Simon Says

NKzone

NK Opens to US tourists (briefly!)
by Simon Cockerell

Simon
What reason did North Korea allow U.S tourists in 1995, 2002, and 2005? There has to be a specific one. Every year, 400,000 South Korean tourists visit North Korea. Does that number not seem a little bit low to you? Does North Korea seem like a country that can be competitive in the global tourism industry(I kinda doubt Alejandro Cao de Benos is providing his country with valuable service...)?

Knightof...- In 2002 it was for the last Arirang performances and in 1995 it was for the Pyongyang peace and friendship festival (Mass Games and that sort of thing) Ohhhhhh! None other?

400,000 South Koreans sounds very high to me, Me to...

I seem to remember reading recently that Hyundai's Kumgangsan resort had recently had its millionth visitor and that is after 5 or so year of being open, there are only a handful of South Korean tourists in DPRK proper every year, more of course now that they day trip to Kaesong across the DMZ, where is that number from by the way?

I dont think NK can compete with other countries in too many ways in temrs of tourism, as anyone who has been there will testify; their infrastructure is poor and the low numbers of tourists combined with strict regulations on what you can and cant do does not encourage flexibility, we try to change this but it is a slow process. I respect honesty.


The main thing in my mind that NK has going for it to attract tourists is the fact that it exists what kind of nihilism is that? and the kind of country that it is (some posters please restrain yourself from misinterpreting the meaning of this and typing polemics accusing us of appeasement and apologism, count to 10...) AllRight...

"the 'last bastion of Communism', 'Axis of Evil', 'Hermit Kingdom' etc.. this is what attracts the (weird)western tourists in my experience,if it were to collapose i imagine tourism would rise as access improves"

Of course! This is what NEEEEEEDS to happen...

"but the people who want to go now want to be the ones who can say they were there in the days of the nuclear crisis,"

???WHY???
Please. Why?

Can't seem to get a view of my appearance on the illustrious ashesoftyranny due to the usual China-based blog-viewing issues, the program I usually use to look at the verboten stuff is playing silly-buggers today, anyone with any other sites that will let me sidestep the Chinese censors please let me know.

I can help you out there Simon... ANY OTHER SITE IN THE ENTIRE (FREE!) FUCKING WORLD. Don't be pro-communism, and then cry and whine because of what it offers, dude.

IT'S OFFICIAL! The Ashes of Tyranny is censored in China(not ONE hit)
Why? Who the FUCK knows...

Unproductive

Pyongyang, September 23, 2005 (KCNA) -- UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Sept. 21 met Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Choe Su Hon who is leading the DPRK delegation to the 60th Session of the UN General Assembly. Such an illustrious history... The adoption of a joint statement at the recent six-party talks has been very encouraging, he said, adding that this provided YET another breakthrough in the settlement of the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula. Zzzzzzzzzzz

On hand were some members of the DPRK delegation, the permanent representative of the DPRK in the UN, the UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and the political director of the Executive Office of the secretary general...

I'm really "caught up" and "informed" now....

Policy Directive

SEPTEMBER 24, 2005 By Jong sik Kong Jung-Ahn Kim
Donga.com

North Korea’s Deputy Foreign Minister Choe Su Hon announced on September 22 (U.S. time) that Pyongyang would welcome U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Asia and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill if he visits the country to resolve the nuclear standoff between the two nations.

Will American Red Cross officials be allowed free access to the country? What is more important?

Choe, on his visit to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting, made these remarks to the reporters after his speech at UN Headquarters.

North Korea needs the U.N now? Just like the C.B.C, the U.N is experiencing technical difficulties...

He also seemed to back down from the original position that there would be no dismantlement of nuclear programs without first being given a light-water reactor when he said, “Our demand for a light-water reactor is not a prerequisite to implementing the recently-issued joint statement.” Oh! Everything is just A FUCKING O.K then, you insane freak-specimens...

