European Cyclists riding in North Korea?

Many cyclists from Europe completed a two-stage race from China and ending in North Korea. It was a 50km race that ended in the port town of North Korea. They were athletes from Germany, Sweden, and more than 10 other countries who participated in this race.

Gaavert Waag, the manger of Nordic Ways, is the company that made the race possible. This man said that they wanted to make something that was nearly impossible to do and they did accomplish their wishes. He was very happy that they had some support from North Korea. North Korea authorities did stop the traffic on the road in order to let the event on. It seems it was a great success.

I really find surprising that a big number of cyclist decided to participate in this race. Personally, I would not have done this race for my own security with all the bad things happening in North Korea. After reading this article, I do think that it is a sign that North Korea is improving. I hope it could improve because as everyone knows, the situation over there is very bad.

Another Silenced Holocaust

On September 27th, an ex-prison guard revealed that the guards work within North-Korean gulags as ''slave owners'' (NationPost). An Myeong Chul worked as a guard for seven years and was known as one of the system's most feared and ruthless guards.

“I remember practising Taekwondo on the prisoners,” Mr. An said in an interview Friday. “It was a way to control the inmates. For instance, if we had a high-ranking official visiting the prison camp, we would be told to show what we’ve learned and practise on an inmate, practise Taekwondo on the inmate.” (NationPost)

When the state turned on Mr. An and his family, he was going to be amidst the prisoners, but was able to escape. An Myeong Chul  witnessed many first-hand abuses and tragic deaths. Last week, he spoke in Toronto organized by the Council for Human Rights in North Korea. Three other survivors were present. 

North Korean soon to become Nuclear threat?

According to a recent statement by US scientists; the once laughable ICMB stock of the North Koreans is now nearing the possibility of carrying nuclear warheads. This comes with recent intelligence that shows North Korea has been working on expanding their nuclear production facilities and have been actively attempting to bypass the embargoes are the materials necessary to produce nuclear weaponry. This development could not have come at a worse time for international relations as there is still much distrust and uncertainty as the Syria issue continues to develop. It would require a cooperation of all nations with heavy influence into coercing the North Koreans to denuclearize their arsenal. Perhaps if the US was to agree to leave the region and give North Korea the sovereignty that they have been fighting so hard for then they might be inclined to throw out less threats and make positive progress towards a peaceful coexistence with South Korea.  Either way, as the situation stands it is in no way beneficial to any region beyond the Hermit Kingdom that this has occurred and this is one blogger who hopes that this information is faulty as I do not believe the international stage is ready to deal with a nuclear powered Kim Jung-Un

South Korean media outburst over the North's recent executions

Tensions rise as North Korea reacts rather unfavorably to their southern neighbor’s media has been giving explicit attention to the firing squad execution of the dancers of the Unhasu Orchestra.  This was done on the basis that they had all appeared in a pornographic video, thereby breaking domestic law and being sentenced to death. Now with media reporters in Seoul rising up against such totalitarian acts of violence, the tensions that had appeared to have been eased have now flared up again. The North has always been subject to criticism but the latest wave of anti-north media has been particularly offensive to the North and has seen tensions in the region once again soar to war threat levels. North Korea has gone so far as to delay the usual North-South family reunions that generally bring the two together. The Kaesong Industrial region has thus far been unaffected by the dispute but it might be interesting to see how this development affects the joint industrial venture between the two countries. It is unfortunate that the Southern media felt the need to insult the North at a time when peace was needed most.Ideally the South could control their media a little bit to avoid such problems in the suture but this might raise some domestic criticism that the South Korean government is succumbing to their Northern neighbors. This is a touchy subject that will require much finesse on part of the Southern government if they wish to avoid both Northern aggression and Southern criticism.

US & China pressure North Korea towards a less chemical based future.

The Hermit kingdom is making headlines yet again with the help of Syria’s breach of the Geneva Convention. US officials have been aware for some time of North Korea’s massive stockpile of chemical weapons and with the recent developments in Syria (mainly the use of chemical weapons on civilians), they wish to remind North Korea that the use of these weapons will not be tolerated, regardless of the regime. One US official was quoted as stating "I emphasized the massive chemical weapons arsenal that North Korea has and that we didn't want to live in a world in which North Korea felt that the threshold for chemical weapons usage had been lowered." This quote shines some insight as to why President Obama recently pushed for intervention in Syria, he did not wish to give North Korea the idea that they might get away with using chemical weapons on any unsuspecting population. China has also gone on record as supporting this demilitarization of chemical weapons as they believe it would contribute to the stability of the region. It is unknown what kind of effects China's support will lend to the US's request but all we know for sure is that should North Korea accept these terms it would certainly be a step towards a more stable and friendly region for all involved.

Kim Jong Un Loves Sports?

In a recent news release by NKnews.org it has been discovered that Kim Jong Un decided to completely refurbish Pyongyang's May Day Stadium- The highest capacity venue in the world.  This is an odd place to be putting money and attention into in light of all of the events that are currently unfolding around Kim Jong Un.  One would think that perhaps his attention would be better directed towards improving his relations with China, a long time friend of North Korea's who recently decided to ban the export of any items to North Korea that could potentially be used to make any form of chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons.  However, as recent events have clearly demonstrated, Kim Jong Un is an avid sports fan because he believes that it is something that can bridge the cultural gaps between societies.  This could be a sign that perhaps he is trying to "shine the spotlight" on matters that cast North Korea in less of a negative light to the rest of the world.  If this is indeed the case then he has put more of an effort into appealing to the International crowd than any of his recent predecessors have.

