The History Book Club discussion
EAST ASIA
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THE KOREAS: SOUTH AND NORTH KOREA
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N.Korea says ready for both dialogue and war with US
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/...
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/a...
Source: The Associated Press
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by Peter Foster
Peter Foster moved to Beijing in March 2009. He was formerly the Daily Telegraph's South Asia Correspondent based New Delhi from 2004-2008. He is married with three children.
Source: The Telegraph - UK
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/pet...
Book discussed in article:
Barbara Demick
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North Korea denies involved in South ship sinking
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...
Source: The Washington Post
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Why is that one might ask?
For North Koreans, the jolliest holiday season of the year is in April. While the world celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ in December, North Korea honors the birth of its late founder Kim Il-Sung - who ruled from 1948 to 1994 - on April 15th.
Here is the article on April 15th celebrations in North Korea:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theworldnews...
Source: ABC News
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South Korea says it has uncovered a plot to assassinate a North Korean defector, the most senior official ever to have fled the authoritarian state.
Hwang Jang Yop, 87, was once a close confidant and mentor for North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
He was the former chairman of the North Korean Supreme People's Assembly, but he defected to the South in 1997.
Seoul says two suspected North Koreans have been arrested, accused of being on a mission to kill him.
The alleged plot was uncovered when the two men, posing as defectors themselves, were questioned by South Korean officials during the debriefing sessions that await all North Korean refugees who make it to Seoul.
North Korea, it seems, has never forgotten Mr Hwang's betrayal.
Just two weeks ago its official government website threatened him with death and described him as a "traitor and human scum".
Mr Hwang says he decided to defect after witnessing the disastrous economic policies that led to the North Korean famine in the 1990s.
Many of the close family members that he left behind are reported to have been sent to labour camps.
Since arriving in the South he lives under heavy police protection and remains a harsh critic of Pyongyang.
He recently travelled to the United States to give a lecture, telling journalists that he has no regrets.
Source: BBC News - Seoul
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacif...
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By REUTERS
Published: April 23, 2010
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday that North Korea should not take provocative actions following allegations it may have sunk a South Korean ship, and should resume talks on ending its nuclear programs.
"We have said time and time again that the North Koreans should not engage in provocative actions, and that they should return to six-party talks," she told reporters at a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Estonia.
South Korea on Friday gave the clearest signal to date that it had no plan to launch a revenge attack if it turns out, as widely suspected, that North Korea sank one of its navy vessels last month near their disputed border.
The reclusive North says it had nothing to do with the downing of the Cheonan, which sank after an explosion, killing 46 sailors. A South Korean military intelligence report leaked to the local media said the North had almost certainly torpedoed the ship.
"I hope that there is no talk of war, there is no action or miscalculation that could provoke a response that might lead to conflict. That's not in anyone's interests," Clinton added.
Remainder of article:
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/0...
Source: The World - New York Times
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Source: New York Times
Excerpt from article:
SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean military vowed revenge, but fell short of blaming North Korea by name, as the country gave an emotional farewell on Thursday to the sailors killed when their ship sank last month near a disputed sea border with the North.
If the ship is found to have been torpedoed by North Korea, as many South Koreans suspect, it will amount to one of the most serious provocations from the North in recent decades. Seoul has repeatedly vowed “stern countermeasures” but has said it will not not publicly discuss its options until an investigation is over.
Military retaliation was unlikely, analysts say.
“We’ll never forgive whoever inflicted this great pain on us,” said the Navy chief of staff, Kim Sung-chan, at a mass funeral for the victims on Thursday. “We will track them down to the end and we will, by all means, make them pay for this.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/wor...
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8...
North Korean team set off for World Cup in South Africa
North Korea's national football team has set off for South Africa ahead of the World Cup tournament there in June.
The country's vice premier Kwak Bom Gi joined the crowds at Pyongyang airport in the capital city to see off the players and coaching staff.
After qualifying for the first time since 1966, the team is in probably the toughest of the eight groups facing Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast.