Choe added, “All issues will be discussed in the follow-up talks (slated for November). Demand for light-water reactor assistance must not hinder making progress on the six-party talk agreements for the de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

I guess the memory retention of American officials has 24 hour time spans, in North Korealand...

Big talkers...

Sept. 23, 2005 (Bloomberg) By Bill Varner-- North Korea's plan to halt food aid programs by the end of the year could cause the deaths of about 125,000 children and needs to be altered, the head of United Nations emergency relief operations said.
Alterations! What? The "emergency" relief operation, or the U.N?

WHAT KIND OF AN "EMERGENCY" LASTS FOR YEARS UPON YEARS!?!?!

UN Assistant Secretary-General Jan Egeland told reporters in New York today that he is trying to convince North Korean officials to ``phase out'' the aid programs during a longer period and broaden the definition of development programs that could continue.
Might "broaden" mean the U.N could, possibly... Actually DO something about the PROBLEM? Or does the United States of America needed to shoulder the entire burden of all the world's problems. Yet again...

Seven percent of the 1.8 million children under 5 years old in North Korea are starving, Egeland said.

"We are very concerned because we think this is too abrupt, after eleven years of aid to survive, how does one define "abrupt"? '' Egeland said. Nice adjective Mr. Verner. You literally used the same one 13 words ago. "They have had a good harvest, after a total collapse of their farming in the mid-1990s, but they will not be able to have enough food unless aid programs continue.'' They sure TALK like they do...

Important. Unlike the C.B.C.

This 53 minute P.B.S program is essential to understanding the North Korean nuclear issue.

It reminds me of the way the C.B.C reports American news...

Crimes on Increase in S. Korea
Pyongyang, September 21, 2005 (KCNA) -- The number of crimes is on steady increase in south Korea, according to a report of the KBS of south Korea on September 18. Last year witnessed at least 1,968,000 criminal cases or an increase of 3.9 percent over that in the previous year(???????).

Crime is a non-existant entity under Juche Theory.
So is journalism.

DelaBEware

I REALLY like the cut of this dudes jargon...

Delaware Online September 22, 2005

It's a good thing we didn't break out the balloons and noise makers. That breakthrough nuclear weapons deal with North Korea fizzled fairly quickly.

I didn't. I'm intellegent.

About 24 hours after diplomats were cheering an agreement to rid North Korea of big-league weapons, the faceless bureaucrats of Pyongyang started tacking on conditions that no one else agreed to.

I think it's possible the "faceless bureaucrats" of North Korea tacked on conditions no one knew existed.

Monday's euphoria is already turning to gloom. Or is it?
Uh, well... The North Korea's situation has always been "gloomy"

Some U.S. diplomats attribute North Korea's contradictory statements to predictable propaganda. In other words, the North Koreans are lying.

When you tell two sides of a story 100% of the time, something has to give sooner or later. One day they are free of nuclear weapons, next day they are ready to "stifle" the U.S "with nuke".

Perhaps we should be grateful for the letdown. It might make us more realistic. No one should trust Kim Jong Il. Look at how he fooled President Bill Clinton in the 1990s. Kim is a murderous thug, responsible for the deaths of about two million of his own people and the malnutrition of countless more. His statements and behavior are -- how shall we say it? -- unpredictable.

Here! Here!

Vigilance Against Evil

Vigilance against U.S. Attempt for Preemptive Nuclear Attack Called for
Pyongyang, September 21, 2005 (KCNA) -- A draft "doctrine for joint nuclear operation" was made public by the U.S. Department of Defense on Sept. 10. According to it, the field U.S. army commanders may request the U.S. president to allow the use of nuclear weapons in different "emergency cases" for mounting a preemptive attack on "enemy's" weapons of mass destruction yup, countering dangerous conventional weapons nope, putting an early end to war and the like. :) Yes, just like your buddies, Japan. Speaking of which... Why IS it, Japan is so prosperous AND so free (of Anti-U.S propaganda)? It can't have anything to do with the U.S, can it? Rodong Sinmun Wednesday says this in a signed commentary. The U.S. intention to amend the doctrine under the pretext of what it calls "emergency" is a dangerous attempt to drastically widen the scope of using nuclear weapons and extremely reduce its limit and thus justify its preemptive use of nuclear weapons in any region and country in case of considering it necessary, the commentary says, Easy solution. Don't build nuclear weapons...

