President Lee Myung-bak?

Well, with the water flowing in Cheonggye stream it seems that Seoul's Mayor Lee Myung-bak is riding the crest of the wave. While some say the water will die down quickly, others hope that he rides it all the way into the presidency.

The Chosun put out a small interview in English with the Mayor. I think it deservers a read in it's entirety:

It seems not a day goes by without an article about the Cheonggye Stream. Why do you think the restoration project has been such a hit?

“I think it’s people’s interest in seeing something they thought was impossible come to fruition. It’s a positive response to seeing something unexpected accomplished in an age when ‘nothing is being accomplished even as nothing fails.’”

There also appears to be some jealousy from those who say you are over-praised for doing something that wasn’t all that spectacular, while others say you’ve spent tons of money on nothing more than sprucing up a canal.

“That’s because they don’t know its history. The Cheonggye Stream is an artificial waterway that differs from a natural stream flowing through the fields. It was built during the reign of King Taejong of the Chosun Dynasty to stop flooding, and during the reign of King Yeongjo, 200,000 men from around the country were mobilized to build the embankments. The stream has been restored to how it looked back then.”

Have you had difficulties being Seoul mayor as a member of the opposition party?

“There were major traffic problems with construction going on in the heart of the city. Authority over traffic rests with the central government and police, but there were difficulties owing to poor cooperation. When we had to remove 1,500 stalls, not one policeman helped. The authority over cultural properties, too, rests with the central government’s committee, but although the city carried out its construction according to the decision of the committee, there were many instances where it tried to find fault, saying Seoul was building things and ignoring the city’s historic sites.”

The covering of City Hall with Korean flags on Liberation Day was a hot topic. Was there a think-tank that gave the city this idea?

“There’s no think tank, but there are people I consult about personal life and politics. It’s not an organized thing. This Liberation Day was the 60th anniversary of Korea’s liberation, so we pondered what we could do. We wondered how we could peacefully make Japan aware, inspire patriotism in the people, and give courage to the young. So we drew up the Korean flag idea in outline and debated it in several departments, but some thought it might be impossible because of the wind. Seoul officials were added to the meeting, and in the end, some young artists said it was possible, and it was done.”

You’re making a people-centered city, building many crosswalks downtown and planting grass in Seoul Plaza and Sungnyemun Plaza. Is this the result of a consistent plan?

“Actually, I made my own preparations for it before becoming mayor. I made a list of 20 things. The Cheonggye Steam restoration, public transport reform and the New Town construction were carried out according to the order of the list. Welfare and cultural projects are now being carried out in the second half of my term. The group that gave me the most help prior to my inauguration was a Seoul metropolitan government advisory team composed of foreigners. It was made up of foreign CEOs, academics and diplomats and their families who have lived in Seoul for more than five years.”

You’re believed to be a major contender for the next presidential election. Many people are saying you’ll carry out a major national project of a vast scale dissimilar to the Cheonggye Stream restoration. Is there some project you are thinking of should you become a presidential candidate? Some are talking about the construction of a “Seoul-Busan Canal” linking the Han and Nakdong rivers.

“The biggest problem facing out society at the moment is employment; the most basic thing to make the people happy is to create jobs. One cannot create jobs through cutting-edge IT and BT industries alone. In a country of 50 million people, you can create jobs only by appropriately endowing the country with high-tech industries, financial services and manufacturing. In order to foster national competitiveness, we must cut prime costs by decreasing distribution costs. Transport costs from Seoul to Busan are similar or greater than those between Busan and Los Angeles. The Seoul-Busan Canal plan I announced during the 14th National Assembly is a comprehensive plan to foster national competitiveness and create jobs. A leader is someone who endlessly gives the people vision and hope.”

Is your wealth, which some say is excessive for a man even with a past in a white-collar job, perhaps a weak point?

“I’m proud of the fact that I have a lot of property. I think it gives hope that a poor person can become rich. My total current wealth isn’t even the annual salary of a CEO of a leading global firm. I went into a firm with 100 employees (Hyundai Construction) and made it into one with 160,000, so I think I had the right to be sufficiently compensated. I’ve lived by saving. If I had spent money I didn’t have to spend, I wouldn’t have become rich.”

