CHINA: NEWS
North Korea's secret elite children's school – Sohu, November 5http://baobao.sohu.com/20151105/n425367482.shtmlNorth Korea's Red Flag Mangyongdae Revolutionary School, founded in 1947 for the orphans of those killed fighting the Japanese, is noteworthy for its militaristic 8-year curriculum, to which students are subjected beginning at age 11. All expenses are paid by the state. Kim Jong Un has directed the school to add emphasis to its teaching of foreign languages, and "require students to be able to hold conversations in more than one foreign language." English, in particular, is an important requirement for the students; compulsory English training begins in the students' first year of coursework. Additionally, students study history, North Korean culture, chemistry, biology and physics, as well as Kim Il Sung's revolutionary and family history. Naturally, military training forms a large component of the curriculum as well, beginning in its second year. In addition to other skills, students are trained to shoot automatic rifles and acquire targeted training in their final three years of study. After graduating, students serve in the military for one year, then study in the military or other high-level institutions. Many then join the ranks of party and military leaders. Currently, more than 1,000 students are enrolled at the school.North Korea tourism sector brings in $40 million in 2014 – Sina, November 4http://travel.sina.cn/?sa=t644v2491d161599&from=wapA South Korean researcher estimates that North Korea's tourism revenue in 2014 was as high as $43.6 million, or half the total foreign currency revenue North Korea earns from the Kaesong Industrial Region, which was about $86 million in 2014. Last year, about 95,000 Chinese tourists visited North Korea, in addition to roughly 5,000 from Western countries, according to the report, bringing between $30.6 million and $43.6 million. The researcher credits the growing revenue to Kim Jong Un's investment in development of North Korea's tourism industry, including construction of new tourist attractions and renovations to Pyongyang's airport. However, the remaining shortage of tourism infrastructure, including sufficient transportation and lodging, as well as limits on areas of the country tourists can visit, hampers the potential for North Korea's tourism industry. These same factors also present barriers to foreign investment in North Korean tourism.
N.Korea drought leads to winter crop failures, food shortages – Sina, November 10http://finance.sina.com.cn/stock/usstock/c/20151110/162323729114.shtmlFor North Korean families, a winter with less kimchi is approaching as a result of this year's drought and storms. As North Koreans begin the season of pickling, during which they prepare kimchi for the winter months, prices of radishes and cabbage are rising in the markets. Other reports suggest that pepper, garlic, onions, salt and other spices are also in short supply. In some cases, even money can't buy these staples. Due to the weather, crop allocations to families have reportedly been reduced by half. At a market in Chongjin, one kilogram of cabbage currently costs 3,000 North Korean won (about $0.35), 1,000 won higher than its previous price. One kilogram of radishes costs 500 won more than before. When a cart of radishes or cabbage goes by, people rush to buy up all of its contents, bidding up the prices and quarreling with each other. The weather took the worst toll on Rason, and the government has responded by giving Rason priority for vegetable distribution. However, residents in other places have not received any cabbage, and some have been forced to send their vegetables to military bases and calamity-stricken areas, leaving them worried they will not have enough left for themselves.
CHINA: OPINION & ANALYSIS
‘Boss,’ other corporate terms more common in North Korea – Zi Jin, Sina Finance, November 4
http://finance.sina.cn/usstock/mggd/2015-11-04/detail-ifxkhchn6064211.d.html?from=wapNorth Korea's propaganda retains most of its traditional elements – calling all Americans “evil imperialists” and reporting that Kim Jong Un generously shares all he has with the masses. However, once North Korea began cautiously welcoming foreign companies in the 1990s, an unexpected result occurred: Capitalist words and expressions began working their way into North Korean discourse. Whereas before, people only used “management staff” to refer to leaders of work units, now “boss” and “company” (in the capitalist sense) are becoming more common. The terms are thought to have been brought into North Korean society by Chinese enterprises, which introduced the binary concept of “employee” and “boss.” Even though no companies in North Korea are technically privately owned, private-sector characteristics have become widespread and these terms have proliferated. However, “boss” has slightly different meanings and connotations depending on the area and circumstances. At markets in Sinuiju, those managing booths are favorably greeted by customers as “boss.” “Bosses” gained enormous favor in the 1990s because they helped provide necessities to starving North Koreans using market principles, and so the term connotes respect for many. At the time, others were shocked and fearful, because the term is so antithetical to socialist principles.
