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Tag: North Korea

  • North Korea Drone Found on Island “a Toy”

    A suspected North Korean drone was found on a border island between North and South Korea after a series of dual competing military drills. The two countries fired around two hundred shells into empty waters Monday. The Associated Press reported that the tests were conducted as a way of showing dominance in a dispute over the countries’ sea border. There were no injuries.

    “An unmanned aerial vehicle from an unknown nation crashed on Baengnyeong Island at around 4 p.m. on March 31,” a South Korean army source told the Korea Joong Daily, “We collected the vehicle and are in the middle of a probe.”

    “It is like a toy.” Professor Kim Hyoung-joong of Korea University in Seoul told Reuters. But Hyoung-joong was quick to point out the use of such a device “for surveillance purposes”. The professor added “it doesn’t have to be a high-tech, top-notch military product like Predators or Global Hawk drones. This type of toy-like equipment can find a blind spot.”

    Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., an intelligence contractor, told NBC that “North Korea has had drones for a number of years now.” When showed a picture of the drone he said it “looks like it has had a modified fuselage and been fitted with a camera – imagine a model airplane with a camera. It seems to have some of the characteristics of other North Korean drones we know about.”

    NBC also interviewed Paul Schulte, research fellow of London’s Kings College, who agreed about the drone’s origins: “The aircraft is so small that it looks as though it could not have flown from anywhere else [other than North Korea] – that is unless it is from South Korea and they haven’t identified it, but that is less likely.”

    As far as China is concerned, it “opposes actions that undermine peace and stability of the Peninsula and urge all parties to keep calm, exercise restraint, be discreet in words and deeds, prevent the progressive escalation of the tension and jointly safeguard peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula,” a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday. The United States put the blame North, as Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said: “North Koreans have, once again, engaged in [provocation], is dangerous and it — and it needs to stop.”

    Image via ARIRANG NEWS, YouTube

  • North Korea Fires On South; South Korea Retaliates

    North and South Korea exchanged hundreds of artillery shells across their western sea border on Monday. Earlier on Monday, North Korea announced it would be conducting military exercises such as live-fire drills in seven areas north of the maritime boundary. They also hinted at conducting a nuclear test “aimed at strengthening our nuclear deterrence.”

    For more than three hours, North Korea fired 500 shells into the Yellow Sea, around a hundred of which strayed across the border into South Korea. The South Koreans responded by firing around 300 shells past the boundary into the sea and sending fighter jets along the Northern Limit Line.

    Kim Min-seok, a spokesman for the South Korean Ministry of Defense said that they did not exactly shoot at North Korea but instead fired into the sea. No shells from either nation were fired on land. Kim believes the artillery firing by the North is a provocation to test the South’s security posture.

    It was the first time North Korea informed the South of live-firing exercises above the maritime Northern Limit Line. South Korea’s Defense Ministry vice spokesman Wee Yong-Sub said that they consider the announcement as “a hostile threat” so they activated their crisis management operations to prepare themselves for a possible military provocation by the North.

    The unusual announcement was interpreted by analysts to be a political move. According to Korea analyst Victor Cha, North Korea may be waving at Washington for attention to bring the U.S. government back to discussing its nuclear program, or trying to “change the playing field and slant it in their direction” while the U.S. government is focused on other issues.

    The United States, one of South Korea’s most formidable allies, condemned the shelling and called on North Korea to cease activities that “threaten regional peace and security.”

    China, North Korea’s primary supporter, nonetheless expressed concern. According to spokesman Hong Lei of the Foreign Ministry, “The temperature is rising” on their neighboring region and is a cause of worry. They are hoping that “all sides can remain calm and exercise restraint.”