There are some who expect that you’ll return your wealth to society one day.

“This is usually said by people who’ve made their money unjustly or those with an interest in other people’s money. I won’t bequeath all my money to my children, but I won’t say I’ll give it back. This is a political statement. I’ve made plans on how I’ll use my wealth in the future. I will do it according to those plans.”

Your supporters are calling for an early party convention. Do you agree with this?

“That should be left to Grand National Party chairwoman Park Geun-hye. Whether someone retires should be left to them; it’s not desirable to create an overheated atmosphere by calling a party convention and fight. I will take a step back and follow the party’s decision. I won’t differentiate between what is advantageous and disadvantageous to me.”

What do you think makes you different from Park Geun-hye?

“There’s no need to ask that. Everyone knows. We’re completely different. The lives we’ve lived are completely different, and our administration styles are different. But only when two very different people come together can they become powerful and cooperate. If Park and I combine our strength, it could produce a great synergistic effect. People see us as rivals, but I think of us as collaborators. I will join hands with Park to cooperate and take back the government.”

Some smart ones

It seems that some lawyers in Seoul have decided that they will pick up the torch on human rights in the North. The torch that had carelessly been dropped by the government a few years back is now in some professional hands. Lets hope they do something with it.

In a closing declaration, participating lawyers said the South Korean
government claimed to be taking a gradual approach to human rights in the North
but had in fact been consistently tepid on the issue. It expressed concern that
the governmentÂ’s logic ran along the same lines as that of South KoreaÂ’s past
military dictators, who suppressed human rights under the pretext of economic
development or the threat of war.

Also, a respective nod to the Marmot for posting on this woman's odyssey of trials and escape.

According to the Chosun Ilbo, a North Korean woman, identified by her family name of Park, recently arrived in Thailand with her 19-year-old son and two North Korean women and is awaiting passage to South Korea. What makes Park’s story truly amazing is that this she made the trip without feet, having lost them thanks to torture she suffered at the hands of North Korean security authorities after she was repatriated to the Workers’ Paradise during a previous defection attempt.

Now, it is THAT type of strength that will save the ROK! Unfortunatly, it seems that it is lacking right now. With Chung at the helm of the Unification ministry, few have the backing of the ROK government when trying to escape their lives in the North.

To make up for this shortcoming, many NGOs have stepped up offering assistance. While I am not sure that their motives are always pure, the outcome is generally the same; more people are able to shake off the shackles of the North. These NGOs so not help without risk though;


15 S. Koreans in Chinese Lockup

A total of 15 South Koreans are being detained in China after
being charged with helping North Korean refugees depart for a third country, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Friday.

In a report to the National Assembly, the ministry said
that a total of 64 South Koreans had been arrested in China since 2001. Among
them, 49 were set free while the others remain in custody.

North korea is set to enter the real world

Well, it seems that the DPRK has finally take it's collective head out of it's ass (at least part way) and has decided to give up all nuclear activities and rejoin the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. In return the US said it had no intention of attacking the North, which was also promised aid and electricity. I wonder if this has anything to do with last weeks rumors about China putting the lean on the North?

MacArthur

Well, I've been hessitant to write on this simply because I am not as familiar with the subject of the General as I would like to be. I have heard the whole gambit in regards to U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur and I honestly am not sure if he is a criminal or a hero.

Now, before I get jumped on for not being firm on it either way, let me put it to you this way; I firmly beleive that the majority of HEROES that have been made into icons over the past thousand or so years, have had that distinction occasionally because of greatness, but more often than not, because of victory.

MacArthur was successfull with his landing in Incheon and as such he is a hero to many. He helped to push back (or at least cut off supplies to) a North Korean Army bent on dominating the peninsula. And there in lies the rub;

Some in South Korea now would want you to beleive that he actually stopped a sovereign country's right to determine it's own destiny.

Others take it at face value that he helped to stop the unwanted flow of Communism into the south.

For me, I think I'll form my own camp likening him to a guard dog. I have always said that if a dog bites, it's rarely the dogs fault. It is the owners responsibility to keep him on a short leash. If MacArthur stepped out of line, then it was up to Truman to give him a tug back into place. I guess, in the end... he did just that.

