Category Archive: North Korea

Aug 09

More details on seized fishing vessel

Categories:

China, Military, North Korea, South Korea, War

August 9, 2010

A number of media outlets reported this weekend on the seizure of a North Korean fishing vessel. The North has been completely mum on the issue; appeals from Seoul for the safe return of the vessel and her crew have gone unanswered. The ship, the “Daeseung”, was crewed by 4 South Koreans and 3 Chinese civilians, so it will be interesting to see China’s reaction to this movie. The ship was believed to be in disputed waters, and the last communication with the boat was made at 4:45PM (Korea time), just a few hours after responding affirmatively to a SK Fisheries department asking “Are you now being towed by a North Korean patrol ship?”.

Source: DailyNK

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/221

Aug 08

Breaking: SK fishing boat seized by North

Categories:

Military, North Korea, South Korea, War

August 8, 2010

I have no details other than this, Associated Press has a tiny blurb about it and noone else seems to be carrying the story on this sleepy Sunday morning. Will post more when I see more. Full text: “Seoul says North Korea has seized South Korean fishing boat in waters off the eastern coast”.

This comes in the wake of a huge cabinet reshuffle in South Korea by president Lee Myung-Bak, and in the middle of South Korean naval exercises designed to intimidate and deter an ever-threatening North.

Source: @BreakingNews / Yonhap News (2)

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/214

Aug 06

Kim Jong-Un all but official…

Categories:

Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Succession

August 6, 2010

Vague references in the ongoing Arirang Mass Games, as well a report from Tokyo seem to indicate that the upcoming September delegates meeting will bring Kim Jong-Un to a high ranking position within the communist party. The 27 year old son of Kim Jong-Il will likely be taking on more of a leadership and policymaking role, and in September 2012 will probably be officially tapped as successor to North Korea’s leadership. And we still don’t have any good pics of him!

Source: Chosun Ilbo / Google News


Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/209

Aug 06

South Korea’s second day of naval exercises

Categories:

North Korea, South Korea, War

August 6, 2010

4500 troops, an amphibious landing ship, a destroyer and dozens of fighter jets are performing drills in a simulated battle to prepare against a maritime invasion from the North. This is the 2nd day of the 5 day exercise.

Source: Yonhap News

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/208

Aug 05

North Korean flooding: the next great famine?

Categories:

Economy, North Korea

August 5, 2010

New estimates state that over 5500 houses have been destroyed, as well as 15000 hectares of farm land. The rain is expected to last at two more days. Evacuations on the Chinese border province of Jilin have exceeded 800000.

Source: Voice of America

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/207

Aug 05

Religious participants executed

Categories:

North Korea

August 5, 2010

Three leaders of an underground Christian Church in South Pyongan province, North Korea were executed this past May, and 20 others were sent to prison camps. There’s really not much more to say other than that.

Source: DailyNK

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/206

Aug 04

North positions anti-aircraft missiles in response to South drills

Categories:

Military, North Korea, South Korea, War

August 4, 2010

SA-5As the South begins Thursday a 5 day naval exercise in the Yellow Sea, North Korea has responded by moving its SA-5 anti-air missiles towards the action. The North has previously threatened “strong physical retaliation” as a response to the drills, and the South has challenged back that any provocation will result in an immediate counter-attack. Is Korean War 2 about to break out on the peninsula?

Source: Chosun Ilbo / Google News

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/197

Aug 03

Sea of fire, nuclear destruction, retaliatory sacred war, etc, etc…

Categories:

Military, North Korea, Nuclear, Propaganda, South Korea, War

August 3, 2010

I don’t know if it’s even worth posting these, as the North threatens “all out war” on a seemingly daily basis since being directly accused for the sinking of the Cheonan this past March. The latest threats are in response to South Korean anti-submarine drills near the maritime border between the warring nations.

Source: Yonhap News

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/189

Aug 03

The People’s Rooney’s tears explained

Categories:

Athletics, North Korea, Propaganda

August 3, 2010

jongtaese_tearsMany were confused by DPRK football team’s powerhouse patriotic tears during the North’s national anthem at this year’s world cup. After all, this footballer is Japanese born and has never even been to the North, so what’s the story here? Reporter Mark Willacy has a fascinating piece about the Chongryon, or “General Association of Korean Residents in Japan”, which is a school/embassy type of organization for North Koreans (or of that descent) living in Japan. Before WWII, Japan had annexed the Korean peninsula and brought many Koreans to do slave labour in Japan. These Zainichi are the people and descendents of those displaced people. The article explains the “brain-washing” applied to these Koreans living in Japan, and that the tears of Jong Tae Se were genuine pride for his people and fatherland.

Source: ABC News (Australia)

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/188

Aug 02

NK studio produced Disney classics

Categories:

Economy, North Korea, Offbeat, Propaganda

August 2, 2010

While hardly news, I felt the need to share this fascinating tidbit. SEK Studio, a DPRK animation studio has had animation subcontract work on classics cartoon movies such as the Lion King and Pocahontas. The communist nation is also famous for airing US made cartoon “Tom & Jerry”, as they use Tom as an analogy for the brash USA while Jerry represents a clever underdog North Korea. 

Source: North Korean Economy Watch

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/184

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