North Korean Leader Calls For Easing Of Tensions With South Korea

[webfact]

North Korean leader calls for easing of tensions with South Korea

Reuters

SEOUL: -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for an end to confrontation between the two Koreas, technically still at war in the absence of a peace treaty to end their 1950-53 conflict, in a surprise New Year speech broadcast on state media.

The address by Kim, who took over power in the reclusive state after his father, Kim Jong-il, died in 2011, appeared to take the place of the policy-setting New Year editorial published in leading state newspapers.

Impoverished North Korea raised tensions in the region by launching a long-range rocket in December that it said was aimed at putting a scientific satellite in orbit, drawing international condemnation.

North Korea, which considers North and South as one country, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is banned from testing missile [more…]

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/North-Korean-leader-calls-for-easing-of-tensions-with-South-Korea/articleshow/17839199.cms

-- THE TIMES OF INDIA 2013-01-01

[Jingthing]

Considering the source, what's his real agenda?

[Payboy]

It means he's not getting enough aid from China.

[maidu]

He also said, "don't cut down big trees, don't poop on the sidewalk, and don't run over animals with your car." (I jest)

[kiniyow]

Lets hope some Positive improvements comes from this...

[Jingthing]

Lets hope some Positive improvements comes from this...

Hope and 200 baht will buy you a coffee at Starbucks.

[bigbamboo]

I was waiting for him to go into Gangnam Style.

[stoli]

Considering the source, what's his real agenda?

If he could bring peace between the north & south, the U.S. would give him nuclear weapons, with the backing of the U.N. Just a New Years Eve show to get the UN to think the door is open.

[mccw]

This latest Kim is doing big things to his country. He's allowed farmers to keep 60% of thier produce and trade the rest for profit, markets have been opened for trade, independent business and profit taking allowed. These are huge changes not to be under estimated. he also dismessed most of the old guard generals from his dads day. The missile tests are just to keep the military happy and show west he's still no poodle, but given time I think this Swiss educated kid will open up his country economically much like china. 10years it will be a completely different country.

[notime]

He also said, "don't cut down big trees, don't poop on the sidewalk, and don't run over animals with your car." (I jest)

Hahaha .. is that true? I don't think he could have said that as he knows North Koreans don't have private cars. There may not be any animals left to run over (eat) either. Or big trees to cut down. Maybe there is little poop left as well? Oh, I think you got me here ;-)

But anyway, I applause Great Leader's new visionary ideas and a trendy, punk-ish hairdo. Are they all going to look like that soon?

[Jingthing]

This latest Kim is doing big things to his country. He's allowed farmers to keep 60% of thier produce and trade the rest for profit, markets have been opened for trade, independent business and profit taking allowed. These are huge changes not to be under estimated. he also dismessed most of the old guard generals from his dads day. The missile tests are just to keep the military happy and show west he's still no poodle, but given time I think this Swiss educated kid will open up his country economically much like china. 10years it will be a completely different country.

Interesting. Maybe you might be overly optimistic though. So was it many generals, or ONE general?

Still, there are undeniable signs that the world's most closed-off society may be toying with change, from a carefully scripted campaign to soften the image of the country's young leader, Kim Jong Un, to the apparent purging of a hard-line general and a series of often-cryptic official statements hinting that Pyongyang is serious about liberalizing its economy.

"My gut sense is that something is changing," said Marcus Noland of the Washington, D.C.-based Peterson Institute for International Economics and a leading scholar on the North Korean economy. Kim Jong Un "is trying to do something new."

Like many other analysts, Noland remains pessimistic. The economic reforms appear to be very limited, he noted, and could quickly be abandoned if Kim changes his mind or faces opposition from his core supporters.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/world/article/North-Korea-lets-farmers-sell-some-crops-3861429.php#ixzz2Gk3Qjcv2

[jombom]

This latest Kim is doing big things to his country. He's allowed farmers to keep 60% of thier produce and trade the rest for profit, markets have been opened for trade, independent business and profit taking allowed. These are huge changes not to be under estimated. he also dismessed most of the old guard generals from his dads day. The missile tests are just to keep the military happy and show west he's still no poodle, but given time I think this Swiss educated kid will open up his country economically much like china. 10years it will be a completely different country.

