I still think it is a shame that MISHIMA never received a Nobel Prize for Literature, for the simple reason that he was, indeed, the best writer alive at that time.

I know his personal politics and views were totally unacceptable, but it is a shame that these were taken into account at all. His value is in the beauty and complexity of his writings, in the poignant emotions, rather than in what he believed in as time went by.

Mishima changed the modern Novel from what a novel could do. His genius in progressing the Form is remarkable and sorely under appreciated.

So, Mishima wasn't, over all, a great guy. How does that matter? What he wrote was remarkable and totally unwritten before him.

The idea is to progress, expand, and perfect the Literary Form, rather than getting points if you like American Theory or not.

My father in law noted that, from his journeys into North Korea, that it did have the worst government in the world, and yet, at the same time, they were brothers.

brief update

North Korea to hold major meeting around Kim Jong Un’s 10-year anniversary - by Colin Zwirko Plenum will set 2022 state plans, as DPRK leader says economy ‘stable’ at Politburo meeting on Wednesday  Visit NK News for More Speakers at Seoul forum question push for end-of-war declaration with DPRK - by Chaewon Chung Experts voice concerns about unresolved POW situation, citing hundreds of ROK soldiers reportedly stuck in DPRK Visit NK News for More US and South Korea to update war plans to deter evolving North Korean threats - by Jeongmin Kim Two sides will also conduct assessment next fall for transfer of wartime operational control, defense chiefs say Visit NK News for More North Korean capitalism’s failure in the Third World - by Benjamin R. Young Pyongyang mixed economics and politics as it competed with Seoul and sought new trade partners in the Global South Visit NK News for More

The latest from the podcast The dangerous appeal of North Korean culture – NK News Podcast Ep. 211 Tatiana Gabroussenko discusses changes in DPRK films and dramas and how the country appropriates South Korean arts Listen to the full episode here

Top NK stories from around the web NK to hold key party meeting as Kim’s 10-year leadership anniversary approaches(Korea Herald)North Korea will hold a key party meeting later this month as leader Kim Jong-un is set to mark 10 years in office, North Korean media said Thursday, with growing speculation that Pyongyang could unveil its policy toward Washington and Seoul for the next year. ... Seoul, Washington update war plans to deter evolving North Korea's nuke, missile threats(Korea Times)South Korea and the United States agreed Thursday to update their joint wartime contingency plans to deter North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats, the two sides said, in a sign of their stepped-up cooperation to reinforce deterrence against the recalcitrant regime... U.S., South Korea defense chiefs discuss boosting alliance(Asahi Shimbun)U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday that China’s pursuit of hypersonic weapons “increases tensions in the region” and vowed the U.S. would maintain its capability to deter potential threats posed by China. ... Moon’s end of war proposal faces multitude of challenges(Korea Herald)President Moon Jae-in hopes to declare the end of the Korean War during his term, but such a declaration without corresponding denuclearization does not guarantee peace on the Korean Peninsula and time is too short to untangle complicated interests of all involved parties, experts say. ... National security adviser goes to China for talks(JoongAng Daily)Suh Hoon, South Korea’s national security adviser, will make a two-day visit to China, said the Blue House Wednesday, amid expectations that Seoul will want to discuss its desire for a declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War. ...

North Korea to hold major meeting around Kim Jong Un’s 10-year anniversary

Plenum will set 2022 state plans, as DPRK leader says economy ‘stable’ at Politburo meeting on Wednesday 

Colin Zwirko December 2, 2021

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Image: Rodong Sinmun, Dec. 2, 2021 | Kim Jong Un presides over the Fifth Political Bureau Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, held at the headquarters building of the Party Central Committee on Dec. 1

North Korea will hold a major party meeting called a plenum in “late December,” state media announced Thursday, falling around the official 10-year anniversary of Kim Jong Un coming to power.

The DPRK leader reportedly said at a Politburo meeting on Wednesday that the economy is currently being “stably managed,” according to the party-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper, and suggested that the upcoming plenum will review this year’s economic activity and set plans for 2022. 

The plenum could last for several days as in recent years, and the party could announce further titles or celebrations for Kim to mark his first decade as ruler.

Kim took over as leader on Dec. 17, 2011 after his father, Kim Jong Il, died of a heart attack. The Politburo at the time officially made Kim Jong Un the Supreme Commander of the armed forces on Dec. 30.

