South Korea officially announced their final report regarding the sinking of the Cheonan warship in April. They have once again indicated that evidence suggests overwhelmingly that a North Korean torpedo was the antagonist in the sinking. A shockwave caused by a torpedo explosion bent the hull of the ship in half, causing it to sink. The recovered rear portionm of the torpedo posess marks that indicate that the North manufactured and launched the torpedo, while deformed propellers on the Cheonan were explained by the immedia halt of the boat’s movement by the initial blast. If I find a full version of the report to share, I will post it here.
Category Archive: North Korea
Sep 14
Final South Korean report on Cheonan sinking released
Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/391
Sep 14
Worker’s Party Conference delayed due to Kim Jong-Il’s health?
Further speculation on the much anticipated, but still delayed 3rd convening of the Korean Worker’s Party, is blaming Kim Jong-Il’s ailing health for the delay of the meeting. It has also been speculated that we might not see or hear much about heir apparent son Kim Jong-Un, who has long been expected to step out of the shadows and be appointed a high ranking position within the party, to prepare for an eventual leadership succession. The conference was thought to begin as early as September 9th. North Korean state media has reported that KJI has been performing some of his famous “on-site inspections” in different places, which would contradict claims that his health is delaying the KWP meeting. More speculation runs rampant from Reuters, who claim the conference could begin as early as Wednesday.
Source: AFP via Yahoo! News / Reuters via Yahoo! News / DailyNK
Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/389
Sep 14
Rice aid from the South
Flood stricken North Korea is being offered from the South’s Red Cross, in the form of 5000 tons of rice and 10 000 tons of cement, as well as 3 000 000 instant noodle packs (mmm..). This is the first time the South has extended any type of aid towards its neighbour since President Lee Myung-Bak took office in 2008. Lee has taken a hard stance against North Korea as one of his administration’s policies, and this has arguably lead to increased (but now thawing) tensions on the peninsula.
Source: The Chosun Ilbo
Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/387
Sep 12
Propaganda found in DPRK’s Red Star Linux OS
Here is a Japanese webpage describing the stock wallpapers that ship with North Korea’s very own Red Star Linux distribution. While there isn’t a whole lot of propaganda to be found on the surface of the OS, if you look to the default wallpapers you will fine many heavily photoshopped images of North Korean countryside with idyllic settings. Of interesting note are the many gas powered tractors tilling the farmland that have obviously been edited into the photo, and the anti-aircraft guns poised for readiness amidst a gentle snowfall.
Source: Slashdot Japan
Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/384
Sep 12
North proposes more family reunions with South
North Korea’s Red Cross is proposing to South Korea that more families separated by the Korean War of the 50s be reunited. This is another act of “good faith” from the North who has been antagonizing tensions on the peninsula lately. Severe flooding, food shortages and increased economic sanctions have put great pressure on the DPRK. Many people and families were displaced during the “Fatherland Liberation War” of 1950-1953, and have not been able to communicate with one another as mail, telephone calls, and internet access is forbidden between the two countries.
Source: Reuters via Yahoo! News
Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/381
Sep 09
A symbol of the state of North Korea: The Ryugyong Hotel
Popularly dubbed as the “Hotel of Doom” or “The Worst Building in the World” this famous eyesore is the most distinguishing feature of the Pyongyang skyline. This building is the Ryugyong Hotel, or “105 Building”. Standing at 330 metres in height, the hotel was anticipated to be the largest in the world (for it’s time) and construction was supposed to be completed in June 1989 for the World Festival of Youth and Students. Construction halted in 1992 due to equipment shortages and North Korea’s worst famine that prevailed through much of the 1990s. The Westin Stamford in Singapore had been completed in 1986 by South Korean contractors, crowning it the world’s largest hotel. As is typical of North Korean one-upmanship, the DPRK decided if the South could accomplish this, then the North could do it better. The design was 3 pyramids, two smaller ones on the left converging into an enormous triangle. The architecture, like other buildings in the DPRK, is soviet-style poured concrete with rectangular, equally sized and spaced windows throughout, resembling the holes of a harmonica.