North Korea copies 7 Volkswagen models; can China really laugh? – Luo Jian, Qianzhan, November 4http://t.qianzhan.com/car/detail/151104-411a2b3d.htmlAfter North Korea launched of the latest version of domestically-produced desktop computer software, "Red Star 3," copied from Apple's OS X, media outlets have discovered that North Korean automaker "Pyeonghwa," known in English as "Peace Motors," has developed seven new car models based on designs of other companies. Many of the models take after Volkswagen's offerings, and include cars, SUVs and off-road vehicles. Even a Chinese brand was copied. Pyeonghwa Motors' current models contain mostly OEM components, referring to those developed by other manufacturers and re-branded by Pyeonghwa. The company claims annual output capacity of 10,000 units, but likely produces less than 500. Can China really laugh at North Korea's knockoff cars? Chinese netizens have differing views on the matter. Skeptics turn their noses up at the company's models. However, those with more neutral views note that countries such as the U.S., Germany and Japan, developed strong automobile industries by first copying other car models to accumulate capital, and then transitioning to establish their own multinational car manufacturers with unique core strengths and technology. Therefore, most cannot excessively ridicule North Korea on this point, especially not China, which is known as the world's most prominent maker of knockoff goods.
Diplomatic sources: Kim Jong Un to finally meet Xi Jinping – Editorial, Xilu, November 5http://www.xilu.com/20151105/1000010000897105.htmlAccording to several diplomatic sources in Beijing, China and North Korea are discussing a proposal for Kim Jong Un to visit the country in the first half of next year, and meet with Xi Jinping. North Korea intends to finalize and announce the visit before the start of the Workers' Party of Korea congress next spring, to bolster the image of the national leadership. This shows that the future of Sino-North Korea relations increasingly lies in economic cooperation, rather than only political significance. Recently, China and North Korea have collaborated on several large-scale economic projects, including development of a port. North Korea has clearly recognized the indispensability of Chinese investment. For its part, China hopes to avoid giving to North Korea and receiving nothing in return. This also shows that China's “One belt, one road” initiative is not simply a geographical concept, and that North Korea especially cannot be left out. In his congratulatory message to Kim on the anniversary of the WPK founding, Xi Jinping recognized Kim's progress in developing North Korea's economy and improving the livelihood of its people, an endorsement of Kim after a few years of waiting to see how he would lead the country.
JAPAN: NEWS
UN envoy for human rights meets families of abductees in Japan – NHK, November 9
The newly opened UN office in Seoul focusing on monitoring human rights issues in North Korea has sent its envoy to Japan to meet with families of abducted Japanese citizens. Singe Poulsen arrived in Japan on November 9 to show support for Japan in resolving the abduction issue. During her meeting with representatives of the families she said that "abduction is a violation of basic human rights and I will do my best to help." "I really felt that she means to help as much as she can," said the mother of abductee Megumi Yokota. In the afternoon Poulsen met with the new minister for abduction issue Katsunobu Kato to discuss further cooperation between Japan and the UN. "The return of abductees is a matter that the state should be responsible for and this is why cooperation with the UN and other countries is so important," said Kato. Japan and the UN have been closely working from last year on addressing human rights issues in North Korea.
North Korea protests Chongryon member’s prison sentence – Sankei, November 7http://www.sankei.com/world/news/151107/wor1511070035-n1.htmlNorth Korean state media on October 7 condemned the prison sentence for a Chongryon member accused of smuggling matsutake mushrooms to Japan. Last month the court in Kyoto sentenced the oldest son of the Chongryon leader to two years of prison. He was arrested in May following an investigation into the importing of matsutake mushrooms into Japan from North Korea, which is illegal because of economic sanctions imposed by Japan. The North Korean newspaper has stated: "Our comrades in Japan have had their human rights and dignity trashed by illegal actions. This has been a shocking, fabricated incident aimed at the families of the Chongryon members and an excuse to suppress the organization." North Korea has demanded his immediate release.
‘N.Korean’ boat washed up at Japanese shore with two bodies – TV Asahi, November 6http://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000062046.htmlA mysterious boat has been found drifting on the sea close to Matsumaecho city on Hokkaido by a 77-year-old man. The police that boarded the boat found two male bodies already in a state of decomposition. They were both wearing windbreaker jackets. The boat is 10 meters long and 3 meters wide. According to the police, the boat shares some characteristics of North Korean vessels that have drifted to Japan. The boat didn't have an engine. According to the police, there was plenty of drinking water aboard the ship. Both passengers had presumably died few days ago.
North Korea reminds that Comfort Women issue is not over – Chosun Online, November 6http://www.chosunonline.com/site/data/html_dir/2015/11/06/2015110602311.htmlOn the occasion of the recent meeting between the South Korean president and Japanese prime minister, North Korean state television has issued a reminder that the Comfort Women issue is not resolved. "The victims of the Japanese Imperial Army’s sexual enslavement are not only in the southern part of Korean Peninsula, but also in the north," said the broadcaster. North Korean state media, starting last month, have strongly criticized the Japanese government for its handling of the Comfort Women issue. It seems like North Korea is trying to take revenge for Japan’s role in pushing the human rights resolution against North at the UN. It's not clear how many women in the North who were forced into sexual servitude are still alive. Experts calculate that it's not more than in South Korea.
