Category Archive: South Korea

Jan 09

Happy Birthday, KJU: North Korea social media sites hacked

Categories:

Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Offbeat, South Korea, Succession

January 9, 2011

image

Watching this drama unfold from my phone but not having the capacity to post about it troubled me, despite enjoying a mini-vacation with the missus this past weekend. Her birthday, coincidentally enough, coincides with Kim Jong-Un’s… and they are likely the same age (28) as well!

The momentous occasion had many DPRK observers wondering what kind of shindig the North Korean leadership would throw for the dynastic leader-to-be. North Korea’s national holidays are the birthdates of their past and current leaders, grandfather Kim Il-Sung and father Kim Jong-Il. The day passed with no formal event, however it is highly likely that political cadres showered the 4-star General with luxurious gifts to establish loyalty to the young successor.

South Korean hackers had other plans for Kim Jong-Un’s birthday, however. Hackers from SK based discussion forum DCInside.com apparently gained control of North Korea’s official Twitter and Youtube accounts, posting tweets slanderous to the Kim regime and a humourous and topical video of Kim Jong-Un driving over starving North Koreans in his sportscar.

The video (set to Super Mario World music) has, of course, been pulled, but North Korean Economy Watch has posted it on their Youtube account for posterity. The video is actually pretty well produced, referencing a recent train derailment in North Korea where 8 rail cars carrying luxury gifts for Kim Jong-Un derailed, in a possible domestic terrorist attack (though another possibility could be a degraded railway infrastructure…). Check out the video for yourself:

Source: North Korean Economy Watch

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/740

Jan 04

South Korea’s reunification tax revisited

Categories:

Economy, North Korea, Reunification, South Korea

January 4, 2011

A new step forward has been taken regarding South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak’s proposal for a reunification tax. Lawmakers on the Grand National Party and opposition sides tabled a draft bill to help save money and alleviate future pressure in the event that reunification occurs between the divided Koreas. The purpose of the money would help buffer high expenses attributed to a regime collapse in Pyongyang. The taxes collected would be used to enhance the livelihoods of North Korean citizens, help fortify crumbling infrastructure, and otherwise get North Korea up to speed with its advanced Southern neighbour.

The bill calls for a 2% increase on income tax, a 0.5% increase on corporate taxes, and 5% on inheritance and donation taxes. 1% of the taxes collected would be used to manage the body tasked with collecting and managing the tax. The potential costs for a Korea unification could number in the trillions of US dollars, so in this blogger’s opinion, there is no time like the present to start banking coin to deal with the looming crisis.

Source: Korea JoongAng Daily

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/738

Dec 24

A Christmas Tree for North Korea

Categories:

Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Offbeat, South Korea

December 24, 2010

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As much of the world celebrates Christmas Eve, a special tree has been lit south of the DMZ for North Koreans on the other side of the border to see. A nearly 30 metre metal structure draped with ornamental lights and bearing an illuminated Christian cross on the top has been switched on by South Korea for the first time in 7 years. Recently the two halves of the peninsula have been escalating tensions, this time with the South Koreans seemingly reveling in their own provocations in the form of massive military drills near the border. South Korean soldiers guard the tree as the North has denounced its lighting as provocation and there were concerns they might fire on it.

The Christmas tree, planted in the highly visible Aegibong Peak, was originally planned to shut down on December 26th, the day following Christmas. The shutoff date was later extended to January 8th, in respect for other religious organizations and not to coincide with the birthday of Kim Jong-Un as some may suspect. The tree lighting is a tradition founded by the South in 1954, the year following the Korean War as a sort of “message of peace”/propaganda for the North, depending on how you want to look at it.

Merry Christmas, Koreas!

Source: AFP

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/728

Dec 20

Did Governor Richardson save the day for Korea?

Categories:

Military, North Korea, Nuclear, South Korea, USA, War

December 20, 2010

SK_artillery_yeonpyeong

While most North Americans were asleep in their beds, the decision to back down on increased threats against South Korea was conceded by the North. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, travelling with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, arrived in Pyongyang on the 16th to help ease tensions on the peninsula. Richardson’s trip happened to coincide with planned artillery drills from South Korea, drills that were condemned by North Korea who threatened swift retaliation if they were to move forward.

South Korea proceeded with the drills early in the afternoon, which went on for 94 minutes, and the world waited for the North Korean response. Later it was announced that North Korea would agree to UN nuclear inspectors to tour their Yeongbyon nuclear complex, where it was recently determined that an effort to kick-start uranium enrichment had begun. The North also agreed to ship 12,000 fresh nuclear rods out of the country. A “hotline”, similar to the direct line of contact between Russian and US leaders during the cold war, was also recommended to be established between the two Koreas.  North Korea has since dismissed the claim via KCNA:

This was nothing but a childish play with fire of cowards without an equal as they made much fuss, firing shells left unused during the military provocation on November 23 after shifting by stealth the waters to be a scene of the projected shelling and its target for fear of the KPA′s second and third retaliatory blows for self-defence.
The revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK did not feel any need to retaliate against every despicable military provocation like one taking revenge after facing a blow.

Richardson and Blitzer have postponed their flight home a day, apparently due to weather in the form of a thick fog. On CNN’s political blog, Blitzer described the weather: “Everyone who witnessed it, including our North Korean handlers, said it was the worst fog they’d ever been in.” They’ve since been occupying their time with Western karaoke and puffing cigars. KCNA also reports that Governor Richardson also came to Pyongyang with a gift for Kim Jong-Il, though what that gift was has yet to be disclosed.