The top of the hotel is an upside down cone consisting of 14 levels (8 of which were meant to rotate for a 360 degree view of Pyongyang). It houses over 360 000 square feet of space. Revolving restaurants, casinos and night clubs were meant to be fixtures in the hotel operated by foreign firms. When construction was cancelled, the large concrete husk loomed on the skyline, construction crane still on top, for nearly 15 years. It has been long speculated that due to poor materials, a sunken foundation and crooked elevator shafts have rendered the building useless.
In 2008, Egyptian company Orascom had a contract to construct a 3G mobile network in Pyongyang. However, that work seems to have extended to refurbishing the derelict hotel. Work is well underway adding glass surfaces to the exterior of the building, and telecommunication antennas. Interior renovations are said to follow. The banner to this website features the Pyongyang skyline in February 2009, and you can note the “purple” looking glass panels and green scaffolding around the cone. Here is a picture of a picture of a render of the building upon its completion (rumoured to be around 2012):
The video below shows a unique close-up view of the shoddy construction.
What’s next for this debacle of soviet-style engineering? Will it ever be completed, or will it remain empty and unused, only appearing fancy on the outside? In North Korea, you can only expect the unexpected…
Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/644
Sep 09
Kim Jong-Un in Pictures
The heir apparent son of Kim Jong-Il is shrouded in mystery. To date, no pictures of him as an adult have been confirmed to exist. I have gathered several images from various sources.
11 years old.
Class photo from 1998.
This is a popular one in news media.
Here’s a sketch, either drawn by or described by Kim Jong-Il’s former personal sushi chef, who defected to South Korea and has shared much information about KJU and his father’s lifestyle.
Probably the most recent image currently available, also from his high school days.
Not sure of the source or authenticity on this one. If anyone knows, I’d appreciate a heads up.
Often used in Western media. Reported in a Japanese newspaper, but probably not Kim Jong-Un. Most likely a misidentification of Kim Kwang-Nam, an engineer at the ironworks KJI is touring (as reported by The Chosun Ilbo).
And that is all the images of the Youth Captain we have right now. There are many other images circulating that identify Kim Jong-Un, however they are often confused with KJI’s other two sons, Kim Jong-Nam and Kim Jong-Chul. I will be interested in seeing the alleged portrait that can be expected to be hung up in homes and establishments, alongside father and grandfather.
Source: The Chosun Ilbo (1) (2)
Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/369
Sep 09
North Korea turns 62 years old today
The mysterious and highly anticipated Worker’s Party gathering in Pyongyang is set to kick off any day now (possibly delayed due to flooding and travel restrictions), probably to coincide with this national holiday. After World War II, when Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula ended, Soviet and American forces could not come to agreement about how Korea should be governed. The United Nations wanted to hold elections to determine a government for Korea. On September 9th, believing he could win free elections in the North for leadership of the entire peninsula, Kim Il-Sung (with Soviet backing) forbid the United Nations to enter past the 38th parallel. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the antithesis to the newly founded Republic of Korea in the south, was founded with premier Kim Il-Sung at the helm. Kim Il-Sung was eventually tagged as leader and technically remains that way today, 17 years after his death.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/350
Sep 07
Captured fishing boat Daeseung 55 released to South, North requests food & equipment
Amid thawing tensions on the peninsula, North Korea’s Red Cross has requested rice, cement and construction equipment from the South’s equivalent Red Cross. In what could be regarded as a gesture of “good will”, the North has released the South Korean fishing vessel “Daeseung 55” after a month of captivity. NK state media stated referred to the release as “A decision made based on fraternal love and from a humanitarian perspective.” This seems to indicate that the North is hopeful for aid from the South to cope with extensive and ongoing flooding near the Chinese border.
Source: DailyNK / Arirang TV / KBS (image)
Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/346
Sep 04
Worker’s Party of Korea meeting begins soon… the rise of Kim Jong-Un?
The wildly speculated upon meeting of the ruling party of North Korea, the Worker’s Party of Korea, is beginning its rare meeting to reshuffle high ranking officers and possibly set the stage for leadership succession by Kim Jong-Il’s son, Kim Jong-Un. This is the first of such meetings since 1980, when the Dear Leader himself was put into a high ranking post by father-leader Kim Il-Sung. News outlets, the blogosphere and the twitterverse are abuzz with rumours and interpretations as this long anticipated meeting begins.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/342
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Pyongyang Weather
- Forecast for Monday as of Aug. 14 4:11 AM KSTMostly Cloudy. High:27 ° C.