JAPAN: OPINION & ANALYSIS
Can Japanese Self-Defence Forces commandos inifltrate North Korea? – Ogawa Kazuhisa, Mag2 News, November 9http://www.mag2.com/p/news/122329President Obama’s acknowledgement on October 30 that American special forces units are active in territory claimed by the Islamic State has sparked a discussion in Japan. You can often hear, "Japan should send special forces to North Korea to bring back the abducted Japanese!" I understand that in the face of an unsucessful investigation many people believe this is the only way. However, it's nearly impossible to achieve. Japan has around 300 elite commando that can compete with the American Green Berets or British SAS. But for conducting such an operation the most important thing is intel collection, which in the case of North Korea is almost non-existent. Furthermore, North Korea has an extensive anti-air defense system that will make entry by helicopter possible only once. It will also prevent the evacuation of wounded soldiers and sending reinforcements. On top of that, North Korean military has an extensive network of signal-intercepting devices that will make communications from North Korea with HQ impossible. Also, the infrastructure in mountainous regions with many military outposts makes it difficult to move undetected around the country. These challenging conditions make it extremely hard to save the abductees using special forces.
SOUTH KOREA: NEWS
SKG hires two defectors as civil servants – VOA, November 4http://www.voakorea.com/content/article/3034317.htmlThe South Korean Ministry of Unification has announced that it will hire two North Korean defectors as civil servants. These two employees will work to help other defectors settle in South Korean society. The South Korean government has previously hired North Koreans as civil servants before, but they were restricted to the status of “9th grade” employees, the lowest pay grade in the South Korean administration system. In addition to the two employees, whose are classified as “7th grade,” MoU has also hired two 9th grade civil servants and one more chauffer, all of North Korean descent. The positions were very competitive and 104 defectors applied for the job. After an identification check, these employees will officially be hired after mid-month.
SOUTH KOREA: OPINION & ANALYSIS
Is Kim Jong Un aware of youth malnutrition in N.Korea? – Editorial, Donga Ilbo, November 4http://news.donga.com/List/ColumnSasul/3/040109/20151103/74581777/1The World Food Program announced last week that one out of three North Korean youth under the age of five are suffering from malnutrition. The suffering youth are expected to be higher this year than usual, as the rice and corn’s yield rate is expected to be lower than usual, due to the severe drought. Despite the fact that Kim Jong Un mentioned “the people” 97 times during his speech at the 70th anniversary of the Worker’s Party of Korea, the North Korean people’s situation doesn’t seem to have improved. If the child is poorly fed for approximately 1,000 days from his/her birth, the child is expected to suffer long-term damage to his/her body. Children suffering from malnutrition can suffer from a decline in intelligence, ability to learn and sight, not to mention deformities of body parts. During the “Arduous March,” the famine of the 1990s, North Korean males born in that era were 165.4cm tall on average, 10cm shorter than the average males born in South Korea during the same time period. The MoU is doing its best to support any and all civil organizations who wish to make a humanitarian contribution to North Korea. We hope that North Korea would gladly accept our humanitarian aid, like they did before the May 24 Measures were enacted, and actively negotiate in summit meetings and interchanges between the two Koreas.
Park: History textbook nationalization to ‘prevent control by N.Korea’ – Editorial, Kyunghyang Shinmun, November 5http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=201511052051085&code=990101President Park Geun-hye emphasized that without pride in the nation and the proper historical knowledge, the country’s ideology can be controlled by North Korea even after unification. But will that ever be true? Her knowledge of today’s Korean society is unrealistic and far removed from what most people think. The ideological race between South and North Korea was finished long ago. Not only is South Korea about 40 times richer than the North, there are no South Korean citizens who favor North Korea’s dictatorship and the Kim family’s hereditary succession of power. I really want to ask on what grounds President Park thinks that South Koreans would ever be ideologically controlled by North Korea. Her speeches tell that her pride in the nation and knowledge still linger in the 1970s, during her father’s dictatorship. She truly believes that collectivization and integration of South Korean’s ideology and social awareness belongs in the realm of the country, not in the realm of citizens’ individual choice. Pride in one’s nation is formed through life and the experiences that every individual in the country lives. Views on history are also formed through individuals’ set of values and decisions. The country should have nothing to do with helping the formation of views of history and pride in the nation. The president should know that the people are tired of her “anti-red” rhetoric. This fossilized point of view will not work any longer. It is not too late for Park; she should withdraw from her position on the government-issued history textbook.