Source: CNN (1) / Yonhap News / KCNA

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/725

Dec 18

North Korea vows harsh retaliation if Yeonpyeong drills begin

Categories:

China, Military, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, USA, War

December 18, 2010

sk_soldiers_yeonpyeong

South Korea this Saturday has delayed planned artillery drills from Yeonpyeong Island, the contested island near the Northern Limit Line battered by North Korean artillery on November 23rd. The cause of the delay is “bad weather”, however South Korea has been under a lot of foreign pressure from Russia and China to scrap the drills in order to ease tensions on the peninsula. The North has been very vocal over their protesting of the drills, but despite military threats, the drills are said to be proceeding regardless sometime before Tuesday.

The citizens who haven’t already evacuated Yeonpyeong are understandably nervous; if South Korea goes through with these drills, there can be no saying if North Korea won’t stick to its words and attack again. North Korea’s state news mouthpiece, KCNA, accused the US of using the remaining civilians on the island as a “human shield” against a North Korean attack. Such a provocation could ignite further disputes and potentially lead to all out war between the Koreas. Both sides have a lot to lose from a rekindled war.

Source: Associated Press / Yonhap News / KCNA

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/722

Dec 16

The largest South Korean civil drill in history

Categories:

Military, North Korea, South Korea, War

December 16, 2010

An unusually busy Wednesday for South Korea, people donned filter masks, and took shelter in underground bunkers while air raid sirens blared. An attack from Pyongyang? No, but this is preparation one. This is certainly not the first one—there have been several since the drills began in 1975, but this drill has been established as the largest. Fighter jets flew over cities, to mimic the feel and realism of a North Korean airstrike. Participation in the drills was not mandatory, but official reports state that 11 million of the 49 million people population of South Korea took shelter.

Source: Associated Press

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/718

Dec 15

North Korean restaurants abroad

Categories:

China, North Korea, Offbeat, South Korea, Tourism

December 15, 2010

nangmyonWith the defection of a North Korean restaurant manager from Nepal to India, The Chosun Ilbo has a nice article about the profitability of North Korea managing restaurants abroad. These restaurants are known as Okryugwan, originating in Pyongyang and spreading to nearby countries. North Korean specialty foods such as cold noodles and steamed crab are popular in South Korea and other Asian countries. As a result, North Korea sends some of its most educated people abroad to run and wait restaurants serving their native cuisine. Such restaurants are typically run following the ideological values of North Korea, sending most of their profits to their home country, often 100 000-300 000 won per year. However, since exposure to the outside capitalist world inevitably sets in, most North Koreans working abroad do so for a maximum of 3 years before they are returned home. In the case of the North Korean restaurant owner in Nepal, he is believed to have “taken the money and run” to India, on the run as a defector from the North Korean iron fist.

Source: The Chosun Ilbo / AFP

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/717

Dec 10

China’s foreign policymaker meets KJI in Pyongyang

Categories:

China, Kim Jong-Il, North Korea, South Korea

December 10, 2010

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Dai Bingguo, a senior foreign policymaker for China, met with Kim Jong-Il in Pyongyang on Thursday. Both Chinese and North Korean media has had little to report on the meeting, only to state that the discussions were to boost friendly relations between the allies, and address mutual concerns over tensions on the Korean peninsula.

China is playing its old hand of supporting the North by not openly denouncing their military actions against the South. Perhaps the lack of condemnation, and recent meetings between the countries is to diffuse the excitement over the recently released Wikileaks cable, suggesting that China has little clout with North Korea, and would accept a Seoul-led unified Korea.

Source: AFP / KCNA

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/707

Dec 08

Governor Richardson returning to North Korea for talks

Categories:

Nuclear, South Korea, USA

December 8, 2010

bill_richardson_evan_carl_hunzikerBill Richardson, governor of New Mexico who has is previously travelled to North Korea on diplomatic missions to release American prisoners and bring back Korean War remains, is once again taking off for Pyongyang later this month. Richardson is travelling as a private citizen, much as former President Jimmy Carter did earlier this year. However, Richardson isn’t going to secure the release of an American prisoner, but rather hoping to cool tensions on the unstable Korean peninsula. Richardson was apparently invited by North Korea’s chief nuclear negotiator (a very high position within the North Korean power structure), so it seems plausible that the North wants to use the governor as a proxy for communication with an Obama administration not interested in discussions. The meeting is happening from December 16-20th.

Source: Yahoo! News via AFP

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/704

Dec 02

South Korea aware of imminent attack on island; ignored

Categories:

Military, North Korea, South Korea, War

December 2, 2010

Yeonpgeong Island, South Korea

Can you really blame them? According to AP, South Korea had intercepted communications in August that indicated that the North would attack Yeonpyeong Island, a long disputed island near the Northern Limit Line. The threat was seen as routine behavior for North Korea, and the National Intelligence Service seemingly did not expect an attack on civilians. Many are calling out the Lee Myung-Bak administration for their failure to defend against an attack they had prior notice, and the rather tepid military response to the attacks. North Korea fired a total of 170 shells of varying sizes while the South Koreans only fired back 80. The North killed 2 marines and two civilians as well as destroying many buildings, and it is still unknown how much damage the South was able to cause in retaliation. For all the North’s saber rattling, one can understand how the threat to Yeonpyeong might be overlooked. Hindsight is 20/20.

The photo above is a DigitalGlobal satellite view of Yeonpyeong, several days after the artillery shelling.

Source: Yahoo! News via Associated Press

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/696

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