The upcoming plenum may also serve as the forum for Kim to give a speech detailing domestic and foreign policy updates for the coming year, such as those pertaining to inter-Korean relations and stalled denuclearization talks with the U.S.

Kim traditionally delivered this in an informal “New Year Address” on Jan. 1 each year, but since 2020 he’s delivered it in formal party meetings in December or January. 

A state TV report on the meeting showed Kim Tok Hun and other officials arriving late in Mercedes and Lexus luxury vehicles, and clocks in and outside the meeting room showed that it started just before 11 p.m. on Wednesday night | Images: KCTV, Dec. 2, 2021

The state media report on Wednesday’s Politburo meeting was relatively brief, but included some positive assessments from Kim on state affairs in 2021 despite what he called “difficulties that still stand in the way of the economic development of the country.”

“It is very inspiring that affirmative changes have been made in all fields of the state affairs including politics, the economy, culture and national defense,” he reportedly said, continuing that “great successes [were] achieved in agriculture and construction.”

“Next year is an important year when we should wage a struggle as great as this year” toward carrying out the second year of the current five-year plan, he added.

The upcoming plenum will be the fourth held this year since the January Party Congress. North Korea announced a “food crisis” at the third plenum, which lasted for four days in June. 

However, the report on Wednesday’s “fifth” politburo meeting of this year revealed that another such meeting was recently held in secret. The third politburo meeting took place on Sept. 2, but the ruling party never disclosed information publicly about a fourth one in the intervening months.

Martin Weiser, an independent researcher focusing on North Korean politics, told NK News on Thursday that a possible occasion for the secret politburo meeting could have been held before the late-Sept. Supreme People’s Assembly session to approve new personnel appointments.

Kim’s appearance in state media on Thursday ends another extended break from public activities. The North Korean leader had made just one public appearance during the previous 50 days.

Edited by Bryan Betts. Updated on Dec. 3 at 12:46 KST to include images from state TV. 

I'll be using the resources of NK News, Xinhua, CGTN, Family, DW (English), & Al Jazeera, mostly. I will give fair mention of the sources wherever possible.

 Well, it only took a month longer than I thought to remove myself from Facebook, and I am happily preparing to gather lots of information, up to date, about North Asia, for this blog.

I'll be using the resources of NK News, Xinhua, CGTN, Family, DW (English), & Al Jazeera, mostly. I will give fair mention of the sources wherever possible.

I hope you enjoy the blog. I may be very slow in responding to any comments, maybe a week.

Thank you

John Fitzpatrick

Preparing a Christmas Gift Box for my step-daughter Tianshu, in Shanghai

 So far,

I have three cans of Illy Italian Arabica ground coffee and a small simple double-walled plunger stainless steel coffee pot. I will add a nice cup and saucer. If she wishes to have a milk frother, well, this is best picked up in China, I think, where they are made.

The Illy brand coffee is very good indeed. It keeps me awake at work.  It kept me awake at work this evening. It tastes very mild and yet it is not mild at all.

What else, well, about a half kilo, or big bag, of New Zealand Beef Jerky.

I will also try to put in some curious foods, like Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey, plus the potato chips she likes. Not a huge present, but a nice thing to get in the mail. As for packing around the gifts, I find it best, instead of using bubble-wrap or little bags of air, to use small packets of Japanese seaweed that not only protect the goods within, but also, well, you can eat the seaweed. A Great edible packaging solution, and cheap as wrapping paper.

I should post it soon, so I best get about finding a few interesting things, and post it off this week!

I am also sending another box to my parents-in-law in Shenyang, in Laoning province of China. I'm not sure what to send yet, but I do need to also post it off this week or early next week. Maybe some leatherwood Honey from Tasmania, also, plus some local spirit alcohol, if okay to post (he calls overproof Bundaberg Rum a pleasant mild wine), some biscuits, and, my father in law likes the very raw taste of Australian black tea, so I will find some black North Queensland Nerada tea for him. Its black, its raw, its fresh. I'm not sure what to send my mother-in-law in particular as she is very traditional and i really have no idea what she would like. She's probably just like her daughter to live next door to her, but, well, we're not doing that for now.

Well, the blog kind of works, so we'll go with that.