An Interesting Statement...

“Kim is a great guy, he loves basketball, and he’s interested in building trust and understanding through sport and cultural exchanges,” Rodman was quoted as saying. (Here.)

It's a Girl!

It's A Girl!

 Should we be excited about the future supreme commander of NK?

Do women even get to run the country in NK?

All of this information is coming from NK broadcasting channels, and: surprise, surprise; Dennis Rodman!

This is all the information that has been given as of late, but I hope that somehow this child can redeem the millions of suffering people she may or may not be responsible for in the future.

That is, if this story is even true. NK is notorious for leaking many "happy" falsehoods about the lives of its leading family.

Picture found here.

Info found here.

The Two Besties : Kim Jong-un and Dennis Rodman

Found Here

Talk About Bad Neighbours! Kidnappings in NK

      It's unbelievable to me that even though NK has claimed to make efforts at diplomacy with South Korea, they have been reported to have allegedly kidnapped several south Koreans. Check out this article  describing the situation of one 68 year old man who was kidnapped from SK, and taken to NK. He was held there for 41 YEARS! He was reportedly the only one who escaped, out of a band of several of his crew members...

Basketball Player Dennis Rodman Befriends "The Marshall": The Man Behind the Impunity of Human Rights in NK

         Why is it that America feeds and fancies contemporary aristocrats who have been given a degree of freedom and fame that has led to a diplomacy with a state that is single-handedly responsible for bringing back the complete and Nazi-like disregard of human rights? Of course, it would be a sweeping generalization to blame America for the particular strain of irresponsibility known to one individual who has shown a shocking and offensive acceptance for the appalling conditions in which Kim Jong-un dictates his country.

(Image found here.)

          Dennis Rodman, a well-known ex-NBA superstar has recently been caught on tape visiting North Korea AGAIN (for the second time). He was daintily stepping down the ladder jutting out of his private jet that had landed in NK on the third of September to visit his international buddy, Kim Jong-un, or as he calls him: "The Marshall."

(Picture found here.)

         Why would a reporter like me become so passionately... concerned about a trivial tabloid event such as this? Because the recent impunity of human rights that has been reported in NK is a troubling and upsetting story, and it is difficult to understand how any normal,common-sense, empathetic human being would befriend a sociopathic dictator.

          To summarize, the current evidence that is being leaked out of NK is that in some prison camps, there have been instances of women being forced to drown their own babies, and men living their entire lives in these camps, growing up learning to help collect bodies of starved people and burn them. There have been stories of people eating grass, rodents, and other miscellaneous items that are hardly classified as food.

In this case, Dennis Rodman, the "bystander" card, is hardly valid. Hanging out with a human rights violator, condoning his rule, his lifestyle, and his personality, is as much a crime as the perpetrator if you ask me. Being treated highly with money that starves millions is immoral. Period.

Disguised Weaponry

On September 23rd, 2013 a report on BBC News states that a possible disguised missile test had been undertaken last December (2012). Satellite imagery shows that a rocket engine had been tested between August 20th and August 25th. One of the satellite images showed what seemed like a ''rocket mount'' at Sohae.

Other images lead us to believe that there is a possibility of a second or third stage engine for a rocket which is otherwise known as DPRK under development.

North and South Share Heartbreak

Millions of Koreans have been separated since the 1950-53 Korean war. The war did not end with a peace treaty, rather an armistice. North and South Korea agreed to hold a six day reunion at the North's Mount Kumgang resort starting September 25th 2013. 

Selected families were supposed to reunite after an interminable six decades of separation post-war. Most of the people were selected in consideration of their age--in their seventy's--to enable them to see their loved ones before they pass away.

''The North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted the government as saying Seoul's "hostile" policy was to blame for the last-minute cancellation, singling out the South's military exercises with the United States and a recent crackdown on allegedly pro-Pyongyang leftist'', reports AFP News Agency.

The unification Ministry in South Korea denounced the North's decision and stated it to be inhumane. About 75 South Koreans were sent to Diamond Mountain in preparation for the reunion and had to return home.

The Peaceful Reunification committee in Pyongyang says that improved ties depend only and entirely on Seoul.

Can You Smell the Smoke, America?

Two columns of steam rose from the nuclear complex today at Yongbyon, north of the capital, Pyongyang writes The E. The complex had been shut down since 2007.  According to Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), the gas-graphite's reactor can produce a bomb's worth of plutonium a year. The E also reports that international inspectors have not set foot in Pyongyang since 2008. The reactor may not even be up and running within the near future. What is the message here, America? Why so indifferent lately? Was the smoke a mistake? 

Suh Kune-yull, a nuclear engineer at Seoul National University reports that the smoke that arose was a mistake and that this could be due to a possible leakage within the nuclear plant. So, what's the deal here?  


Co-author of the SAIS report, Jeffrey Lewis predicts that the North's leader Kim Jong Un will invite international experts to Yongbyon to show off the newly running nuclear plant--are we all hinting at the same message? Do I hear, ''back off!'', or do I hear bribery--possibly both? Bribe for what, foreign aid? 

 Why is Kim Jong Un seemingly moving in opposite directions? Is it to keep all possibilities open to the North? Gain and more gain--in any case, we can all smell the smoke. Let's just see where the fire spreads.