and this pure evil goes on:

This is intended to trample down with nuke upon those anti-U.S. independent countries which stand firm against its pressure and threat. It is the U.S. stereotype trick to accuse those countries disobedient to its words of "keeping weapons of mass destruction and "developing biological and chemical weapons" and make a military attack at random under this pretext. What is all the more serious is that the first target of the doctrine is none other than the DPRK. Uhhh ya! No fuckin shit! You Einsteins haven't exactly helped your cause publishing this twisted, demented propaganda, for... How long? Clear is the ulterior intention of the U.S. talking about settlement of the nuclear issue through dialogue under the pretext of the six-party talks this is not a "clear" sentence in anyway. Translator sick day or something. In a word, it is to disarm the DPRK and stifle it with nuke I'm sure that sentence meant "love and hope from Dear Leader" back in Pyongyang. The U.S. attempt to amend the doctrine is a climax of its open nuclear threat and moves to stifle the DPRK. But the DPRK stands squarely against any U.S. nuclear threat. It is fully ready to decisively control a preemptive nuclear attack with a strong retaliatory blow even if the U.S. commits it any moment. Who's afraid of North Korea anyway. Really. The DPRK is proud to see how wise it was that it has strengthened all its deterrent force in line with the Songun policy to cope with the U.S. moves for a nuclear preemptive attack against it. How does one "cope" with becoming radioactive dust? The DPRK cannot remain indifferent towards the U.S. attempt at a preemptive nuclear attack and will steadily strengthen its war deterrent to defend national sovereignty and security with supreme vigilance. So? So what! Who cares? North Korea threatens no one but North Koreans, in reality.

Guard Change

Chosun Septembet 20, 2005
U.S. President George W. Bush has named Gen. Burwell B. Bell as the next commander of the U.S. Forces Korea to replace popular forces chief Gen. Leon La Porte, USFK command announced Tuesday.
LaPorte will pass the baton of leadership of Combined Forces Command and United Nations Command to Bell early next year. He took over the helm of USFK on May 1, 2002, becoming the longest serving commander of the forces here.

It's a joke... Right?

