Nov 04

North Korean PDA device demo’d by Russian who leaked Red Star Linux OS

Categories:

Economy, North Korea, Russia

November 4, 2010

The Russian blogger who leaked the state sanctioned DPRK Red Star Linux OS is wowwing us again with another modern technological leap from the DPRK. The device functions as most traditional Personal Digital Assistant devices do, offering music and video playback, USB connectivity to Windows or Linux PCs, mapping applications, games, dictionaries and more. From the impressions in the blog post, this device would have the capability of a Palm Pilot release from ~2004. As mobile cellphones bring about a technical renaissance in Pyongyang, it is likely that only the higher class citizens could afford the reported $140 (USD?) pricetag for the device.

Source: http://ashen-rus.livejournal.com/ via the North Korean Economy Watch

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/590

Nov 04

North Korean “hacking” attempts increase ahead of G20 summit

Categories:

North Korea, South Korea, War

November 4, 2010

The Cheong Wa Dae, otherwise known as the Blue House, South Korea’s parallel to the USA’s White House, is apparently being data scraped by North Korean sources for information regarding the G20 summit beginning November 11th in Seoul. While nothing sensitive has yet been compromised, authorities are keeping a close eye on the attempts. Fears of North Korean provocation are mounting as the world’s eyes are on the South during the meeting of world leaders. No mention of actual security breaches are made, causing me to speculate that this is simply an incidence of North Korean sources accessing publicly accessible materials… a loose application of the “hacking” phrase commonly invoked by media organizations. UPDATE: I’m not concentrating enough today, apparently the home computers of Blue House officials have even been targeted by North Koreans. Employees are having their work computers replaced on bi-annual basis just to prevent longterm infiltration from North Korean data snoopers.

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/588

Nov 04

South Korea fires warning shots at trespassing NK fishing boat ahead of G20 summit

Categories:

North Korea, South Korea, War

November 4, 2010

As the G20 summit in Seoul prepares for a November 11th kick-off, heightened security and tensions exist on the Korea peninsula. As a result, South Korean authorities are being diligent in preventing North Korean provocations during the meeting of world leaders. A North Korean fishing boat trespassing across the Northern Limit Line was met with warning shots from the SK Navy, after which the boat returned to its own side without event. DailyNK has an interesting opinion piece on whether or not North Korea will act to disrupt the G20 meeting, which can be summarized in the following quote: “Experts say that Kim Jong Il thinks being ignored is politically worse than being punished, and this is why North Korea continues to provoke the outside world despite the fact that it does not appear to be a profitable course of action.”

Source: Korea JoongAng Daily and DailyNK

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/585

Nov 02

North Korea offers torpedo evidence for Cheonan sinking

Categories:

North Korea, South Korea, War

November 2, 2010

In a statement likely to rile up conspiracy theorists, KCNA state-run media reports that it is ready to provide Seoul with a sample of its torpedos as proof that it did not sink the Cheonan in March of this year. The argument from the North is that their torpedoes are made from a steel alloy, whereas most torpedoes throughout the world are made from aluminum. The North described the multi-national investigative report on the cause of the sinking as the “most hideous conspiratorial farce in history”. Here is a link to the full report from KCNA (very long!).

Source: Yahoo! News via AFP / KCNA

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/582

Nov 02

North Koreans journalists use cellphones and digital cameras to export truth

Categories:

China, Defection, North Korea

November 2, 2010

Rarely do we get a glimpse of North Korean life outside what the authorities allow, and typically these views are catered towards feeding tourists propaganda of success as a self-reliant and thriving nation. In the outer provinces outside of Pyongyang, however, poverty, famine and desperation are commonplace. AsiaPress, a Japanese based group advocating free journalism, has been training several North Koreans in the use of modern technology such as digital camera operation and cellphone use, so that the travesties and corruption of the DPRK can be revealed through honest eyes. The North Korean journalists risk theirs and their families lives to get the word out of the conditions in North Korea by bringing SD cards across the Chinese border for dissemination. Many of these reports can be found in the recently-released-in-English Rimjingang magazine.