He did the job he was positioned to do, repulse the North korean attack. He did it by a risky strategic move, flanking the enemy in an amphibious assault. The citizens of Incheon made a statue to commemorate his acheivement and I stand along with these old chaps in saying it should not be taken down.




EDIT: Well, apparently the "left" side of the argument has been asked to apear before a judge. While South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon (one of my few I like in this administration) has sent a letter off to the US pledged (that) his government to do its best in thwarting any attempt to demolish or damage the statue, saying such a bid runs counter to the "mature perception of history by South Koreans".. Good on ya ban old buddy!

Offers of help

Well, it has been about a week since Hurricane Katrina hit the Southern US and offers of aid are popping up from all sources. Europe and Canada were no surprise but some less fortunate countries also weighed in. I think Sri Lanka offered $20,000 and even Kuwait offered up a sizable sum.


Korea has done itself proud by offering 30 million dollars. Some may note that this was a move to put Japans offer to shame (about $500,000) but I am hoping that it is simply a gesture of good will.

I have been watching CNN a bit more than usual because of this (ok, I never usually WATCH CNN, I prefer to read nowadays) and noticed some interesting things;

1) The reporters are doing their utmost to show bias and mood. I really felt that I was watching a talent contest when I saw some of the phoney reactions from the news casters.

2) Opinions are flowing all over the place. Not just from "sources" but from the reporters themselves. When did journalism totally abondom any attempt at neutrality?

3) The questions have been fairly decent though. When asking the State Dept. why they are not immediately accepting foreign aid the response was "We don't have the infrastructure to support such a move at this time". The reporter cut through the BS and asked again, why not just accept it and deal with it after?

"Because that is not how we do things"

So I guess the 25 doctors waiting in Cuba to come help should not be holding their breath.

Get your nose out of my...

Well, color me shocked. I was reading an article in the Chosun Ilbo about how the North was cutting back visits to Mount Kumgang. Normally, I would care less about this as I have always seen it as less of a cultural/brotherly exchange, and more of a "give the North some money" exchange.

What tweaked my interest was the reason behind the North's particular storm. Apparenty Hyundai wanted to let go of its vice chairman Kim Un-kyu becuase an internal inspection had found Kim guilty of corruption, and he resigned at a board meeting on Aug. 18. Now if your OWN company finds you guilty (in Korea), chances are you did a bad thing.

The North, apparently though, really liked this Kim guy so they objected, and then were shocked by the decision to let him go anyways. So, now the North not only wants southern dollars (ok Won) but now they want to run their companies as well?? Since when did the DPRK become management icons?

The Editor jumped on this (as would I) and said:
The resignation of Kim Yoon-kyu is the internal affair of Hyundai Asan. However much the two Koreas may differ in their political and economic systems, Pyongyang cannot presume to meddle with the personnel decisions of a South Korean corporation. That it has thrown its weight behind a man who had to resign over allegations of corruption, incidentally, is generating speculation about the exact nature of the relationship between Kim the executive down South and Kim the dear leader up North. But whatever it may have been, if North Korea keeps trying to influence a South Korean company this way, it will be hard for inter-Korean relations to improve.

The occasion shows that something must be done about the Mt.Kumgang tourism deal to make sure that the North cannot arbitrarily determine the tourist quota and expect the South to comply unconditionally. The project is not a benevolent act on the part of Pyongyang; it is a business. It needs to reflect the interests of the South.

What I wonder is; how much worse will it be when the South starts to supply electricity to the North?

Is he quitting again?

It seems that president Noh is threatening to step down if he does not get his way. I am lacking in links, but he has done this many times in the past. The whole; "well, if you guys won't do what I want then I guess you don't really want ME."

I'm getting tired of this. A president that is either so lacking in confidence that he has to whine to keep support, or one so cunning he has to play on the hearts of the ignorant.

"The greatest policy goal in the second half of my tenure should be changing the political culture and achieving national unity. I will focus on this during the latter half of my tenure," Roh said at the meeting.

Why? Why is this the greatest goal? Who is asking for it? I really wonder why he is so intent on this subject.

In reference to his approval rating, Roh suggested their was a need to discuss "whether it is right for a president with 29 percent of approval rating to continue to run state affairs."

