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Er...
NORTH Korea has pulled out of talks with South Korea as it feels snubbed by Seoul choosing a junior official to meet its delegation.
Kim Hyung-suk, a spokesman for Seoul's Unification Ministry, said North Korea was no longer sending officials to a two-day meeting due to begin on Wednesday because the South had changed the head of its delegation.
When South Korea told Pyongyang today it was sending a lower-level official than it had initially proposed in preparatory talks, North Korea said it would consider that a "provocation," Kim said.
[...]
South Korea had previously proposed sending its unification minister. After it announced the vice minister would go instead, North Korea said it wouldn't send anyone and that "all responsibility is entirely on South Korea."
Source
Moreover, according to other sources. South Korea tried calling North Korea with the newly re-established Red Cross hotline, but North didn't answer...
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North and South Korea have agreed in principle to reopen a joint industrial complex shut down amid high military tensions, Seoul said Sunday, after wrapping up rare cross-border talks.
Officials agreed to "revive operations of the firms" at the Kaesong industrial complex "when ready," according to an agreement signed by both sides after marathon talks held near the border through Saturday and Sunday.
[...]
The two rivals will discuss ways to reopen the zone and how to guarantee the prevention of another shutdown in a meeting to be held on Wednesday at the complex just north of the border, the agreement said.
They also agreed to allow Seoul businessmen to visit their factories in Kaesong to check on production machinery beginning Wednesday, and to retrieve finished goods and raw materials in a nod to key demands by business owners.
Source
Things slowly going back to normal, it seems.
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We've known about North Korea's practice of selling state-manufactured, high quality meth in foreign countries, typically China, for at least two years, but now it seems the drug is sweeping the country. A new report in North Korea Review, highlighted today by the Wall Street Journal, is titled "A New Face of North Korean Drug Use: Upsurge in Methamphetamine Abuse Across the Northern Areas of North Korea," and alleges that meth has gone from the state's factories to smaller, independent "underground laboratories and 'home kitchens.'" The drug is now prevalent in the Northern areas of the country. One of the study's authors, Kim Seok-hyang, told The Journal, "Almost every adult in that area (of North Korea) has experienced using ice and not just once … I estimate that at least 40 percent to 50 percent are seriously addicted to the drug."
Source
A potential reunification is becoming messier and messier every year... Who'd want to pick up a country where half of the population are drug addicts...
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On August 21 2013 02:17 iMAniaC wrote:Show nested quote + We've known about North Korea's practice of selling state-manufactured, high quality meth in foreign countries, typically China, for at least two years, but now it seems the drug is sweeping the country. A new report in North Korea Review, highlighted today by the Wall Street Journal, is titled "A New Face of North Korean Drug Use: Upsurge in Methamphetamine Abuse Across the Northern Areas of North Korea," and alleges that meth has gone from the state's factories to smaller, independent "underground laboratories and 'home kitchens.'" The drug is now prevalent in the Northern areas of the country. One of the study's authors, Kim Seok-hyang, told The Journal, "Almost every adult in that area (of North Korea) has experienced using ice and not just once … I estimate that at least 40 percent to 50 percent are seriously addicted to the drug." SourceA potential reunification is becoming messier and messier every year... Who'd want to pick up a country where half of the population are drug addicts...
I wonder if North Korea can implode on its own without trying to sink the Korean peninsula. Obviously, it would be very unlikely, but if it did happen, I'd be one happy guy.
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10776 Posts
On August 21 2013 02:17 iMAniaC wrote:Show nested quote + We've known about North Korea's practice of selling state-manufactured, high quality meth in foreign countries, typically China, for at least two years, but now it seems the drug is sweeping the country. A new report in North Korea Review, highlighted today by the Wall Street Journal, is titled "A New Face of North Korean Drug Use: Upsurge in Methamphetamine Abuse Across the Northern Areas of North Korea," and alleges that meth has gone from the state's factories to smaller, independent "underground laboratories and 'home kitchens.'" The drug is now prevalent in the Northern areas of the country. One of the study's authors, Kim Seok-hyang, told The Journal, "Almost every adult in that area (of North Korea) has experienced using ice and not just once … I estimate that at least 40 percent to 50 percent are seriously addicted to the drug." SourceA potential reunification is becoming messier and messier every year... Who'd want to pick up a country where half of the population are drug addicts...