    Why Korea Split Into North and South Korea

    Image via YouTube

  • North Korea Fires 30 Missiles Into The Sea of Japan

    Last Saturday, North Korea test-fired 30 short-range missiles off their east coast and into the Sea of Japan, according to reports from South Korea’s Joint Chief of Staff. “The missiles are estimated to have flown about 60 kilometres (37 miles),” a spokesman for the Joint Chiefs said. These new tests come after pleas from Seoul and Washington to stop “provocative actions.” The tests are assumed to be a show of force intended to express anger at the South’s joint military exercises with the United States. At the 2009 G-20 London Summit, U.S. President Obama called South Korea “one of America’s closest allies and greatest friends.”

    “The North should stop actions that cause military tension and unnerve its neighbours,” Seoul spokesman Kim Min-Seok told reporters. “Provocative action made without any prior notifications. can pose significant danger to sea vessels and aircraft passing by the area,” he added. These latest test fires are North Korea’s sixth launch in just over a month. The missiles used are Soviet-era short range missiles, used in the 1960s. It’s been estimated that North Korea will likely test-fire all of their remaining Frog missiles in the near future.

    These missile tests came as South Korea and Japan announced on Friday that their leaders will hold a summit with President Obama next week – in what the Telegraph calls a breakthrough agreement after Washington urged South Korea and Japan to mend their strained ties. The summit will mark the first formal talks between the country’s leaders in over a year. It’s reported that at the summit, North Korea’s nuclear program and the issue of nuclear non-proliferation is on the agenda for discussion.

    Do you think South Korea and the United States should be concerned over these test-fires? Or is it more of the same intimidating actions of North Korea to appear threatening?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kim Yo-Jong, Sister Of North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un Makes First Official Appearance On Election Day

    Election Day was a family affair for North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. Along with his escort of party and military officials, Kim Jong-un brought along his younger sister Kim Yo-jong to the polling station for the socialist nation’s quinquennial elections.

    The state-run television network showed images of Kim Yo-jong trailing her brother’s group en route to the polling station at the capital’s Kim Il-sung University of Politics. Another image showed Kim Yo-jong in the act of casting her ballot.

    This may be Kim Yo-jong’s official debut, but it is not the first time she has been in public with her brother. In 2011, she was present at the funeral of her father and former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, which was televised. Kim Yo-jong has also been seen accompanying her brother during his local and overseas trips.

    Kim Yo-jong, who is believed to be 26 years old, is the youngest sister of the current North Korean dictator and the youngest daughter of the late Kim Jong-il. During her recent appearance, she donned a black suit and skirt, and was listed as a senior government official, although the exact position was not specified.

    In 2012, Kim Yo-jong was seen on television riding a white steed with her aunt and Kim Jong-il’s sister Kim Kyong-hui. The elder female Kim, who has the rank of a four-star general, was very active in North Korean politics before she reportedly fell ill.

    North Korea’s state-run news agency KCNA reported a unanimous victory with zero abstention for Kim Jong-un. The agency claims that “all voters of the constituency participated in the voting process” and that 100 percent of them chose Kim Jong-un. The North Korean ballot contained only one name – Kim Jong-un’s – and voters were required to write down “Yes” or “No” on the paper.

    Image via South China Morning Post

  • Kim Jong-un Elected By 100 Percent Vote

    Kim Jong-un Elected By 100 Percent Vote

    Not one North Korean voted against the well-known “tyrant” Kim Jong-un on the ballots in his district, and he was elected to the highest legislative body in North Korea. Of course, he ran uncontested during the first elections to the Supreme People’s Assembly legislature.

    Kim’s district, which is located on the symbolic Mount Paekdu, recorded 100 percent turnout during Sunday’s elections, without a single dissenting ballot, according to state media.

    “This is an expression of all the service personnel and people’s absolute support and profound trust in Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un as they single-mindedly remain loyal to him,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency said, according to an Associated Press news agency report.

    In previous elections, 687 deputies were chosen, however, this is first time the election had been held since Kim inherited power after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.

    The leader can now add MP to his many titles, including Supreme Commander of the armed forces and chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission.

    The hitch – voting is obligatory, and participation in the vote is deemed ritualistic. To ensure a full turnout, mobile ballot boxes have been created to cater to those who were ill and could not travel to balloting stations, the KCNA had reported.