They will play in several friendly matches in Europe later this month.
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Don't Go Wobbly On North Korea
Presidents Obama and Lee should suspend the Six Party Talks and focus on credible deterrence.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001...
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"A North Korean submarine's torpedo sank a South Korean navy ship on 26 March causing the deaths of 46 sailors, an international report has found.
Investigators said they had discovered part of the torpedo on the sea floor and it carried lettering that matched a North Korean design.
Pyongyang rejected the claim as a "fabrication", South Korea's Yonhap agency reported.
It said the North threatened war if sanctions were imposed by the South.
But South Korean President Lee Myung-bak pledged to take "stern action" against the North.
Remainder of article: BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia...
It is interesting to note Japan's statement as the act being "unforgiveable". The world has forgiven many things including Pearl Harbor. It is too bad that North Korea does not at the very least apologize for the incident if it was an error in judgment on the part of its military.
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US demands world response over Korea warship sinking
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia...
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/cana...
In some respects, it is good to integrate these folks into the world's atmosphere. I have no doubt that more interactions like these will somehow broaden the North Koreans' attitudes and horizons.
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Speakers:
Charles L. "Jack" Pritchard, President, Korea Economic Institute; Former Ambassador and Special Envoy for Negotiations, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; Co-Chair, Independent Task Force on U.S. Policy Toward the Korean Peninsula
Evans J.R. Revere, Senior Director, Albright Stonebridge Group; Member, Independent Task Force on U.S. Policy Toward the Korean Peninsula
Scott A. Snyder, Adjunct Senior Fellow for Korea Studies, Council on Foreign Relations; Director, Independent Task Force on U.S. Policy Toward the Korean Peninsula
Presider: David E. Sanger, Chief Washington Correspondent, New York Times
Introductory Speaker: Anya Schmemann, Task Force Program Director, Council on Foreign Relations
June 16, 2010
General Meeting: U.S. Policy Toward the Korean Peninsula: Report of a CFR-Sponsored Independent Task Force
CFR's Scott Snyder discussed the March 26 sinking of the South Korean corvette, Cheonan, which South Korea charges was caused by a North Korean torpedo.
While response to conflict on the Korean Peninsula and internal succession concerns have been posited as reasons for the attack, Snyder said, "One of the main reasons for this was that the North Koreans felt, realized, that South Korea was kind of moving forward without the North in its own diplomacy, and it was essentially a signal to the South: Don't leave us behind."
Addressing the potential for change in China's policy toward North Korea, Asia expert Evans Revere argued, "Chinese policy toward North Korea is still the preservation of stability more than anything."
However, he noted that "a number of Chinese and a number of Chinese newspapers have come out in fairly stark and strident terms to criticize North Korea, both in terms of its nuclear development and other developments."
This development, Revere said, "gives us some hope that perhaps we can continue to attack this issue with the Chinese and get them to move another few steps in a more positive and cooperative direction."
Comparing the Obama administration's policy on North Korea's nuclear program with its policy on Iran's program, Charles Pritchard, president of the Korea Economic Institute, claimed that the administration "made a determination that in the near and medium term, Iran is more problematic even though the similarities, or differences, between the programs are very distinct and unique."
Pritchard argued that North Korea poses a problem that must be addressed today. "Unless we're engaging them across the board on all these issues on a today basis, an urgency basis, we're going to find that North Korea in tomorrow's threat is far greater than Iran," he said.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations
Video: http://www.cfr.org/publication/22455/...
I find the story circulating about the North Koreans soccer supporters being paid actor's, typical of the mystery that surround this country. According to numerous sources at the world cup their had been no sighting of North Korean supporters other than at the game.On another note I was very excited to see this thread on North Korea. I have a great interest on this last bastion of Communism, and the cult of personality of it's leader. If nothing it's impressive in this day and age how a country can keep it's self so isolated. I look forward to looking at the above links, should keep me busy during night shift.
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US Warns North Korea Against Aggravating Tension
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/...