Pyongyang, September 20, 2005 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry issued a statement in connection with the close of the fourth six-party talks. Its full text reads as follows: Statement of a Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea The second phase of the fourth six-party talks on the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S. and South Korea and Japan that opened in Beijing on Sept. 13, drawing the attention of the international community on North Korea, closed on Sept. 19. The talks that started on the DPRK's positive initiative in August 2003 threats of nuclear proliferation are a "positive initiative"?!?!? were held several times for the last more than two years, repeatedly going through twists and turns pulled solely by the K.C.N.A. The talks, however, repeatedly proved fruitless and unproductive due to the North Korean government conflicting stands among the parties concerned, contrary to the unanimous expectation of the international community toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We have approached the talks with magnanimity, patience and sincerity, proceeding from the principled, fair and aboveboard stand to achieve the general goal of the denuclearization of the peninsula at any cost except the cost of North Korea NOT having nuclear weapons. As a result, we have at last succeeded in meeting all these challenges, making it possible to agree on the joint statement, "verbal commitments". The joint statement reflects our consistent stand on the settlement of the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S. and, at the same time, the commitments of the U.S. and south Korea responsible for denuclearizing the whole of the peninsula. As already known, the issue over which the DPRK and the U.S. have had most serious differences in the "verbal commitments" to denuclearize the peninsula so far was the issue of the former's right to nuclear activity for a peaceful purpose, to be specific, the issue of the U.S. provision of light water reactors (LWR) to the former. It was due to these differences that the first phase of the fourth talks held in August last was compelled to go into recess without yielding any desired fruits and they wonder why... The present U.S. administration, denying in principle the DPRK the right to nuclear activity for a peaceful purpose which pertains to an independent right of a sovereign state, insisted that it could not provide LWRs in any case under the pretext that the DPRK pulled out of the NPT and is no longer member of the IAEA. That's Right! Opposing this wrong stand of the U.S., we made it clear that the basis of finding a solution to the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S. is to wipe out the distrust historically created between the two countries and a physical groundwork for building bilateral confidence is none other than the U.S. provision of LWRs to the DPRK. This is not diplomacy. THIS IS FUCKING BLACKMAIL!!! We strongly demanded that the U.S. remove the very cause that compelled the DPRK to withdraw from the NPT by providing LWRs to it. Is a light water reactor the only thing keeping North Korea from being a third world country? No. At the talks, all the parties concerned except the U.S. supported the discussion of the issue of respecting the DPRK's right to nuclear activity for a peaceful purpose and providing LWRs to it. This time the U.S. delegation got in touch with Washington several times under the pressure of the trend of the situation and had no option but to withdraw its assertion. The six-parties agreed to take harmonious measures to implement phase by phase the points agreed on in the joint statement in accordance with the principle of "action for action" in the days ahead. As clarified in the joint statement, we will return to the NPT and sign the Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA and comply with it immediately upon the U.S. provision of LWRs, a basis of confidence-building, to us I fucking doubt it. As already clarified more than once, we will feel no need to keep even a single nuclear weapon if the DPRK-U.S. relations are normalized, bilateral confidence is built and we are not exposed to the U.S. nuclear threat any longer. What is most essential is, therefore, for the U.S. to provide LWRs to the DPRK as early as possible as evidence proving the former's substantial recognition of the latter's nuclear activity for a peaceful purpose. The U.S. should not even dream of the issue of the DPRK's dismantlement of its nuclear deterrent before providing LWRs, a physical guarantee for confidence-building. This is our just and consistent stand as solid as a deeply rooted rock. We have so far shaped our policies towards the U.S. hardliners and will do so in the future, too. One should wait and see how the U.S. will move in actuality at the phase of "action for action" in the future don't worry, I will but should it again insist on "the DPRK's dismantlement of nuclear weapons before the provision of LWRs", there will be no change in the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S. I'm fucking shocked and its consequences will be very serious and complicated for North Korea. If the U.S. opts for reneging on its promise, is this a joke or just pure hypocracy??? we will go ahead without an inch of deflection And I will contiue this blog... Without an ince of deflection...along the road indicated by the Songun line, our faith and signpost.

Ted Turner's Abnormality

I think I now know why Dan Rather was crying when he talked about the current media environment. Now, it's not like a story highlighting the insanity of left-wing nutjob Ted Turner, is going to shock me. Just read what he has to say, or you can listen to how he talks. Do I(!) really have to point out something here is not quite normal.
The full story is here, Text of clip, MP3 audio clip

Brent Baker, September 19, 2005

Blitzer: "Trust, but verify,' as they used to say. We want to talk a little bit more about today's developments involving North Korea with CNN founder and Chairman of Turner Enterprises, Ted Turner. He's joining us once again from New York. You spent some time recently in North Korea, Ted. Did this agreement come to you as a surprise?"

Ted Turner: "No. No. I talked with quite a few of the North Korean leaders and South Korean leaders, too, and spent really the most time with the head negotiator for North Korea. And I was really over there to try and persuade North and South Korea to make the DMZ into an international peace park when, fuck the freedom thing huh Ted, as long as they have a "peace park" when they sign a peace treaty, which I anticipate will be fairly soon, now that we have the six-party talks, we have another agreement there that will be broken, again. But I had a great time *snicker*. I am absolutely convinced that the North Koreans are absolutely sincere . There's really no reason -- no reason for them to cheat or do anything to violate this very forward agreement. what reason did they have up until this day, TO violate agreements? I mean, I think we can put the North Korea and East Asia problems behind us and concentrate on Iran and Iraq, where, where we still have some ongoing difficulties." O.K, fair point. The problems of the average North Korean won't just go away when America does.