    To motivate those who might not want to participate, poems were produced to celebrate voting under titles including “The Billows of Emotion and Happiness” and “We Go To Polling Station”.

    But just so the election process is clear, electors approve 687 deputies, but they are not allowed to choose who represents them in the “rubber-stamp” legislature. Voters can only say yes or no to a single candidate for each district.

    And, knowing how execution crazy Kim is, not many are going to vote no in full sight. “If you vote no, you need to – very publicly – enter a separate booth, and that is something very few are willing to risk,” Al Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker said.

    Political analysts will be watching closely to see if the deputies this time around represent a younger generation as Kim looks to solidify his power and replace older cadres with younger, more loyal ones.

    Image via YouTube

  • Kim Jong Un Wins Every Single Vote In First Election

    Was there anyone, absolutely anyone in North Korea who had any serious aspirations of challenging Kim Jong-un?

    For those watching the outcome of the North Korean elections, the answer is rather obvious.

    This is a man who not only executed his own uncle, but the man’s entire family. It was an act that crushed what little faith some held that Kim’s rule would be any better than that of his deceased father, Kim Jong-il.

    No one dare run against “Dear Leader”, who appeared on the ballot for his district unopposed.

    The state media reported that not only was Kim elected to North Korea’s highest legislative body, he managed to get every single vote in his district.

    This is not an overstatement: According to reports, every voter turned up and every possible vote was cast and they all went to Kim.

    If you can call it boasting.

    In a country where you can be sent to a labor camp for the rest of your life for practically any reason, it’s hard to think that everyone reported to the polls out of patriotic duty rather than sheer terror.

    North Koreans voted on Sunday to determine the deputies for the Supreme People’s Assembly. The vote is typically held every five years and is criticized as being an empty gesture rather than a genuinely democratic process.

    Every person on the ballot was previously approved of by Kim, and all rann unopposed. As such, despite the “election”, the people of North Korea had no real voice in who is elected.

    Despite this, the results for other seats in the legislative body have yet to be announced.

    However, the North Korean media made it known immediately that Kim Jong-un swept his Mount Paekdu district.

    Before you laugh at how obvious that result would be given that nobody had the audacity to run against the North Korean dictator, consider that someone somewhere could have done a “write-in”. As in, they could have written the name of another person on the ballot.

    They would have then no doubt been “disappeared” along with their entire family, but it could have happened. Even more startling, it may have actually happened. It’s just that we’d likely never hear about it.

    Such an occurrence is certainly more probable than a 100% turnout where every single vote is willingly cast for the sole candidate, North Korea’s ruling dictator.

    Image via YouTube

  • North Korea Looks Like a Dark, Desolate Hellhole from Space

    North Korea Looks Like a Dark, Desolate Hellhole from Space

    It’s not as if it’s all that surprising, but North Korea, when viewed at night from the International Space Station, looks devoid of life. I mean, wow.

    Here’s what NASA had to say about a recent image snapped as the ISS was flying of East Asia:

    “North Korea is almost completely dark compared to neighboring South Korea and China. The darkened land appears as if it were a patch of water joining the Yellow Sea to the Sea of Japan. Its capital city, Pyongyang, appears like a small island, despite a population of 3.26 million (as of 2008). The light emission from Pyongyang is equivalent to the smaller towns in South Korea..”

    Indeed, it’s truly difficult to discern North Korea from the blackness of the seas surrounding it. According to NASA, North Korea’s coastline is so hard to see because of a severe lack of power consumption per capita (less than 10% of South Korea’s). You can make out Pyongyang, the country’s largest city–but it’s nowhere near as discernible as neighboring Seoul.

    Check out the flyover:

    Image via NASA Earth Observatory

  • North Korea Could Face Punishment After Inquiry

    North Korea has had some light shed on the country’s methods of operation and extreme human rights violations with the release of the report from the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights on Monday.