Interesting. Maybe you might be overly optimistic though. So was it many generals, or ONE general?

Still, there are undeniable signs that the world's most closed-off society may be toying with change, from a carefully scripted campaign to soften the image of the country's young leader, Kim Jong Un, to the apparent purging of a hard-line general and a series of often-cryptic official statements hinting that Pyongyang is serious about liberalizing its economy.

"My gut sense is that something is changing," said Marcus Noland of the Washington, D.C.-based Peterson Institute for International Economics and a leading scholar on the North Korean economy. Kim Jong Un "is trying to do something new."

Like many other analysts, Noland remains pessimistic. The economic reforms appear to be very limited, he noted, and could quickly be abandoned if Kim changes his mind or faces opposition from his core supporters.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.co...p#ixzz2Gk3Qjcv2

Well let's hope it all means change for the better. Unfortunately N. Korea has played hard ball and soft ball routine for years. Seeing is believing and actions speak louder than words.

[mccw]

In the speech he promised "radical economic reforms to lift living standards"

http://bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20880301

The generals and government seems to be getting completely reshuffled according to some reports:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/30/world/asia/top-north-korean-defense-official-replaced-seoul-says.html?_r=0

On a lighter note- this was the first time since 19 years they have thrown New Years celebrations and had fireworks displays.

Maybe I'm being overly optimistic; But I'm not a compulsive optimist if you see my other posts regarding the western economies or the ultimate fate of fossil fuel, debt driven, exponential growth demanding economic models.

[newermonkey]

This latest Kim is doing big things to his country. He's allowed farmers to keep 60% of thier produce and trade the rest for profit, markets have been opened for trade, independent business and profit taking allowed. These are huge changes not to be under estimated. he also dismessed most of the old guard generals from his dads day. The missile tests are just to keep the military happy and show west he's still no poodle, but given time I think this Swiss educated kid will open up his country economically much like china. 10years it will be a completely different country.

Interesting. Maybe you might be overly optimistic though. So was it many generals, or ONE general?

Still, there are undeniable signs that the world's most closed-off society may be toying with change, from a carefully scripted campaign to soften the image of the country's young leader, Kim Jong Un, to the apparent purging of a hard-line general and a series of often-cryptic official statements hinting that Pyongyang is serious about liberalizing its economy.

"My gut sense is that something is changing," said Marcus Noland of the Washington, D.C.-based Peterson Institute for International Economics and a leading scholar on the North Korean economy. Kim Jong Un "is trying to do something new."

Like many other analysts, Noland remains pessimistic. The economic reforms appear to be very limited, he noted, and could quickly be abandoned if Kim changes his mind or faces opposition from his core supporters.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.co...p#ixzz2Gk3Qjcv2

Could be some changes coming, as he has bedded himself in as chief of the politburo. Only problem is the west is heading down economically and when he is ready to open up the country will no doubt be told "sorry you guys are too late we’ve spent all the money already, you should have come much earlier!"

[Credo]

Nothing like coming to the buffet after the dining room is closed.

[hawker9000]

The whole family is certifiable. Psychopaths, all of them.

[baboon]

The whole family is certifiable. Psychopaths, all of them.

How do you reach that conclusion? Because the view of others differ from yours, or are you simply parroting the soundbites you have seen on 30 second news segments on T.V?

[JeffreyWitty]

Considering the source, what's his real agenda?

If he could bring peace between the north & south, the U.S. would give him nuclear weapons, with the backing of the U.N. Just a New Years Eve show to get the UN to think the door is open.

Are you insane? Or joking?

Edited January 3, 2013 by JeffreyWitty

[JeffreyWitty]

This latest Kim is doing big things to his country. He's allowed farmers to keep 60% of thier produce and trade the rest for profit, markets have been opened for trade, independent business and profit taking allowed. These are huge changes not to be under estimated. he also dismessed most of the old guard generals from his dads day. The missile tests are just to keep the military happy and show west he's still no poodle, but given time I think this Swiss educated kid will open up his country economically much like china. 10years it will be a completely different country.

Where are you getting this information?