I think South Korea wants to unification regardless on how messed up North Korea is. However the mess really needs to be unfathomably big in order to force the North Korean leaders to strive towards a unification.
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United Kingdom13775 Posts
On August 21 2013 02:17 iMAniaC wrote:Show nested quote + We've known about North Korea's practice of selling state-manufactured, high quality meth in foreign countries, typically China, for at least two years, but now it seems the drug is sweeping the country. A new report in North Korea Review, highlighted today by the Wall Street Journal, is titled "A New Face of North Korean Drug Use: Upsurge in Methamphetamine Abuse Across the Northern Areas of North Korea," and alleges that meth has gone from the state's factories to smaller, independent "underground laboratories and 'home kitchens.'" The drug is now prevalent in the Northern areas of the country. One of the study's authors, Kim Seok-hyang, told The Journal, "Almost every adult in that area (of North Korea) has experienced using ice and not just once … I estimate that at least 40 percent to 50 percent are seriously addicted to the drug." SourceA potential reunification is becoming messier and messier every year... Who'd want to pick up a country where half of the population are drug addicts...
Smaller and less powerful countries have cleaned up bigger messes. I wouldn't really worry about the logistics of reunification until it actually happens.
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On August 21 2013 02:43 LegalLord wrote:Show nested quote +On August 21 2013 02:17 iMAniaC wrote: We've known about North Korea's practice of selling state-manufactured, high quality meth in foreign countries, typically China, for at least two years, but now it seems the drug is sweeping the country. A new report in North Korea Review, highlighted today by the Wall Street Journal, is titled "A New Face of North Korean Drug Use: Upsurge in Methamphetamine Abuse Across the Northern Areas of North Korea," and alleges that meth has gone from the state's factories to smaller, independent "underground laboratories and 'home kitchens.'" The drug is now prevalent in the Northern areas of the country. One of the study's authors, Kim Seok-hyang, told The Journal, "Almost every adult in that area (of North Korea) has experienced using ice and not just once … I estimate that at least 40 percent to 50 percent are seriously addicted to the drug." SourceA potential reunification is becoming messier and messier every year... Who'd want to pick up a country where half of the population are drug addicts... Smaller and less powerful countries have cleaned up bigger messes. I wouldn't really worry about the logistics of reunification until it actually happens.
What country smaller than North Korea has cleaned up a mess bigger than North Korea?
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On August 21 2013 02:36 JustPassingBy wrote:Show nested quote +On August 21 2013 02:17 iMAniaC wrote: We've known about North Korea's practice of selling state-manufactured, high quality meth in foreign countries, typically China, for at least two years, but now it seems the drug is sweeping the country. A new report in North Korea Review, highlighted today by the Wall Street Journal, is titled "A New Face of North Korean Drug Use: Upsurge in Methamphetamine Abuse Across the Northern Areas of North Korea," and alleges that meth has gone from the state's factories to smaller, independent "underground laboratories and 'home kitchens.'" The drug is now prevalent in the Northern areas of the country. One of the study's authors, Kim Seok-hyang, told The Journal, "Almost every adult in that area (of North Korea) has experienced using ice and not just once … I estimate that at least 40 percent to 50 percent are seriously addicted to the drug." SourceA potential reunification is becoming messier and messier every year... Who'd want to pick up a country where half of the population are drug addicts... I think South Korea wants to unification regardless on how messed up North Korea is. However the mess really needs to be unfathomably big in order to force the North Korean leaders to strive towards a unification.
Who do you talk about when you say "South Korea"? The government? The majority of people?
Not quite sure the average Jo in South Korea wants to sacrifice a gigantic amount of his quality of life, income and work to reunite with a country that must be twenty time or so poorer. You would tell me about the families that would be reunited, but each decade that passes makes those people more alien to each other. Reunites with your brothers and sister? Of course! With your cousins! Absolutely! With your 4th degree cousins that you have never seen? Not quite sure.
Quite sure that no government would like to be in the situation of managing such an enormous mess. What democratic government wants to integrate dozens of million of potential voters with completely foreign ideas, no political culture that would completely change the political spectrum immediately?