Source: IT World

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/578

Nov 02

North Korean magazine of smuggled articles gets English treatement

Categories:

North Korea, South Korea

November 2, 2010

Rimjingang, a magazine that exposes smuggled material captured by North Korean citizens, is being released in English for the first time. The book is a compilation of past issues totalling nearly 500 pages, and is available for sale for 9000 yen, or ~$110 USD/CAD. Digital versions of the book will be made available in 2011. The materials within are provided by 8 clandestine journalists in the reclusive state, who smuggle digital video, photography and other information out of the country by means of modern tech such as cellphones and SD cards.

Source: The Mainichi Daily News

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/575

Nov 02

3 day South-North family reunions come to tearful close

Categories:

North Korea, Reunification, South Korea, War

November 2, 2010

The three day tour in Mt. Kumgang, North Korea, where families separated by the 60 year old Korean War have finally been reunited, has come to an end. Families separated by the war were both jubilant and saddened to have missed out on entire lifetimes without one another. Elderly family members sang songs, cried, held one another and shared family histories during the joint South/North reunion project. Families were devastated to be torn apart once more as they returned to their respective countries, likely never to see one another again. Four Korean War POWs from the South, previously believed to have been killed in action, were reunited for their families, leading the SK government to consider the status of other soldiers believed dead or missing. Both countries agree that more reunions are necessary, however the North has demanded concessions in the form of food and supplies aid in exchange. 80 000 elderly South Koreans are still estimated to have family in the North, uncontacted since the 1950-1953 war

Source: Yahoo! News via AFP

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/573

Oct 29

North Korea fires across border at South Korean guard post

Categories:

Military, North Korea, South Korea, War

October 29, 2010

Soldiers from the North Korean side of the DMZ fired two shots at a South Korean guardpost on the other side of the border. South Korean soldiers responded with three machine gun shots. No injuries were reported. While not uncommon for gun skirmishes to break out along the heavily fortified demilitarized zone, this incident occurs just ahead of the G20 summit in Seoul, an event that has many keeping one eye on the DPRK’s behaviour. The incident occurred in Hwacheon, approximately 120km north-east of Seoul.

Source: Yahoo! News via AFP

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/571

Oct 28

North Korea demanding massive aid in exchange for war reunions

Categories:

Economy, North Korea, South Korea, Tourism

October 28, 2010

North Korea has suddenly demanded 500 000 tonnes of rice and 300 000 tonnes of fertilizer in exchange for further family reunions between South and North Koreans. Scheduled for this Saturday at the jointly run Mt. Kumgang resort in North Korea, 100 people from either country will be reunited for the first time since being separated by the Korean War in the 50s. It will also mark the first reunions in over a year between the countries. South Korea wants the reunions to happen more often – as much as 9 times a year due to the rapidly aging population of Korean War families, but the DPRK is demanding aid in return for the reunions. The North is also trying to resume tours at the jointly run Mt. Kumgang resort, an important currency generator for a regime under harsh economic sanctions from much of the westernized world. Following a tourism ban in April after the Cheonan incident, the North seized property at the resort, and tours have halted ever since. South Korean officials have stated that further discussions will need to take place at a government level in the future, as right now talks involving reunions are managed by Red Cross organizations from both sides of the border.

Source: Yahoo! News via AFP

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/568

Oct 28

Canada steps up sanctions against DPRK

Categories:

Economy, North Korea

October 28, 2010

Canada, my home and native land, has announced foreign policy changes for dealing with North Korea today. Following the sinking of the Cheonan, in May 2010 Canada had announced that it had severed all diplomatic ties with the nation. Now it has increased restrictions, prohibiting imports and exports between the countries, as well as a ban on Canadian investment in North Korean firms. Ships and aircraft are also forbidden from landing in or passing through Canada as well. The only exceptions to these rules are for humanitarian efforts, such as providing food aid (which interestingly enough is all North Korea usually demands from foreign countries). Canada sent over 25,000 troops to Korea to fight on the South side in the 1950-53 Korean War, in which over 500 Canadian troops lost their lives.

Source: CBC

Permanent link to this article: http://www.openingupnorthkorea.com/archives/562

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