Blitzer: "I've got to tell you, Ted, given the record of North Korea, especially the fact that, in the Clinton administration in '93-'94, they made a similar pledge, which they violated and they backed out of, I'm not exactly sure that I accept all your optimism." I guess it takes a guy like Ted Turner to make a guy like Wolf Blizer look fair and unbiased, and impartial

Turner: "Well, you know, I was optimistic about the Cold War when I got to Russia, too. But I looked them right in the eyes. Wowza! Looked WHO in the eyes? And they looked like they meant the truth. I mean, you know, just because somebody's done something wrong in the past doesn't mean they can't do right in the future or in the present Like who? Muammar Al Qadhafi? . That happens all the, all the time." Where? When? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT BRAINWAVE?!?!
Blitzer: "But this is one of the most despotic regimes and Kim Jong Il is one of the worst men on Earth. Isn't that a fair assessment?" That is a VERY fair fucking assessment, in my opinion.

Turner: "Well, I didn't get, I didn't get to meet him, but he didn't look, in the pictures that I've seen of him on CNN, he didn't look too much different than most other people."

Blitzer: "But look at the way, look at the way he's, look at the way he's treating his own people."
Turner:"Well, hey, listen. I saw a lot of people over there. Well, hey, listen... WHO THE FUCK CARES? They were thin nice observation. Did you learn your observatory skill in journalism school? and they were riding bicycles instead of driving in cars, you don't say but ah"
Blitzer: "Lot of those people are starving." Well, hey, listen Mr. Turner... Wolf is currently conducting REAL journalism as he speaks

Turner: "I didn't see, I didn't see any, I didn't see any brutality in the capital or out in the, on the DMZ. We went, we visit, drove through the countryside quite a bit to get down to Panmunjom and Kaesong. We traveled around. Great story. I'm sure we were on a special route, but I don't see, there's really no reason, North Korea's got enough problems with their, with their economy and their agriculture how did this dumbass ever become a billionare anyway. I think they want to join the western world and improve the quality of life for their people just like everybody else. And I think that we should give them another chance. It doesn't cost us anything. Light water nuclear reactors are free? Where can I get one? We already have had agreements, what happened with those agreements Ted? and North Korea never posed any significant threat to the United States just North Koreans. I mean, the whole economy of North Korea's only $30 billion a year. It's less than the city of Detroit. It's a small place, and we do not have to worry about them attacking us."

Blitzer: "You know, they have a million troops within literally a few miles"

Turner: "A half million." Ziiiiiing!

Blitzer: "Well, best estimates are a million. A million troops along the DMZ."

Turner: "We have a half a million troops, of which 28,000 are Americans and they've been there for 50 years. One of the things I said in both North and South Korea is it's time to end the Korean War officially and move on. And get those hundreds of thousands of young men that are sitting there back building hospitals and roads and schools in North where they are ALL enslaved by communism and South Korea and improving the gross national product. It's just a waste of time and energy for them to sit there." ???????????

Blitzer: "I think the bottom line, though, Ted, and I think you'd agree, they had this opportunity in the '90s, when they signed this first agreement and they cheated. They didn't live up to it. Now they have a second chance. I hope you're right. I certainly do."

Turner: "Well I hope I'm right, too ahahaha. But you know it's, in the Bible says uhhhh ohhhhh. Hey this ain't FOX! you're supposed to forgive seven times seventy, or something like that, hmmmm, seems like Ted is not quite a biblical scholar, and yet he still talks like he is... Could the same apply for his views on Kim Jong Il? but just because, just because, you know, I mean, in 1940, the Germans were our enemies. For the last 50 years, they've been our allies. Really? Same with the Russians were our enemies before '91 when the Cold War ended. Let's give 'em a break. yea, let's give Kim Jong Il a break. Give 'em a break A break in his fucking skull. And besides, even if they do -- even if they do threaten us again, the threat is non-existent to the United States. They can't threaten us. I mean, it's like a fleet attacking an elephant."