That's the spirit, quit! Or at least threaten to I guess. This may have something to do with recent surveys that show 65% of respondents are unhappy with his presidency.

Personally, I think that reform is good. Change can also be good. Cleaning up the mistakes of the past, well, sometimes that is needed too. My problem with Noh is the fact that he does it selectivly. He chooses to honor leftist heroes but shuns anyone to the right. He is full scale supportive of investigations into prior regimes but pulls WAY back when it involves his idol Kim Dae Jung . I know hipocracy abounds in politics, I just have to write about it sometimes and complain.

My newest signature

Something a bit lighter for this blog.

Woot! They're gone!

Well it seems that my newest neighbors have finally flown the coop and have headed back to the land of the great General. I for one am glad to see them gone. With all this butt kissing in the news I was scared to hear that maybe Kim Dae Jung would step back into the lime light and try to get another Nobel Peace Prize.

Oh wait, maybe he will...
Apparently Kim Ki-nam (DPRK) has invited Ex-President Kim back to the North.

I even hear that they read a few ROK newspapers. Too bad Chung didn't let him read them all.

South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young handed over the file of news scraps to Kim, a secretary of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, inside a passenger car at a hotel in eastern Seoul at 10:20 a.m.

It was intended to let Kim, 79, know that the visit by North Koreans and their unprecedented activities, such as a visit to the National Cemetery where the war dead are enshrined, were invoking good reactions from South Koreans, a politics expert said.

Another Seoul official said the ministry staff occasionally delivered South Korean morning dailies to the North Korean delegates’ hotel rooms, as some of them wanted to read local newspapers.

To me, that last part is the most important. I'm not one to stand in the way of a countrys unification, but I would like to see the exchange flow both ways. Lately though, it really feels like the ROK gives and consents, and then gives some more.

I would like to see the North open up more. If it is now legal/acceptable to view pro-DPRK websites, then should it likewise not be made legal in the norht to get news from the South?

What can Koreans learn from the Japanese?

Well, I'm not about to ask any Koreans what they think they can learn from the Japanese. The anit-foreign sentiment is just too high nowadays. But to my amazement I read an interesting article about one Japanese professor that could teach the Koreans a thing or two.

Professor Yuji Hosaka of Sejong University, who was naturalized as a Korean citizen two years ago, is a unique person. He is 49 years old and was born in Tokyo. After graduating from Tokyo National University, he made up his mind one day that he would jump into research on historic relations between Korea and Japan.

The reason I take time to explain Professor Hosaka's life story is to make you understand how different the background of his Japanese studies is from that of Korean scholars. He speaks whatever he wants to say on Japan's distortion of history. He is thorough and corroborative when it comes to history research and analysis.

That is why his studies of Japan's territorial claim of the Dokdo islands hold up. He not only analyzed the old maps of Japan, but he also analyzed all recent maps published by the National Geographical Institute of the Japanese government.

The result is a study showing that Dokdo was not included as Japanese land from the Meiji administration until 1988. (The study is published in the July issue of NEXT). Japan's reaction to this study was huge. There were groups that called Professor Hosaka a traitor, but there were a lot of Internet users who said they were surprised to see the evidence he produced. He immediately started to respond to the criticisms of the Japanese government and readers one by one and resumed debates on historic issues.

He uses hidden historical data to expose the fabrication of Japanese awareness.There is definitely a difference between Professor Hosaka's attitude to research and those of Korean historians. One Korean professor declined to give an answer when he was asked to historically analyze his contention that Dokdo is part of Korean territory. He did not so much as decline to answer as he ran away from the debate.

Another scholar got the media's attention when he produced some unreliable evidence and had failed to unfold his view logically. Korean people were too fragmentary and shallow in their research. One Korean professor clung to an anti-Japan report that was totally emotional. One elder professor ignored young scholars who objected to his Dokdo theory by saying, "What bad-mannered people..." and tried to clamp down on the freedom of study and the freedom of speech. The field of history studies in Korea is not free from the criticism that there are sanctuaries, whether right or wrong.

