months could also have a decisive influence. If the six-party talks resume and North Korea is willing to open up further, Ban’s candidacy could gain momentum. But if the matter ends up being referred to the Security Council for resolution, it could deal a fatal blow to South Korea’s bid.

N.K. Prison Camp Musical

It seems that I have not had a lot of time for blogging of late , but hopefully that will change soon. Here is an article about how the Ui party is not the fan of free speech it claims to be.

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200602/200602050001.html

N.K. Prison Camp Musical Falls Foul of Seoul Officialdom
A planned musical about human rights abuses in North Korea’s Yoduk concentration camp has run into massive obstacles, not least from officials fearful of upsetting the Stalinist country. South Korean government agencies are demanding changes to the story, which they say dwells too heavily on the negative aspects of the camp, according to producers. Officials also allegedly invoked the National Security Law to warn producers against showing a portrait of former leader Kim Il-sung and the singing of North Korean songs in the show.


Director Chung Seong-san and cast rehearse for the musical ‘Yoduk Story’, which deals with human rights abuses in North Korea, despite government pressure to tone down the show’s criticism of the Stalinist country.

After the Chosun Ilbo ran a story about the musical, one theater abruptly canceled the run there and a company which had promised to invest W300 million (US$300,000) pulled out. A key member of the production team has quit, and the director Chung Seong-san, who happens to be a North Korean defector himself, has received death threats.

Political prisoners carry pails of human waste from guard barracks at the Yoduk concentration camp in South Hamgyeong Province, North Korea in this video grab of footage shown by Japan's Fuji TV.

“Yoduk Story” focuses on a camp where 20,000 inmates work more than 14 hours a day living on just one bowl of cereal and a spoonful of salt. Those who try to escape are executed by hanging or stoning because the authorities do not want to waste bullets killing them. But its scheduled debut in March is now in jeopardy. Reportedly under official pressure, more than half its budget of W700 million has disappeared, making it difficult to feed producers and cast. "After reading our script, government officials demanded that we change part of the story, saying it’s too much,” Chung said. “I got a phone call, I don’t know if it was a government official, saying 'It's so easy to get you. You will be punished.'”

But Chung is determined to plough on. When Seoul KyoYuk Munhwa Hoekwan promised to show the musical in its theater last December, Chung borrowed W20 million against a contract to sell his left kidney. His father was publicly stoned to death in a Hoeryeong concentration camp in 2002. “I feel that my father is watching over our rehearsals,” Jeong says. Private citizens are also chipping in. One elderly woman sent a gold ring, a jade ring and a pair of earrings after reading about the show, and an elderly man sent a box containing W500 coins, W1,000 bills and W10,000 bills totaling W10 million. Chung says he is always hopeful in rehearsal but anxious when he is on his own. But he believes the show must be staged. "This is not a political activity. What we’re trying to do is just let people know about human rights abuses in North Korea by producing the musical. We are ready to deliver the message in the right way to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il,” he said. For more information call 02-569-4483 or go to http://www.yodukstory.com/

Show me the MONEY- Kim

Well, I know I haven't been posting much of late but I thought I'd take a few minutes to post up something I thought interesting. It seems that North korea is in need of some funds.

First, they filed a suit/complaint with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea. It appears that they would like to be paid $1,000,000,000 in compensation for the imprisonment and torture of some of it's newly-repatrioted citizens. Not to be outdone though, a day or so later some party from the South filed a similar suit against the North. The Noh administrations response... chirp, chirp.

As well, just the other day, a North Korean (soldier?) was killed in an automobile accident involving a Hyundai Asan employee. I'm not sure on the details of this, but I seriously wonder if $1,000,000 (what they are asking for in damages) would be what the family of the victim would usually get in any similar case in the DPRK.

I seriously wonder though if the North just isn't hard up for money. Right now Kim Jong-il is in China and living it up and no doubt either trying to broker more aide or spending more of this hard earned cash on a new fighter jet.

Chung resigns!

That is right, my nemesis has stepped down from his post as Unification Minister *cough* DPRK kiss-up *cough* and is heading on to try for the presidency.

Awhile ago I was worried that he might just have a chance of winning. That somehow he would pull a rabbit out of the bag and pull offf a diplomatic wonder. Luckily, that never happened.

So, now begins the race for the Blue House. No one out there would be dumb enough to vote for this guy... right?