Blitzer: "What about those ground to ground missiles that they have, and the CIA-

"Turner: "They can't reach us." Zing #2. Is there a point here?

Blitzer: "Well, they can reach Japan. They can reach South Korea. They can reach a lot of our allies-"

Turner: "They can't reach the USA, and we can pound them into, into oblivion in 24 hours."
So by Ted Turners logic, as long as a country does not have sufficient strength, peace must be forced at all costs, under any circumstance.

Blitzer: "But, you don't want to get, you don't want to get to that. There are some estimates, by the way, that could reach Alaska."

Turner: "Well, what, the Aleutian Islands? There's nothing up there but a few sea lions."
Fuck, I'm convinced. The man is a master (de)bater.

Blitzer: "Well, you know, this is a serious issue. I hope you're right, as I said-"

Turner: "I know it's a serious issue, oh, now I know he knows it's a serious issue. I mean, I didn't go over there to waste my time." Well ya did...

Blitzer: "No, no, no. I'm just, I'm just saying the point you said-"

Turner: "Have you ever been there?" That's relevant. I am as impressed with his visits to North Korea, as I was with Sean Penn's visit to Baghdad.

Blitzer: "I've been to South Korea. I've been to the DMZ."

Turner: "Have you ever been to North Korea?" Ted, normal people do not go to North Korea for the fucking "FUN" of it.

Blitzer: "No, I've never been to North Korea."

Turner: "Well, you know, I mean, at least go up there and look in their eyes and have a chat with them before you -- before you accuse them of-" Oh, so by his logic, only people that have BEEN to the country can discuss it or critizise it's government with any authority. What does that make me?

Blitzer: "By the way, I've made several requests, but they haven't let me into North Korea. But maybe if I go with you the next time they'll let me in."
Hahahahaha! Yea, Ted... also, for the most part, NORMAL PEOPLE ARE NOT ALLOWED INTO NORTH KOREA.

Turner: "Alright, I'll take you. I took Christiane Amanpour with me this time."
Thanks for dragging the one person I respected a little on your whole network, into this shitpile with you... Ya evil pinko whackjob fuck!

Reality Check

Chosun September 19, 2005
Six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear arms program on Monday adopted a statement of principles after all. Its gist is that North Korea will scrap all its nuclear weapons and weapons-related programs, and that the United States will guarantee the North's security and start normalizing relations with the North...

I could not have expressed my angry, skeptical sarcasm better.

...The steps Pyongyang takes in scrapping its nuclear weapons and weapons-related programs will be answered with a timetable for rewards such as diplomatic relations with the U.S. and Japan and free electricity from South Korea.

Chosun are the first ones, to use the term "FREE ELECTRICITY" instead of "energy aid"...

But whether or not things will ever get that far depends on the reactor problem. The international community shares a view that although the provision of light water reactors to Pyongyang was promised a decade ago on the assumption that it is very difficult to make weapons-grade nuclear materials from this type of reactor, it can be done, and it is therefore better for North Korea to have no nuclear facilities at all...

This argument can be made on many many more levels than JUST the weapons aspect.

...But our government must now cease the next phase, where the details of give-and-take are worked out, to persuade the North. It must make Pyongyang clearly understand that the provision of 2 million kilowatts of free electricity is premised on North Korea giving up any thought of nuclear reactors. North Korea must be made to realize that any notion it may have entertained of taking the free electricity from the South and getting the reactors as well is a pipe dream.

Tell it like it is dudes.