Professor Hosaka's study on Dokdo and other historic studies were all done by first approaching all the information he could find both in Korea and Japan. That is why a reasonable and logical discussion is possible.
-by Choi Chul-joo

Can it be? Can there be a reasonable editorial out there? Was this actually in the Joonan ilbo?

All I can say is, I hope this thought catches on.

When will they leave?

So I was riding the bus today and noticed all the "blue unification" flags around Walker Hill. Apparently the delegation from the DPRK is still in town and everyone is trying to show them a good time.

I however, am getting really miffed at the uneven enforcement of national laws by the administration and the uni-ministry. The whole flag burning thing was bad enough, but now we have labour groups giving anit-US banners to the delegation

The North Koreans were given the sashes at a meeting of North and South Korean labor representatives at the Seoul Olympic Parktel on Tuesday by two members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, who shouted, "We must throw out the USFK and unite by combining our strength!"

North Korean delegate Choi Chang-man replied "The thing that stands in the way of our unification is the U.S. military, and our workers must stop this. This sash reading 'Withdraw USFK', handed to me by the vanguard of unification, gives great strength to the laborers of North and South who wish for the withdrawal of the U.S. military."

“Now, with our home threatening to become a war zone, let us hold high the flag of peace and use our strength to protect peace.” He said the young people of North Korea, “giving their youth to turn Korea into a wealthy and powerful country and unify the nation, have never forgotten South Korean and overseas Korean students."

That reads oddly no?

Korean Bar Association spokesman Ha Chang-woo warned the developments meant Korea’s National Security Law had become “useless.” He said inter-Korean reconciliation was fine, but it would not do to brush violations of the law, which bans North Korean propaganda, under the carpet. Only the rule of law was capable of putting a country’s national identity on a firm footing, he said. Lawyer Lee Gyeong-jae said, "The string of statements were a clear violation of positive law. We must change this idea that everything is permissible as long as it’s for the sake of unification."

So it DOES violate the law. Hmmm, I'm wondering if it'll be enforced though.

So close I could...

Well, it seems that the North Korean delegation is staying at my place! Ok, not exactly "my place", but quite close enough. Apparently they are holed up at the Walker Hill in Gwangna-roo.

Now I KNOW it is an expensive place (evident from all the tall Russian dancers coming in and out) so I'm curious as to who is footing the bill.

Anyways, Mr BowdownandlickDPRKbutt Chung was there today visiting. If it wasn't so hot I may have taken the short bus ride just to give him a dirty look.

Oh, and I guess they (the delegation) Visited Seoul's National Cemetery and bowed. Wow, not too low fellas, you don't want to show too much enthusiasm. Also, I thought this was funny.

The 182-strong delegation of officials and civilians headed by Kim Ki-nam of the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland paid only a silent tribute but did not lay flowers or burn incense. The North Koreans reportedly said during negotiations with South Korea on Aug. 5 they were not in the habit of burning incense and rarely laid flowers.

Wow, I guess somebody should tell these kids.

A flag burnin'

Well, in my time in Korea I have seen my share of flags being burnt. None in person, but definitely enough on TV to get the idea. Most of them have been the US Stars and Stripes.... ok ALL of them have.

But, that may soon be changing. Apparently the Canadians are in for a bit of trouble with a report by a Canadian professor in Vancouver that talks about 60 or so court martials and the crimes against Korean civilians.

Now in no way do I belittle the acts. On the contrary, I am disgusted with soldiers who step out of line. However, I also acknowledge the realities of war and know such things do occur. It being now 50 some odd years after the fact, I'm really not sure what the Korean media (or this Canadian professor) hope to accomplish by releasing the information. I would hope that it is ear-marked for a history text but for some reason I think it'll be used to fuel the anti-foreigner sentiment in Korea right now.



Oh and as a side note, it seems that although it is illegal to burn the US flag in Korea (but totally socially acceptable) it is however LEGAL to burn the North Korean flag. Well, that is until this idiot gets his way. Apparently it is not ok to burn the flag of a nations that has murdered countless number of your citizens but torching the one of your strongest ally is ok.

``We cannot allow these unidentified groups to damage or burn things including North Korean flags,’’ Lee said during a meeting of senior officials on Monday. ``It cannot be tolerated anymore, politically and legally.’’
- Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan

I really wonder how long it'll take people to realize that the Noh administration is truely working with *cough* for *cough* the North.