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It does appear as the article alleges that North Korea may be bragging about the sinking of the South Korean ship. Very sad if true.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/17/wor...
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North Korean eyes open as Hillary Clinton passes by
By Kim Ghattas
BBC News, South Korea
The curious North Korean soldier peering through the window must have had quite the surprise.
Instead of the usual group of camera-toting tourists inside the sky blue building straddling the demilitarised border between North and South Korea, two high-profile visitors and their retinue of advisors and bodyguards were being briefed by an American commander from the UN Central Command.
The Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Robert Gates, the defence secretary, did not peek back
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-...
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Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010
http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org...
Source: NTI
Bentley,
I'm wondering if you've read any Bruce Cumings? He is sometimes called (and dismissed as) a "New Left" historian. His focus is East Asia in general and Korea in particular, and so far I've been impressed with his scholarship. Here are a couple of books that may be of interest on this thread. (Author photos not available.)
Mark Edward Harris Bruce Cumings
Bruce Cumings
I'm wondering if you've read any Bruce Cumings? He is sometimes called (and dismissed as) a "New Left" historian. His focus is East Asia in general and Korea in particular, and so far I've been impressed with his scholarship. Here are a couple of books that may be of interest on this thread. (Author photos not available.)
Mark Edward Harris Bruce Cumings
Bruce Cumings
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North Korea succession: Kim Jong Il appoints Jang Song Taek caretaker for Kim Jong Eun
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...
It is crazy-three Kim's ruling the country. Now will Jang Song Taek relinquish power once Kim is old enough??? We will see if the clan is a very strong one or in-fighting will ensue. Good post, Bentley, thanks.
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What are they thinking..I guess they want to spread their own propaganda.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/08/...
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Ex-US President Carter frees American from North Korea
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11105918
Former US President Jimmy Carter has secured the release of an American citizen detained in North Korea.
Aijalon Mahli Gomes, 31, was sentenced to eight years' hard labour in April, after being found guilty of illegally entering the country from China.
Mr Carter met senior North Korean officials after arriving in Pyongyang on Wednesday.
He will fly back to the US on Friday with Mr Gomes, a devout Christian who had entered North Korea in January.
I just finished
by:
Barbara Demick. It was very informative.I chose to read Nothing to Envy because North Korea has always facsinated me with its hermit reputation. Living in a very open society I couldn't imagine living in a place with such strong information controls. Also, I have a friend near Seoul, South Korea right now teaching English -- every time North Korea rattles her sabber I get extra worried. So it seemed additionally important to me to learn more about the neighbor of South Korea.
The weakness of the book is that the only North Koreans that Demick could interview candidly are defectors. So the accounts are from people who have fled North Korea, and we don't learn much about those who have stayed.
North Korean society is very tightly controlled. As students graduate from high school's equivalent and start to apply to colleges they find more often than not that more than their grades are in play -- their father's or grandfather's role in the Korean War is one deciding factor. A family member speaking out against the regime might be another. No one in North Korea speaks openly about their thoughts on the regime -- not even to their family because anyone who over hears anything is required to report what they hear or be considered a conspirator themsleves. It's a unique form of self-preservation.
North Korea is presented by Barbara Demick as a dark, cold, unelectrified country, which cannot raise its own food, provide paper for schools, or run its own trains. It takes three day to get from Pyongyang to Chongjin on a good trip -- a distance of some three hundred miles. The first chapter is headed by a satelite picture of eastern Asia. South Korea and China positively glow, North Korea is dark except for a tiny spot around Pyongyang.
Barbara Demick describes the culture of North Korea imposed by Kim Il-sung and continued by Kim Jung-il as "the least humane elelments of Confusianism and combined them with Stalinism."
This book tugs at your heart and make you sympathize with the North Korean people. I highly recommend it.
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(AP) – 2 hours ago
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/a...