Most important, I'm not sure that it's feasible to integrate a completely ignorant of the world and brainwashed North Korean population to a big functional and extremely westernized society like South Korea. It's not East Germany.
Then China most definitely wouldn't let its ally go into US orbit just like that. Considering its influence is growing every day, I don't see it happening at all regardless of the situation.
I don't think there will be reunification. Or it will be a matter of century. What might happen is that the country goes into a transformation à-la Chinese with an authoritative capitalist system, and increase its GPD, education level etc... exponentially for decades. It's not very exciting, because Chinese system is pretty dreadful, but it would still be a huge improvement.
But again. Kim is young, he is supported by its all powerful neighbor and has its population held with the iron grip of an all militarized society and the most efficient and ruthless propaganda in history. I think he has the situation very, very well in hand. And he is not going to become a human right lover democrat. If anything, he will get worse and worse.
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United Kingdom13775 Posts
On August 21 2013 02:46 farvacola wrote:Show nested quote +On August 21 2013 02:43 LegalLord wrote:On August 21 2013 02:17 iMAniaC wrote: We've known about North Korea's practice of selling state-manufactured, high quality meth in foreign countries, typically China, for at least two years, but now it seems the drug is sweeping the country. A new report in North Korea Review, highlighted today by the Wall Street Journal, is titled "A New Face of North Korean Drug Use: Upsurge in Methamphetamine Abuse Across the Northern Areas of North Korea," and alleges that meth has gone from the state's factories to smaller, independent "underground laboratories and 'home kitchens.'" The drug is now prevalent in the Northern areas of the country. One of the study's authors, Kim Seok-hyang, told The Journal, "Almost every adult in that area (of North Korea) has experienced using ice and not just once … I estimate that at least 40 percent to 50 percent are seriously addicted to the drug." SourceA potential reunification is becoming messier and messier every year... Who'd want to pick up a country where half of the population are drug addicts... Smaller and less powerful countries have cleaned up bigger messes. I wouldn't really worry about the logistics of reunification until it actually happens. What country smaller than North Korea has cleaned up a mess bigger than North Korea?
Israel.
Smaller is actually better for cleaning up a big mess. The key word here is "less powerful" really - as in, less resources available. If Korea were unified, the UN would surely bankroll a cleanup effort.
The problem is the politics. Were they to change, cleaning up the country would be maybe a decade's worth of work.
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You ask any average korean and they mostly say they'd like to see reunification. Culturally they still see them as one.
Finiancially however I'm pretty sure most people will not be willing to foot the bill for it. So saying and acting is a two different thing.
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The way some people are posting one might not think that in North live actual people. People like you and me.People who where simply unlucky to be born in a country where the state is what is.
So easy to judge what would be better for everyone, not having been ever in their shoes (or the lack of shoes) , and not even consider them as an equal human being with equal rights to yours.
Where talking about people.
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On August 21 2013 02:36 JustPassingBy wrote:
I think South Korea wants to unification regardless on how messed up North Korea is. However the mess really needs to be unfathomably big in order to force the North Korean leaders to strive towards a unification.
Kim Jong-Un and his cadre standing down to be relegated into minor roles in a unified Korean government? Not happening, no matter how serious the situation could be. It would be "welcomed" but they wouldn't be trusted. They would be simply included in this new cabinet as a political gesture. If they retained two separate governments then having both running is just the same as having a divided country.
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On August 21 2013 03:31 LegalLord wrote:Show nested quote +On August 21 2013 02:46 farvacola wrote:On August 21 2013 02:43 LegalLord wrote:On August 21 2013 02:17 iMAniaC wrote: We've known about North Korea's practice of selling state-manufactured, high quality meth in foreign countries, typically China, for at least two years, but now it seems the drug is sweeping the country. A new report in North Korea Review, highlighted today by the Wall Street Journal, is titled "A New Face of North Korean Drug Use: Upsurge in Methamphetamine Abuse Across the Northern Areas of North Korea," and alleges that meth has gone from the state's factories to smaller, independent "underground laboratories and 'home kitchens.'" The drug is now prevalent in the Northern areas of the country. One of the study's authors, Kim Seok-hyang, told The Journal, "Almost every adult in that area (of North Korea) has experienced using ice and not just once … I estimate that at least 40 percent to 50 percent are seriously addicted to the drug." SourceA potential reunification is becoming messier and messier every year... Who'd want to pick up a country where half of the population are drug addicts... Smaller and less powerful countries have cleaned up bigger messes. I wouldn't really worry about the logistics of reunification until it actually happens. What country smaller than North Korea has cleaned up a mess bigger than North Korea? Israel. Smaller is actually better for cleaning up a big mess. The key word here is "less powerful" really - as in, less resources available. If Korea were unified, the UN would surely bankroll a cleanup effort. The problem is the politics. Were they to change, cleaning up the country would be maybe a decade's worth of work.