Another great Korean blog

While the Marmot may be "The Man" for breaking Korean news, it appears that this gentleman has got the goods when debunking some Korean myths.

Here is a taste:

Apparently the Korean soldier maneuvered the Japanese soldiers into taking a ‘friendship photograph’ in order to make this childish political statement, saying that the disputed island between Korea and Japan belongs to Korea. While there has been much joy in Korea about this photograph, Koreans are so self centered that they havent considered this:
*These kind of antics will make it even harder for Japanese to trust Koreans
*Once the Japanese soldiers realize what happened, it will damage their morale and make working with the Koreans in Iraq harder, jeopardizing the mission
*Did the Korean soldiers think about the kind of treatment these Japanese soldiers will now recieve? Even though they were tricked, they will be the subject of much criticism and mockery. Perhaps they will even be punished. Then they will say ‘I made the mistake of trusting Koreans’. What will Koreans say then?
*Japanese people will think twice about extending the hand of friendship to Koreans again
This is a truly disgraceful act. Rather than glorifying this soldier, Koreans should feel ashamed. ***
***Update: Some Korean netizens are saying that the picture is photoshop, some insisting it is real (although only a couple seem to think its a bad idea - indeed, fake or not, most seem to approve). See the controversy here.
***Update2: Mithridates makes a convincing argument that the picture is fake.
***Update3 - The final analysis: According to this site, the software responsible for the altered image was either Canon Powershot or Adobe Photoshop. The uniforms of the Japanese Army that were called into question are apparently genuine. The green garb means that they are intending not to fight in the desert, and shows peaceful intentions. Also on the Japanese version of Naver, some Japanese guys demonstrated the technique. Still, it left behind a lot of angry people, here, here, and here.
So we know the photo is fake. My last post should have kept me on guard for Korean fake photos, yet for a while, I was taken in. The lesson is still the same as what I wrote above - it becomes harder to trust Koreans. Luckily, I caught it within around an hour of posting.

Quite a decent blogger. I'll make sure to add it to my frequent visit list.

Roh or Noh or.. ah, whatever.

So I ran across this Asia Times article today and almost spewed. The tripe that is written borders on hilarity. Here are a few excerpts;

Roh, who has authored a biography of Abraham Lincoln and on whom he models himself, like his American hero crafts speeches of great intellectual complexity.


Well, I just learned two things I did not know before. I had no idea his speaches were so complex. They must be I guess to make people jump out of their windows.

He has worked closely with North Korea on a variety of economic and social initiatives and does not see the North as a threat.

I guess giving them stuff is working closely. So, does that mean I work closely with the blind guy on the subway?

President Kim Young-sam continued many of the incestuous relations between government and business of his predecessors, even as he moved toward the rule of law.

I call BS on this. The relationships continue to this day and are all entwined in his administration. The whole "we are only covered with a little bit of poo" just doesn't cut it with me.

First, there are the conservative forces that look at the US-Republic of Korea alliance as the bedrock of foreign policy, concentrate on economic to the neglect of social issues, and rely on such sources as the conservative newspaper Chosun Ilbo for their information about the world. This newspaper has been unrelentingly critical of Roh from the day he took office.

Hmmm, would I prefer to read the Chosun Ilbo or OhMyNews? Well at least the Chosun has been consistant. Take the Joongan, they were "anti-Roh" untill their boss got promoted to US Ambassador. Hmm, I wonder how they'll swing now that he's stepped down?

The second group consists largely of younger voters known commonly as the 3-8-6 (sam-pal-yuk) generation. As students they longed for a democratic system and were willing to work hard for it. Many of this generation were involved in the student protests that turned universities into tear-gas testing grounds. These progressives are committed to social and political issues. The 3-8-6 generation is best represented by the Nosamo group (The Organization that Loves Roh Moo-hyun). This informal association of loyalists employed the Internet in an innovative manner to put him in office. They did so in spite of the overwhelming prophesies of doom produced by the conservative press that had most Americans - and many Koreans - believing that Roh did not have a chance. This group is highly critical of United States policy and imaginative in envisioning Korea's role in the world. Representing a broad spectrum of views, often crossing regional loyalties, they depend on such progressive online publications as Pressian and Oh My News for information and have embraced an interactive culture of instant messaging and video for both social and political action. The rate at which they disseminate information has transformed Korean society.