I live and work in South Korea and follow news related to the north closely. I have never heard about farmers being ALLOWED to keep 60% of there produce, let alone, sell for PERSONAL profit. BLACK MARKETS in NK have been open for a while, even under little Kim's dad. I also find it funny you refer to the old guard being DISMISSED, most people back in SK called it ASSASSINATIONS. Being "dismised" by mortal shell isn't very correct.

[JeffreyWitty]

The whole family is certifiable. Psychopaths, all of them.

How do you reach that conclusion? Because the view of others differ from yours, or are you simply parroting the soundbites you have seen on 30 second news segments on T.V?

No, he probably came to that conclusion based on facts.

I'll give you just one of many examples:

If you politically oppose the Kim dynasty, you and your whole family are sentenced to concentration camps for the next 3 generations!

Edited January 3, 2013 by JeffreyWitty

[baboon]

The whole family is certifiable. Psychopaths, all of them.

How do you reach that conclusion? Because the view of others differ from yours, or are you simply parroting the soundbites you have seen on 30 second news segments on T.V?

No, he probably came to that conclusion based on facts.

I'll give you just one of many examples:

If you politically oppose the Kim dynasty, you and your whole family are sentenced to concentration camps for the next 3 generations!

Check out the Edict issued by Kim Jong-il in the late 90`s ending such punative treatment.Do you not think the information you receive in the south might be just a little bit biased as well? Which of the two Koreas has a permanent foreign troop presnce on their soil? Which `Country` was formsd first, the Republic of Korea or the DPRK? Why was this?

[jpinx]

Isn't the boss of Google going to say hello to Kim soon? I'm sure they're not going to be talking about the price of a beer

[Yahooka]

The whole family is certifiable. Psychopaths, all of them.

How do you reach that conclusion? Because the view of others differ from yours, or are you simply parroting the soundbites you have seen on 30 second news segments on T.V?

No, he probably came to that conclusion based on facts.

I'll give you just one of many examples:

If you politically oppose the Kim dynasty, you and your whole family are sentenced to concentration camps for the next 3 generations!

Check out the Edict issued by Kim Jong-il in the late 90`s ending such punative treatment.Do you not think the information you receive in the south might be just a little bit biased as well? Which of the two Koreas has a permanent foreign troop presnce on their soil? Which `Country` was formsd first, the Republic of Korea or the DPRK? Why was this?

The collective punishment may have ended,but the families are still kept in the concentration camps.

And when it comes to military presence.........if there ever was a need for it in ANY country this is it .North Korea is the only country in the world there is NOTHING positive about at all,absolutely nothing !!!

Edited January 3, 2013 by Yahooka

[mccw]

This latest Kim is doing big things to his country. He's allowed farmers to keep 60% of thier produce and trade the rest for profit, markets have been opened for trade, independent business and profit taking allowed. These are huge changes not to be under estimated. he also dismessed most of the old guard generals from his dads day. The missile tests are just to keep the military happy and show west he's still no poodle, but given time I think this Swiss educated kid will open up his country economically much like china. 10years it will be a completely different country.

Where are you getting this information?

I saw a documentary on Al Jazeera I think it was which is where the 60% figure was from + one on Thai TV. But a quick google search produced this at the page:

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19697369

But I get my news from a variety of sources daily and have seen many encouraging stories.

Today there's news the google founder, Schmidt, is going over with some other top business people and some Mexican officials.

If you read the article I posted in the previous post it says demotions and then re promo based on extra effort / re proving loyalties is a common tactic in NK - but sure they do execute a lot of people and the 3 generation of detention is true also according to some other personal account I read. I'm not excusing the horrors, but am just expressing my opinion, based on what I've seen / read, that changes are afoot.

[baboon]

Yahooka - could I suggest you or anyone else who is interested get your hands on a copy of North Korea - The struggle against American power by Tim Beal or North Korea - Another country by Bruce Cummings. I think you would find them interesting. Neither book portrays the DPRK as Heaven on Earth, but they do show the situation is not as black and white as the media tends to paint it...

[JeffreyWitty]

Yahooka - could I suggest you or anyone else who is interested get your hands on a copy of North Korea - The struggle against American power by Tim Beal or North Korea - Another country by Bruce Cummings. I think you would find them interesting. Neither book portrays the DPRK as Heaven on Earth, but they do show the situation is not as black and white as the media tends to paint it...

