Comments on: North Korea punching a gift horse in the mouth…. http://sweetkat.wordpress.com/2008/03/30/north-korea-punching-a-gift-horse-in-the-mouth/ life in South Korea in a funny, positive light Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:11:01 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: sweetkat http://sweetkat.wordpress.com/2008/03/30/north-korea-punching-a-gift-horse-in-the-mouth/#comment-367 sweetkat Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:41:59 +0000 http://sweetkat.wordpress.com/?p=24#comment-367 Well, from speaking with Koreans, it seems that the group most nervous about North Korea is the American media. This is perhaps the Boy who cried wolf syndrome. They have been listening to these threats for years. They can't waste emotion on someone who is clearly using threats as a form of manipulating into getting what it wants, more money. it is quite humbling the difference in attitude. When i asked my korean coteacher if he was afraid of North Korea, his response was 'NO, they are our brothers. i don't like Kim Jong-Il though.' I am not sure if I agree that shortages will force the hands of many countries, or force them to do what? Well, from speaking with Koreans, it seems that the group most nervous about North Korea is the American media. This is perhaps the Boy who cried wolf syndrome. They have been listening to these threats for years. They can’t waste emotion on someone who is clearly using threats as a form of manipulating into getting what it wants, more money. it is quite humbling the difference in attitude. When i asked my korean coteacher if he was afraid of North Korea, his response was ‘NO, they are our brothers. i don’t like Kim Jong-Il though.’ I am not sure if I agree that shortages will force the hands of many countries, or force them to do what?

]]> By: forsythkid http://sweetkat.wordpress.com/2008/03/30/north-korea-punching-a-gift-horse-in-the-mouth/#comment-366 forsythkid Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:46:01 +0000 http://sweetkat.wordpress.com/?p=24#comment-366 Whatever the actual soc-eco-pol situation exists in that poor excuse for a country, it's making a lot of folks nervous. The fact is that we live in a world that is on (or approaching) the brink in many countries. Shortages in the most basic of needs (water comes to mind) will soon force the hands of many countries as they vie for survival. Just a thought. Whatever the actual soc-eco-pol situation exists in that poor excuse for a country, it’s making a lot of folks nervous. The fact is that we live in a world that is on (or approaching) the brink in many countries. Shortages in the most basic of needs (water comes to mind) will soon force the hands of many countries as they vie for survival. Just a thought.

]]> By: chris http://sweetkat.wordpress.com/2008/03/30/north-korea-punching-a-gift-horse-in-the-mouth/#comment-16 chris Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:11:43 +0000 http://sweetkat.wordpress.com/?p=24#comment-16 It is evident from this blog entry that there is quite a bit you don't understand about this issue. The situation between North and South Korea is very complex. The North did once have a huge economic presence and a totalitarian leader will never yield what he so absolutely controls, even in the face of an economic standstill. The fact that Kim Jong-il insists on pushing forward a nuclear program is evidence enough of this. Of course they should be feeding (or trying to feed) their people but when it comes right down to it, they are not. When the guise of political pressure is used to cut aid, regardless of how poorly it was previously being distributed, more people will starve. I'm just saying that the way things are being done politically represents a flagrant misunderstanding of the unfaltering "Juche" philosophy of the North (one of self reliance). Innocent people, thoroughly indoctrinated from birth, continue to suffer because of a series of diplomatic failures spanning 53 years. The North will never admit it is wrong about anything. They may be greedy and horribly unethical, sporting one of the worst human rights records in the world, but they are not fools. It is evident from this blog entry that there is quite a bit you don’t understand about this issue. The situation between North and South Korea is very complex. The North did once have a huge economic presence and a totalitarian leader will never yield what he so absolutely controls, even in the face of an economic standstill. The fact that Kim Jong-il insists on pushing forward a nuclear program is evidence enough of this.

Of course they should be feeding (or trying to feed) their people but when it comes right down to it, they are not. When the guise of political pressure is used to cut aid, regardless of how poorly it was previously being distributed, more people will starve.

I’m just saying that the way things are being done politically represents a flagrant misunderstanding of the unfaltering “Juche” philosophy of the North (one of self reliance). Innocent people, thoroughly indoctrinated from birth, continue to suffer because of a series of diplomatic failures spanning 53 years. The North will never admit it is wrong about anything. They may be greedy and horribly unethical, sporting one of the worst human rights records in the world, but they are not fools.

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