    Horrific testimony from those who were captured and imprisoned, for reasons as shady as having a suspicious family member or trying to find food for their families, have been painstakingly extracted from those who have survived the hell of North Korean Prison Camps.

    These stories, which are painful to hear and excruciating to tell, have been gathered over the last eleven months in an ongoing investigation into human rights violations by leaders of North Korea’s troubled regime, according to CNN.

    Some of the tales from survivors are of the kind that once heard, will never be forgotten. They are the kind that inspire shock and disbelief and admittedly paint a picture of a brutal and heartless government “that does not have any parallel in the contemporary world.”

    The story of a malnourished pregnant woman who, against all odds, gave birth in a filthy camp was especially disturbing. A guard was alerted to the baby’s arrival by its cries, for which the young mother was brutally beaten. As he beat her, she begged to keep her new baby. When she was on the verge of unconsciousness, he forced her to pick up her baby and hold it face down in water until the cries stopped forever.

    In August, North Korea condemned the hearings as a “charade” to “hear testimonies from human scum” and in another response, North Korea said in a letter that it “totally and categorically rejects the Commission of Inquiry”.

    As determined as North Korea may be to write off accusations and investigations, the testimonies of North Korea’s survivors are damning enough to erase any doubt there may have been that human rights in that country have been exceedingly and inarguably violated.

    The commission also told China that it might be “aiding and abetting crimes against humanity” by sending defectors back to North Korea to face unspeakable torture and almost certain death.

    “These are not the occasional wrongs that can be done by officials everywhere in the world, they are wrongs against humanity, they are wrongs that shock the consciousness of humanity,” Michael Kirby, a former chief justice of Australia and chairman of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry, told waiting journalists.

    The stories are unmistakably inhumane and invoke images of Nazi concentration camps. Take this testimony from a young woman, for example.

    “We finished our work and we were about to pick up this grass or the plant that we knew we could eat,” former prisoner Jee Heon A told the commission of her friend, Kim Young Hee. “And then the guards saw us, and he came running and he stepped on our hands and then he brought us to this place and he told us to kneel.”

    The guard forced the two girls to eat grass, roots, and soil. Kim Young Hee became extremely ill with diarrhea after eating the soil, and soon died, leaving Jee Heon A feeling alone and helpless.

    “There was nothing I could do,” Jee said. “I could not give her any medicine. And when she died, she couldn’t even close her eyes. She died with her eyes open. I cried my heart out.”

    She then told of the mass burial of her friend, Kim, with about 20 other bodies, a fairly common occurrence.

    “We covered the hole with clumped and frozen earth, but after a week when we went to the tomb, it was gone, the bodies were not there. We felt strange when we were going up that hill. We later found out that the old man who was guarding the place had his dogs eat the bodies. He raised five dogs and the dogs were eating the heads and the body parts of dead bodies.”

    These are just a partial example of the unimaginable conditions for prisoners in North Korea.

    Supreme leader Kim Jong-un and his security chiefs could possibly face international justice for the systematic Nazi-style torture and killing of the citizens of North Korea, according to Reuters.

    Michael Kirby said he expected the group’s findings to “galvanize action on the part of the international community”. If it doesn’t, we should be eternally ashamed of ourselves.

    Image via You Tube

  • Dennis Rodman Reportedly Seen Drinking After Rehab Stay

    Dennis Rodman made headlines in January after he checked himself into a rehab facility for alcohol abuse following a media frenzy that involved his friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jung Un; now, witnesses say, he’s drinking again, and he’s not taking baby steps.

    Rodman entered the 30-day program in New Jersey after a violent outburst during an interview went viral. The former basketball star became irritated with CNN’s Chris Cuomo when he was pressed to speak about Kenneth Bae, the American citizen who has been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in North Korea for “crimes against the state”. Soon after, his rep announced that he would be entering rehab.