I'll agree with you there - the issue is not black and white.

To address your earlier points:

The information i receive in the south isn't nearly as biased as you think it is. I belive this cause I live there and see their provications. (Yi-Pi-Do shelling) As for the foreign troop presence, blame the South Korean government. The US is *ONLY* there because they are asked to be there by the local government. Primarily because the South doesn't want to spend the money it takes to defend itself. I remember back in 2008, the plan was for the US to leave by 2012. It's now 2013 and the updated plan is 2018. The south is just kicking the can down the road.

[SteeleJoe]

The whole family is certifiable. Psychopaths, all of them.

How do you reach that conclusion? Because the view of others differ from yours, or are you simply parroting the soundbites you have seen on 30 second news segments on T.V?

No, he probably came to that conclusion based on facts.

I'll give you just one of many examples:

If you politically oppose the Kim dynasty, you and your whole family are sentenced to concentration camps for the next 3 generations!

Check out the Edict issued by Kim Jong-il in the late 90`s ending such punative treatment.Do you not think the information you receive in the south might be just a little bit biased as well? Which of the two Koreas has a permanent foreign troop presnce on their soil? Which `Country` was formsd first, the Republic of Korea or the DPRK? Why was this?

This should be interesting.

South Korea has the permanent foreign troop presence and there's no dispute as to why (and the absence of foreign troops based in the North was no impediment to massive amounts of foreign troops arriving when they needed them).

Why the quotes around the word country?

South Korea was formed first (by a couple weeks I think). Why don't you tell us why and the significance of that fact? (I might know what you mean but I don't want to put words in your mouth).

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

[Exsexyman]

The whole family is certifiable. Psychopaths, all of them.

How do you reach that conclusion? Because the view of others differ from yours, or are you simply parroting the soundbites you have seen on 30 second news segments on T.V?

It would appear that changes for the better are underway in North Korea under the new leadership. I enclose a link to an article on the BBC today, an interview with an obviously cultured, educated man from the West, who has actually BEEN there on several occasions with his eye witness observations. Unlike 99.9% of internet forum experts who as you correctly point out just parrot soundbites from Western news outlets, soundbites which are fed to them by Government 'sources', who, lets face it, have an agenda. They need "bogeymen" to keep their own populace in line. Soundbites like the ridiculous, "The whole family is certifiable. Psychopaths all of them". An unbelievably ignorant and crass comment. And laughably, agreed with by a poster who considers himself a bit of an expert on the country because he lives and works in South Korea. Which probably makes him the last person to give an unbiased and informed opinion on North Korea.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20773542

It would be logical to think and hope that Western governments would welcome and encourage any sign that North Korea may be changing, but no, here is another link, showing the all too predictable response from the US State department regarding the visit to North Korea by Google's Eric Schmidt. Desperate to put a negative spin on the visit. They need their "Bogeymen".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20903449

[baboon]

SteeleJoe - I used the quotes because both Koreas are artificial creations. Korea is one country. Had the ROK not have been formed first, there would be no DPRK and history may well have turned out differently.

[SteeleJoe]

SteeleJoe - I used the quotes because both Koreas are artificial creations. Korea is one country. Had the ROK not have been formed first, there would be no DPRK and history may well have turned out differently.

SteeleJoe - I used the quotes because both Koreas are artificial creations. Korea is one country. Had the ROK not have been formed first, there would be no DPRK and history may well have turned out differently.

All countries are "artificial creations" -- borders and what constitutes a soveriegn state is not ordained by some sort of natural law or organic process. One can argue the legitimacy of a process by which a state comes to be, or the justice of existence or how another set of circumstances (and resultant borders etc) would have been preferable - and all of these are arguments may be made about the 2 Koreas but assuming they are any more "artificial than anywhere else is silly.

It's also silly to imply that North Korea was formed only as a result of the formation of the Southern republic. Do you actually argue that the USSR didn't want it to be that way but were forced into it? That the UN is at fault? Or perhaps the US?

Edited January 4, 2013 by SteeleJoe