Pace Change

Pyongyang, September 19 (KCNA) -- A joint statement was issued at the six-party talks held in Beijing. Its full text is as follows: For the cause of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia at large, the Six Parties held, in the spirit of mutual respect and equality, serious and practical talks concerning the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula on the basis of the common understanding of the previous three rounds of the talks, and agreed, in this context, to the following:
1. The Six Parties unanimously reaffirmed that the goal of the Six-Party talks is the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner. I kinda have doubts they have taken this goal all that seriously The DPRK committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and returning, at an early date, to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to IAEA safeguards. Shucks! How nice of you... The United States affirmed that it has no nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula and has no intention to attack or invade the DPRK with nuclear or conventional weapons. They never did. They will still have nuclear submarines on the ready. The ROK reaffirmed its commitment not to receive or deploy nuclear weapons in accordance with the 1992 Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, while affirming that there exist no nuclear weapons within its territory. The 1992 Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula should be observed and implemented by South Korea. The DPRK stated that it has the right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The other parties expressed their respect and agreed to discuss, at an appropriate time, the subject of the provision of light water reactor to the DPRK i.e The D.P.R.K TRIED to get a little something more out of the "deal", and failed
2. The Six Parties undertook, in their relations, to abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and recognized norms of international relations. The DPRK and the United States undertook to respect each other's sovereignty, exist peacefully together, and take steps to normalize their relations subject to their respective bilateral policies Read it now folks, it may be a while before the K.C.N.A refers to the U.S in this manner. The DPRK and Japan undertook to take steps to normalize their relations in accordance with the Pyongyang Declaration, on the basis of the settlement of unfortunate past and the outstanding issues of concern took long enough.
3. The Six Parties undertook to promote economic cooperation in the fields of energy, trade and investment, bilaterally and/or multilaterally. China, Japan, ROK, Russia and the US stated their willingness to provide energy assistance to the DPRK. The ROK reaffirmed its proposal of July 12th 2005 concerning the provision of 2 million kilowatts of electric power to the DPRK. Fucking grand larceny. Did this dictatorship ever rob the fuck out of everyone. I guess Iran should be next on the list to receive free energy from other countries.
4. The Six Parties committed to joint efforts for lasting peace and stability in Northeast Asia. The directly related parties will negotiate a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula at an appropriate separate forum. The Six Parties agreed to explore ways and means for promoting security cooperation in Northeast Asia. Will it involve the K.C.N.A?
5. The Six Parties agreed to take coordinated steps to implement the afore-mentioned consensus in a phased manner in line with the principle of "commitment for commitment, action for action". Until North Korea decides it won't live up to it's commitment.
6. The Six Parties agreed to hold the Fifth Round of the Six-Party Talks in Beijing in early November 2005 at a date to be determined through consultations.
Well, perhaps the nuclear issue is on the way to being settled after all.
There IS still the "minor" problem of 25 million oppressed North Koreans...

I'm skeptical...

By Mark Magnier and Barbara Demick
Los Angeles Times
BEIJING, September 19, 2005 -- North Korea pledged today to end its nuclear weapons program and rejoin global treaties aimed at stemming the spread of atomic arms in return for energy aid fuck... all North Korea had to do was threaten the world with nukes, TO GET FREE ENERGY!!!
and diplomatic recognition. During a news conference at the White House today, President Bush called the agreement "a positive step." "It was a step forward in making this world a more secure place," Bush said. He added, "The question is, over time, will all parties adhere to the agreement?"According to a joint statement by the six nations involved in negotiations for more than two years, Pyongyang "committed to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and to return at an early date to the nonproliferation treaty of nuclear weapons." It also said North Korea would accept International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. In other matters, the U.S. and North Korea agreed to respect each other's sovereignty, a key Pyongyang demand, and to take steps to normalize diplomatic relations. In return for Pyongyang's accord what exactly did North Korea GIVE to others, in this "accord", the other nations agreed that North Korea had the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and said they would discuss providing it a light-water reactor in the future. WHY??? FOR WHAT REASON??? Pyongyang's demand for a civilian nuclear energy program has been a major stumbling block in this seven-day round of talks. The United States remains fearful that North Korea might divert spent nuclear fuel to weapons — a step the communist nation is believed to have taken in the past. Washingtonn affirmed that it had no nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula and no intention of attacking North Korea
They do have these things called "BOOMERS" though, which the Bush administration has in the past characterized as a member of an "axis of evil" and as an "outpost of tyranny". The announcement marked the first time in the lengthy negotiations that any agreement had been announced. Details are still to be worked out, and the parties agreed to hold another round of talks in Beijing in November.
"This is real progress, and a big achievement," said Zhang Liangui, a North Korea expert at the Central Party School in Beijing. "It's a milestone." A big achievement, huh? If this was a milestone, THEN WHAT THE FUCK WAS THIS?!?!?!