I'm not sure if you're referring to the Israel/Palestine conflict as a mess already cleaned, but if you are, I summarily disagree with that.
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United Kingdom13775 Posts
On August 21 2013 09:21 farvacola wrote:Show nested quote +On August 21 2013 03:31 LegalLord wrote:On August 21 2013 02:46 farvacola wrote:On August 21 2013 02:43 LegalLord wrote:On August 21 2013 02:17 iMAniaC wrote: We've known about North Korea's practice of selling state-manufactured, high quality meth in foreign countries, typically China, for at least two years, but now it seems the drug is sweeping the country. A new report in North Korea Review, highlighted today by the Wall Street Journal, is titled "A New Face of North Korean Drug Use: Upsurge in Methamphetamine Abuse Across the Northern Areas of North Korea," and alleges that meth has gone from the state's factories to smaller, independent "underground laboratories and 'home kitchens.'" The drug is now prevalent in the Northern areas of the country. One of the study's authors, Kim Seok-hyang, told The Journal, "Almost every adult in that area (of North Korea) has experienced using ice and not just once … I estimate that at least 40 percent to 50 percent are seriously addicted to the drug." SourceA potential reunification is becoming messier and messier every year... Who'd want to pick up a country where half of the population are drug addicts... Smaller and less powerful countries have cleaned up bigger messes. I wouldn't really worry about the logistics of reunification until it actually happens. What country smaller than North Korea has cleaned up a mess bigger than North Korea? Israel. Smaller is actually better for cleaning up a big mess. The key word here is "less powerful" really - as in, less resources available. If Korea were unified, the UN would surely bankroll a cleanup effort. The problem is the politics. Were they to change, cleaning up the country would be maybe a decade's worth of work. I'm not sure if you're referring to the Israel/Palestine conflict as a mess already cleaned, but if you are, I summarily disagree with that.
The Israel/Arab World conflict, not so much Palestine.
Things are much better than they were in the 1940s; of that there is little doubt. It's not quite cleaned up, but things are stable enough now.
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On August 21 2013 04:23 NIJ wrote:
You ask any average korean and they mostly say they'd like to see reunification. Culturally they still see them as one.
Finiancially however I'm pretty sure most people will not be willing to foot the bill for it. So saying and acting is a two different thing.
thats absolutely not true. the average korean doesnt want to have any reunification, some people, especially males who were in the military service even really hate the north koreans.
i rarely met people who really want a reunification and i talk to koreans a lot about that topic since i am german and living in seoul so i am very curious about that issue.
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Here we go again.
North Korea puts army on alert, warns U.S. of 'horrible disaster'
(Reuters) - North Korea said on Tuesday its military would be put on high alert and be ready to launch operations, stepping up tension after weeks of rhetoric directed against the United States and South Korea, who it accuses of instigating hostility.
Reclusive North Korea has often issued threats to attack the South and the United States but has rarely turned them into action. Such hostile rhetoric is widely seen as a means to perpetuate its domestic and international political agenda.
In the latest outburst, a spokesman for the North's military warned the United States of "disastrous consequences" for moving a group of ships, including an aircraft carrier, into a South Korean port.
"In this connection, the units of all services and army corps level of the KPA received an emergency order from its supreme command to reexamine the operation plans already ratified by it and keep themselves fully ready to promptly launch operations any time," the spokesman said, referring to the Korean People's Army (KPA).
"The U.S. will be wholly accountable for the unexpected horrible disaster to be met by its imperialist aggression forces' nuclear strike means," the spokesman said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.
Reuters
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Chances of this one actually happening?
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On October 08 2013 09:28 imBLIND wrote:
Chances of this one actually happening?
99.9%
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ill believe it when i see it.
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EPT