    “Dennis Rodman came back from North Korea in pretty rough shape emotionally. The pressure that was put on him to be a combination ‘super human’ political figure and ‘fixer’ got the better of him,” his agent, Darren Prince, said. “He is embarrassed, saddened and remorseful for the anger and hurt his words have caused.”

    Just three days after checking out of the program, Rodman was spotted at a South Beach nightclub downing shot after shot; witnesses say he was very visibly drunk.

    “He was walking around, going up to random tables and mingling ’round the club,” a source said. “He was drinking kamikaze shots, and every time he would take one, he would scream ‘It’s kamikaze time!’ ”

    Staff at the hotel Rodman stayed at during his visit to North Korea said he was drinking heavily during that time and vomited, urinated, and passed out in the hallway. His rep released a statement recently saying that his team fully supported him no matter what happened.

    “We know it’s not easy for him, but we remain supportive of him during this time. As he told . . . CNN, he doesn’t plan on quitting, he’s just trying to cut back.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • North Korea Warning Renewed (Again)

    North Korea Warning Renewed (Again)

    The North Korean government has renewed its call for upcoming U.S.-South Korean war games to be called off. The exercises, known as “Foal Eagle” and “Key Resolve” are planned to run from February to April and will include land, sea, and air drills.

    According to North Korean authorities, the U.S. is planning to invade the country, thereby establishing a foothold that the American government can use to control all of Asia. “It is the strategic goal of the U.S. to invade the DPRK, bring its neighboring countries under its control with it as a stepping-stone and, furthermore, dominate the whole Asia-Pacific region,” the ruling party’s Rodong Sinmun said in an analysis on Monday. “The U.S. is working hard to kick off large-scale joint military drills this year, too, for the purpose of mounting a pre-emptive nuclear attack upon the DPRK.” North Korea largely views South Korea, where 30,000 U.S. military personnel are stationed, as a puppet state of the U.S.

    A statement released by the North Korean Central News Agency earlier this month declared that the drills would “fatally destroy the inter-Korean relations and trigger unimaginable calamities and disasters.” A North Korean government insider further claimed that moving forward with the exercises would amount to a declaration of “full-scale nuclear war.”

    Other DPRK emissaries have been somewhat less aggressive. The North Korean ambassador to China, Ji Jae Ryong, offered a more conciliatory line at a news conference on Wednesday, claiming that North Korea wants to reduce tensions to allow steps toward eventual unification between North and South. “First, we propose taking preparatory measures in response to the warm call for creating an atmosphere for improving North-South ties. In this regard, we officially propose the South Korean authorities take critical measures of halting acts of provoking and slandering the other side from Jan. 30,” Ji said.

    While some have read this softer tone as a so-called “charm offensive” meant to cast North Korea as eager for peace and diplomacy, Daniel Pinkston, a political analyst based in Seoul, South Korea, sees it as deft propaganda. “It’s a way of showing the domestic audience that, ‘we made a serious overture. We tried to bend over backwards. But they showed their true colors.’ I don’t see any cooperative measures or charm offensive at all,” said Pinkston.

    Neither the U.S. nor South Korea have indicated any intention at curtailing the annual drills.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • North Korea Threatens U.S., South Korea

    North Korea Threatens U.S., South Korea

    North Korea likes to threaten the United States and South Korea; this is common knowledge. It’s their baseball. Yet, every threat from the extremely isolated nations sets off alarms, which is the case currently.

    As annual “Foal Eagle” join exercises between the U.S. and South Korea approach, the North is again trying to flex its unimpressive muscles. In the past the country has threatened to destroy both Seoul and Washington D.C. if the drills were not cancelled. As anyone who doesn’t live in a cave knows, they have not made good on those threats.

    You may ask, what has them up in exaggerated arms this time? As Northern official Rodong Sinmun puts its, “It is the strategic goal of the US to invade the DPRK, bring its neighboring countries under its control with it as a stepping-stone and, furthermore, dominate the whole Asia-Pacific region.” Yeah. Sure.