Well now, don't they just sound like the perfect bunch! Seriously, I'm glad I found this and it is definately an interesting read in regards to Roh's biography BUT for the most part this article is tripe.

Apples and ... apples

Well, apparently it has started. I knew that some "stuff" would be stirred during the break.

Bush says North Korean nuclear issue different from that of Iran
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday emphasized the difference between North Korean and Iranian nuclear intransigence as the issue boiled down to who deserves to pursue peaceful uses of atomic power."North Korea is in a different situation," Bush said at a meeting with economic advisers at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. "The North Koreans didn't tell the truth when it came to their (uranium) enrichment programs," Bush said.

We were on a BREAK!

One of my favorite "themes" in FRIENDS was the whole "Ross and Rachel were on a break and Ross cheated on her but afterwards insisted 'we were on a break!'" Now, you may ask how that has anything to do with Korea, and although it's a bad transition, it does!! ;)

It seems that in the week I have taken off of blogging the 6 party talks have gone no where (surprise). They are now on a 3 week break and apparently there are a few "side-bar" meetings going on.

Ban Ki-moon, whom seems like a decent enough guy, will head to China this week to see what he can do.

"The participating countries are expected to hold separate consultations during the recess period," Ban said at a weekly news briefing. "The three-week recess is very important for smooth progress of talks when they are resumed, so we will make the most of it."

Ban indicated that North Korea needs time to build trust with the international community before it enjoys the right to peaceful nuclear activities.

Now see, that is why I think Ban is a decent guy. I know he has to tow the Roh line, but he still comes off sounding level-headed.

My worry though is that something will go onbehind the scenes that may cause some problems. I especially predict that the US might be on the "outs" in regards to it's Nuclear policies and uneven enforcement (ie. India, Iran, Isreal, another "I" country?)

And the game keeps on

Well, I think this speaks for itself.

Initial high hopes gave way to frustration on the ninth day of six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear program on Wednesday, as the Stalinist country’s delegation head failed to show for discussion of yet another draft statement of principles submitted by China overnight.

"With the exception of North Korea, all the other parties were satisfied with the final draft of the joint statement,” a South Korean official said. “We were waiting for North Korea only, but in the end we weren’t told whether Pyongyang had accepted the draft." U.S. chief negotiator Christopher Hill earlier indicated Washington was happy with the new draft. "I would say it is getting to an end-game text," Hill said.

North Korea reportedly objects to a portion of the draft that reads, "North Korea abandons all nuclear weapons and nuclear programs." That would include even peaceful-use nuclear facilities, which it wants to keep.

Well, who exactly does that surprise?

KIm Jung Ill's bodyguards

I don't usually deal with stuff like this (even though it is Korean) but I thought I'd make note of it.

This video shows some interesting scenes of the Dear Leaders bodyguards. Sure, most of it is staged but in no way does it make it less impressive/disturbing.
http://www.mediazine.org/view.php?file=1107752400

The pot calling the kettle a 6-party talk

Well, I am surprised as everyone else to note that it is China that is sounding like the sane one in recent days at the 6 party talks. Apparently they have said:

“It will be difficult to reach an agreement in this state. Let the participant nations reconfirm whether they have the will to compromise and decide whether to continue with the talks or stop,” - Wu

The divisive issue now seems to be over the DPRKs legitimacy of using nuclear power for peaceful means. The US and Japan have said NO WAY, while China, the ROK, and Russia have all in their various ways agreed to it.

Personally I really don't want to see the Norks splitting any kind of atom, however I have never really understood the US position of "we can have them but no one else should be able to develop them". I would be happy if NO ONE had them.






SO, now instead of "everyone" working towards a NUCLEAR FREE PENINSULA, we seem to have a house divided. Originally it semed like 5:1, everyone trying to rope in N. Korea, but now the numbers look more like 4:2, with the US on the outside.

I'm sure Mr. Hill is a qualified man, but I really worry if he is dropping the "popularity ball" over there in China.