Who will serve in a country like this? – Joongang Ilbo, November 7
http://news.joins.com/article/19022137
The South Korean Ministry of National Defense (MND) is being bashed for announcing that it will not pay for the hospital bills for its own troops. Non-Commissioned Officer Kwak of the South Korean Army’s was injured when he stepped on a mine during his patrol mission at the DMZ. The Ministry of National Defense told Kwak that they will not pay for part of his hospital bill, meaning that Kwak has to spend his own money to heal the wounds he received in the line of duty. Last June Kwak was injured by a mine during his patrol mission at the DMZ. He was stationed at a military hospital, but the military doctors decided that he needed to head to a private hospital to be properly treated for his wounds. For 119 days he stayed in a private hospital not because he intended to, but because the military hospital decided the procedure was necessary for him. But the MND came up with the “regulation” that they can only compensate for up to 30 days of stay at a private hospital. Amid harsh criticism, the MND told media that they will “fully compensate” for Kwak’s hospital bill with a newly updated law, but it later turned out to be a lie, as Kwak could not benefit from newly enacted improved military pension law because his injury predated it. Kwak’s family no has more than 7.5 million won (about $6,500) in debt. South Koreans are harshly criticizing MND by leaving comments on its official website like, “Who will serve in a country like this?” I would like to ask the MND, who would serve in the country if it cannot even take care of its own troops who have been injured during official functions?
RUSSIA: NEWS
North Korea building a new tunnel at the nuclear test site – Gazeta.ru October 30
http://m.gazeta.ru/politics/news/2015/10/30/n_7829357.shtml
North Korea is building another tunnel at a site to the north of the country to conduct further nuclear tests, Reuters has reported. The representative of the South Korean intelligence service said that the construction of a new tunnel indicates preparations for a nuclear test, but it is not expected to take place soon. A spokesman for South Korea's Ministry of Unification said that his country, along with the United States, is closely monitoring Pyongyang's actions at the site. Information on the construction of a new tunnel was published the day before the official meeting between the leaders of Japan, China and South Korea in Seoul to discuss North Korea's nuclear arsenal.
North Korea now forcibly sending people to work – Charter97.org, October 30
https://charter97.org/ru/news/2015/10/30/176019/
A UN report has announced that forced labor abroad, including in Russia, by North Korean workers generates anywhere from $1.2 billion to $2.3 billion a year. The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, Marzuki Darusman, said that the regime has been pushing residents to work abroad. According to the report, North Korea has sent 50,000 people to work in China and Russia. Workers also go to Nigeria and Algeria, as well as some European countries (especially Poland). In these countries, North Korean citizens are employed in the mining, textile, logging and construction industries. Darusman said these workers from the DPRK receive $120-150 a month. At the same time, the employers pay a much larger amount to the North Korean authorities who sent them to work abroad. Darusman said that the North Koreans are forced to work up to 20 hours a day and given only one or two weekends off a month. If workers do not carry out monthly norm, they do not receive a salary.
RUSSIA: OPINION & ANALYSIS
German politician: North Korea considers Six-Party Talks ‘meaningless’ – DW.com, November 8http://bit.ly/1WSwmHCEach step by foreign delegations in North Korea is planned in advance. Going beyond the plan is impossible. These details come from a trip to the most closed country in the world, as told by Bärbel Hyun, Bundestag deputy from the Green Party.
DW: What is your strongest impression from the trip to the DPRK?
Hyun: Surveillance. Oppressive feelings that every second you are under supervision, and indeed, if you find yourself in China, then, you have made it to freedom. (China) is not the freest country, but North Korea is much tougher. Furthermore, it struck me that Pyongyang has changed. I was there three years ago. There are more cars and places for entertainment. Clearly this is the visible hand of Kim Jong Un, at the behest of which are dolphins, zoos and the like.
DW: How were your expectations met from the visit?
Hyun: Each meeting was carefully choreographed. Going on a journey, we were cautiously optimistic. In late August, North and South Korea settled their border dispute relatively quickly. From Beijing there were signals, hinting at the continuation of Six-Party Talks.
But our relative optimism vanished completely after talking with representatives of the ruling party. In this country it is a crucial conversation. The North Koreans made it clear: Six-Party Talks are meaningless. We pointed out that China has another position in this regard. They said to us: “We do not care, we are independent from China.” It was quite sobering. In North Korea, we must always reckon with the fact that in the inner-party struggle for power can be won by various parties.
DW: You talked to party members. What were the key points?
Hyun: There were certainly moments, in my view, that were very important. For example, we met with officials of the Ministry of Agriculture. There I again pointed to an apparent contradiction. If North Korea is constantly repeating that the harvest is not enough, on the other hand, the question arises, why do they not allow greater private initiative? For example, in regard to the plots, so people could sell their products. And why did they not send one expert out of the country to assist developing countries, to help increase productivity and store agricultural products, so that she remains ready to supply? The answer was clear: the state comes first. It is, so to speak, above the food security of the population. The North Koreans themselves are aware of the problem and see what could be improved and changed. Even in a country such as North Korea, there are people, especially in rural areas who are interested in improving the situation for the people.