    The reason the threats are being treated with such disregard is because both countries have heard it all before and no action was taken by the North. The drills in question take place every year and see no opposition from the DPRK. Despite all of the flexing and talking the exercises go off without a hitch and ruling party loses a little bit more credibility, something which seems to be in short supply what with all of the Dennis Rodman visits.

    Another major reason the countries cannot compromise about the exercises is the DPRK’s unwillingness to dismantle its nuclear program, which is the only real ace it has up its sleeve. Until such a time, it is unlikely that any real talks will take place between the three powers.

    [Image via YouTube]

  • Kim Jong-un Executed His Uncle’s Entire Family

    For those who ever harbored doubts (compliments of Dennis Rodman) about the cold and calculating leader of N. Korea can rest assured, he is a cold and calculating man.

    Aljazeera news reported today, that North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un has ordered the execution of his uncle’s entire family. The family includes children and relatives, some serving as ambassadors to Cuba and Malaysia, according to South Korea’s state news agency, Yonhap.

    Jang Song-thaek, Kim’s uncle, was once a powerful North Korean military general under Kim’s father, Kim Il-sung. He was said to be the catalyst to Kim’s rise to power.

    Jang was was executed last month as divisions between him and his nephew Kim widened, and until recently, was regarded as the second-most powerful figure in North Korea. The execution was based on charges he tried to overthrow the government.

    Kim referred to Jang as “worse than a dog” and “human scum” in his announcement of his execution, which he said was for treachery and betreyal.

    “Extensive executions have been carried out for relatives of Jang Song-thaek,” an anonymous source said to Yonhap in a report published on Sunday. “All relatives of Jang have been put to death, including even children.”

    The executed relatives include Jang’s sister Kye-sun, her husband and ambassador to Cuba, Jon Yong-jin, the ambassador to Malaysia, Jang Yong-chol, who is Jang’s nephew, as well as his two sons, sources said.

    The two ambassadors were recalled to Pyongyang in early December. The sons, daughters and grandchildren of Jang’s two brothers were all executed, the source told Yonhap.

    One source said that some relatives were dragged out of their houses and shot in front of a crowd.

    South Korea’s state news agency did not specify when they were killed.

    Image via YouTube

  • Dennis Rodman Checks Into Rehab After N. Korea Backlash

    Dennis Rodman checked into a rehabilitation facility on Wednesday after his agent says his drinking escalated to a new level.

    The former basketball star has been in headlines recently concerning his friendship with Kim Jung Un and recent trips to North Korea. Rodman, who at one time supported the release of American prisoner Kenneth Bae, recently said that his imprisonment was justified, angering the man’s family.

    “Dennis Rodman could do a lot of good by advocating for Kenneth to Kim Jong-un, but instead he has decided to hurl outrageous accusations at my brother, insinuating that Kenneth has done something sinister,” Bae’s sister, Terri Chung, said in a statement. “He is clearly uninformed about Kenneth’s case, and he is certainly not in any position to pass judgment on Kenneth Bae, who has never any hostile intentions against the DPRK.”

    During a recent visit to North Korea, Rodman gave an interivew to CNN and became visibly upset when speaking with Chris Cuomo about Bae’s imprisonment. Bae, an American citizen, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for “crimes against the state” after he led a tour group there, and although the exact charges are fuzzy, Rodman seemed to have changed his mind about whether or not Bae was guilty. When pressed by Cuomo about his relationship with the North Korean leader and his thoughts on Bae, Rodman began yelling, saying he didn’t care what the interviewer thought.

    “Dennis Rodman came back from North Korea in pretty rough shape emotionally. The pressure that was put on him to be a combination ‘super human’ political figure and ‘fixer’ got the better of him,” his agent, Darren Prince, said Sunday in a statement. “He is embarrassed, saddened and remorseful for the anger and hurt his words have caused.”