American intelligence in North Korea...
NOW!

Nation Bank

Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- The North East Asia Bank of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea a.k.a Kim's Bank has introduced IC credit card. In order to modernize its settlement business, the bank has issued credit cards for the first time in the country with the help of the Information Technology Center No. 626. The IC card ensures the safety of the data registered in it. And it is impossible to counterfeit The North Koreans do know a thing or two about counterfeiting it so as to prevent money from being lost. Six kinds of currencies can be deposited in a card at a time. With this card, one can exchange money instantly without going to a money exchange booth. A card can be shared by several persons (family members, relatives, friends, etc.). The bank enjoys popularity among depositors. They are mistaking a lack of competitive choice with popularity.

Banner Year

BURT HERMAN
BEIJING (AP, CBC) September 18, 2005 - The United Nations will end a decade of emergency food shipments to North Korea by January at the request of the impoverished nation's government, which says it has enough food coming from other sources, a UN official said Sunday. It took Kim ten years of tyrant practice to learn how to feed his people... Richard Ragan, head of the World Food Program's office in Pyongyang, said the agency will focus on development projects in North Korea. Nuclear development? Discussions are continuing with donors to find support for the shift, he said in a telephone interview while in Beijing. North Korea has made requests to halt emergency food aid in the past, and Ragan said officials for the communist regime told him they believed they are now able to meet their food needs. For now. "They claim they have enough food coming in from other sources," he said, indicating that included aid from South Korea and increased trade with China. "They didn't want to create a culture of dependency." The culture Kim Jong Il has created is already dependent, in my opinion. North Korea has relied on foreign aid to feed its 22 million people since Kim Jong Il took power disclosing in the mid-1990s that its government-run farm system had collapsed. Famine has killed an estimated 2 million people. Since starting emergency aid in 1995, the year AFTER Kim started his "reign of despair", the WFP has distributed about 4 million tons of food worth $1.5 billion US to North Koreans. The assistance has fed, on average, about 6.5 million people a year. This did not stop the North Korean government from spewing hate against the Good people that GAVE it to them...
The North Korean government has blamed the country's food shortage on natural disasters and loss of outside support after the collapse of the Soviet Union at the start of the 1990s. But others say outdated farming technology and a refusal to reform are also to blame.
Why does South Korea always have fields of rice like the one shown on Right? How was South Korea spared from a decade of "natural disaster"?

Fake Smoke

Financial Times
By Edward Alden
Washington, September 16, 2005
The US took steps on Thursday to isolate a Macao-based bank that Washington charged was providing financial services to North Korean front companies involved in illicit fund-raising activities. Banco Delta Asia, part of the Delta Asia Financial Group headed by Stanley Au, a Hong Kong financier and Macao legislator, was designated under the Patriot Act for alleged money-laundering activities. The move could result in the bank being barred access to US financial markets. The Treasury Department alleged that a "significant amount" of the bank's business for the past two decades had involved North Korea.

When any bank is getting more business from North Korea, than from anyone else... Alarm bells MUST be rung.

Its banking services had "specifically facilitated the criminal activities of North Korean government agencies and front companies", the Treasury said. The US says that one of the clients of Banco Delta Asia is a North Korean front company that for more than a decade has been involved in distributing counterfeit currency and smuggling counterfeit tobacco products, and is suspected of involvement in international drug trafficking.

Honestly, I had no idea counterfeit tobacco existed. Did North Korea invent it?