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North Korea, in Secret, Moves Toward Anointing a New Kim
By Bill Powell Wednesday, Sep. 08, 2010
Only in North Korea — the world's most opaque, secretive state — could the country's most important political conclave in 30 years appear to be imminent and yet entirely shrouded in mystery. It was rumored this week that delegates from all over the country are streaming to Pyongyang for the first congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 1980. But no one in authority has said publicly when the event would start, how many days it would run or what the agenda and purpose of the meeting might be.
http://www.time.com/time/world/articl...
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...
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South's first aid shipment to its neighbour since warship row in March is latest sign cross-border tensions are easing
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/...
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First mention of possible heir and youngest son in secretive state media
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39376492/...
Source: MSNBC
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North Korea's Kim paves way for family succession
A rare meeting of North Korea's ruling party has opened the way for Kim Jong-il to hand power to his youngest son.
The Workers' Party has not met for 30 years and Kim Jong-un's appointment as general is seen as a major promotion.
State media said his father had been re-elected as leader although he is thought to be in poor health.
North Korea's succession is being closely watched because of its nuclear programme and hostility with South Korea
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-...
Source: BBC
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As speculation mounts about a possible succession, the BBC looks at the people closest to leader Kim Jong-il.
A Who's Who of the closest family members:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-...
Source: BBC
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By the CNN Wire Staff
September 29, 2010 -- Updated 1352 GMT (2152 HKT)
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asi...
Some good videos: Source = CNN
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Vice Guide to North Korea Episode 1 of 3
Synopsis:
In the Vice Guide to Travel, correspondents from Vice Television travel the globe. Next stop: North Korea!
Getting into North Korea was one of the hardest and weirdest processes VBS has ever dealt with. After we went back and forth with their representatives for months, they finally said they were going to allow 16 journalists into the country to cover the Arirang Mass Games in Pyongyang.
Then, ten days before we were supposed to go, they said, “No, nobody can come.” Then they said, “OK, OK, you can come. But only as tourists.” We had no idea what that was supposed to mean.
They already knew we were journalists, and over there if you get caught being a journalist when you’re supposed to be a tourist you go to jail. We don’t like jail. And we’re willing to bet we’d hate jail in North Korea. But we went for it.
The first leg of the trip was a flight into northern China. At the airport, the North Korean consulate took our passports and all of our money, then brought us to a restaurant.
We were sitting there with our tour group, and suddenly all the other diners left and these women came out and started singing North Korean nationalist songs. We were thinking, “Look, we were just on a plane for 20 hours. We’re jet-lagged. Can we just go to bed?” but this guy with our group who was from the LA Times told us, “Everyone in here besides us is secret police. If you don’t act excited then you’re not going to get your visa.
So we got drunk and jumped up onstage and sang songs with the girls. The next day we got our visas. A lot of people we had gone with didn’t get theirs. That was our first hint at just what a freaky, freaky trip we were embarking on…
— VBS Founder Shane Smith
http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/...
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http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/...
Humorous and sad at the same time.
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http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/...
Shane was a bit irreverent but he certainly captured the feel of the place. It is a shame; when you watch those talented children.
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In North Korean Photos, a General Trend Emerges
The biggest winner of this week's North Korea leadership shuffle—apart from Kim Jong Il's son, who is being positioned to take over the authoritarian regime's leadership—appears to be a little-known general whose several promotions have put him at the literal center of the country's political elite.
"The general, Ri Yong Ho, sat between Kim Jong Il and his son, Kim Jong Eun, in an official photo of nearly 300 officials that was taken at the end of the high-profile meeting of the ruling Workers' Party. The image promises to be studied by intelligence agencies and scholars against previous occasional "class photos" of the Pyongyang elite for clues about who is up and who is down in the secretive regime."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001...
The History Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Korea: A New History of South and North (other topics)The Korean War: A History (other topics)
The Korean War: A History (other topics)
Without You, There Is No Us: My Time with the Sons of North Korea's Elite (other topics)
North Korea: State of Paranoia: A Modern History (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Victor Cha (other topics)Bruce Cumings (other topics)
Bruce Cumings (other topics)
Suki Kim (other topics)
Paul French (other topics)
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http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/new...