    Rodman is reportedly in a New Jersey facility for a 30-day program. He has not issued a statement.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kenneth Bae Admits Guilt, Asks U.S. To Cooperate

    Kenneth Bae, the American missionary who has been imprisoned in North Korea for “crimes against the state”, attended a press conference on Monday and asked the U.S. government to work with North Korea to aid in his release.

    “I believe that my problem can be solved by close cooperation and agreement between the American government and the government of this country,” he said. “The vice president of United States said that I was detained here without any reason. And even my younger sister recently told the press that I had not committed any crime and I know that the media reported it. I think these comments infuriated the people here enormously. And for this reason, I am in a difficult situation now. As a result, although I was in medical treatment in the hospital for five months until now, it seems I should return to prison. And moreover there is greater difficulty in discussions about my amnesty.”

    Bae was arrested in November of 2012 while leading a tour group and said on Monday that he was indeed guilty of the crimes he’s charged with, but Kim Jin Moo, a North Korea expert at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, says the admission of guilt may have come after prodding from North Korea officials. There has been speculation for months now that Bae’s detention may have come from a desire to get the U.S. to reach out regarding their nuclear weapons program.

    “The reason why North Korea had Kenneth Bae make this statement … is that they want Washington to reach out to them,” Kim said.

    Basketball star Dennis Rodman has made headlines for several months for his friendship with North Korea leader Kim Jung Un and has championed Bae’s cause in the past, but recent comments he made about Bae’s imprisonment being the right decision angered his family.

    “Dennis Rodman could do a lot of good by advocating for Kenneth to Kim Jong-un, but instead he has decided to hurl outrageous accusations at my brother, insinuating that Kenneth has done something sinister,” Bae’s sister, Terri Chung, said in a statement. “He is clearly uninformed about Kenneth’s case, and he is certainly not in any position to pass judgment on Kenneth Bae, who has never any hostile intentions against the DPRK.”

    Bae reportedly suffers from diabetes, an enlarged heart, liver problems, and back pain but has been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. His family is asking for amnesty on his behalf since he is the longest-detained American citizen in North Korea’s history.

    Image via Thinkstock

  • Dennis Rodman Enters Rehab for Alcohol

    Dennis Rodman Enters Rehab for Alcohol

    After the bizarre drunken display that ex-basketball star Dennis Rodman put on during an interview with CNN, he decided to head to rehab for alcohol abuse. TMZ was the first to report the story.

    Rodman’s agent, Darren Prince, said this last trip to North Korea was supposed to be a positive one, but it went horribly wrong and ultimately it’s what did Rodman in.

    “What was potentially a historic and monumental event turned into a nightmare for everyone concerned,” said Prince. “Dennis Rodman came back from North Korea in pretty rough shape emotionally. The pressure that was put on him to be a combination super human political figure and fixer got the better of him.”

    And for the whole CNN fiasco, Prince says Rodman couldn’t be more sorry. “He is embarrassed, saddened and remorseful for the anger and hurt his words have caused,” he said.

    It seems that controversy has surrounded the hall of famer ever since he ended his stint with the Detroit Pistons in 1993 and adopted a punk rock look and attitude, with multicolored hair, piercings and a penchant for dating famous women. But his recent trip to North Korea was a new type of controversy that Rodman experienced, because dating Madonna and getting the media attention that surrounds that is one thing, but hobnobbing with a egotistical dictator, who recently killed his own uncle is another.

    It’s important to remember that Rodman never said he was a deep political person. He just likes to put on a show, and this time, everything seemed to back fire on him, said Prince.

    “People forget Dennis is just an entertainer and retired NBA star,” he said. “The fact remains that a basketball game was played in North Korea live in front of 14,000 people and hundreds of millions around the world viewed clips of the game.”

    Image via YouTube

  • North Korea Issues Threat over US-South Korea Drills

    North Korea is baring its teeth over upcoming U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises. On Wednesday, North Korea insisted that the two nations cancel their annual joint military drills, scheduled to begin in late February and continue into April, claiming that the drills would destroy inter-Korean relations. The two exercises, known as “Foal Eagle” and “Key Resolve,” are routine, but also are intended to deter threats from the north, as well as maintain combat readiness among the allied forces stationed along the demilitarized zone.

    A statement released by the North Korean Central News Agency reads in part that the drills “will fatally destroy the inter-Korean relations and trigger unimaginable calamities and disasters.” A North Korean government insider further claimed that moving forward with the exercises would amount to a declaration of “full-scale nuclear war.”

    A South Korean Ministry of Defense spokesperson, Kim Min Seok, answered the warning, claiming that “if North Korea commits military provocations by taking advantage of these routine exercises, [then] the military will retaliate severely and firmly.”

    While North Korea is prone to idle threats, the U.S.-South Korea bloc has been warier of leader Kim Jong Un in the wake of last year’s purging of Jang Song Thaek. Jang, Kim’s uncle and protector, as well as a lifetime DPRK political insider, was detained and swiftly executed on charges that he was attempting to overthrow the North Korean government. In a speech shortly after the execution, Kim derided his uncle as an “anti-Party, counterrevolutionary factionalist [who was removed] at an opportune time and with a correct decision.” Kim went on to praise the fact that Jang’s demise meant that the “party and revolutionary ranks were further consolidated and [their] single-hearted unity was solidified to the maximum.” The shake-up was considered a ruthless move by observers, suggesting a dangerous level of political instability in the bellicose, nuclear-capable nation.

    As yet, Kim Jong Un fanboy Dennis Rodman hasn’t weighed in on the joint military drills.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Dennis Rodman Has Angry Interview With CNN’s Chris Cuomo

    Former NBA player Dennis Rodman strongly rebuffed claims that his trip, to North Korea Tuesday was political, amidst an emotional torrent.

    Rodman, along with 10 other former NBA players, were in North Korea to play in an exhibition basketball game against a North Korean basketball team. The game will be played Wednesday and coincides with the birthday of the country’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.

    The CNN interview, aired via satellite, turned out to be quite interesting when Rodman was asked whether the trip was political. Rodman was surrounded by the former players during the interview and the point he seemed to be making was that the trip was purely for the purpose of basket diplomacy. “One day, one day this door is going to open because of these 10 guys here,” he told Chris Cuomo, CNN reporter.

    But things got emotional when Cuomo asked Rodman whether he would defend Kenneth Bae, an American, who is being held by the government for unknown reasons.

    “Do you understand what he did?” an agitated Rodman asked Cuomo. “You tell me! You tell me! Why is he held captive?”

    Rodman then added by saying that it wasn’t his business to know what Bae did. All he cared about was that he and the former NBA players had “dared” to go to North Korea.

    The heated interview seemed to make the other players surrounding Rodman uncomfortable. One of the players, Charles Smith tried to cool down tensions by saying the purpose of the game was outside politics.

    “We’ve said numerous times that we’re not here for any political aspects,” Smith said.

    Essentially, Smith was echoing Rodman’s sentiment but in a calmer manner. Smith also said that the date of the game and Kim’s birthday were purely coincidental.

    Image via YouTube

  • N. Korea Rap Video Becomes First Ever To Be Released

    On Tuesday, the very first rap music video to ever be recorded in North Korea was revealed in an exclusive report by The Guardian.

    Washington D.C.-based rappers, (Anthony Bobb) Pacman, 19, and (Dontray Ennis) Peso, 20, uploaded to YouTube a video with the title “Escape to North Korea.”

    Becoming one of the few Americans to visit North Korea, other than Denis Rodman, obviously the two were not welcomed by the country’s communist leader, Kim Jong-un.

    Ironically, the Hip Hop duo posted the video on Jong-un’s 31st birthday.

    The unsigned artists initially received support for their trip through an online campaign on Kickstarter. However, their greatest support came from 25-year-old investment banker, Ramsey Aburdene. (image)

    After an unplanned acquaintance with Aburdene, he became their manager. Ever since then, their rap career has been taking off.

    The two wanted to travel in secrecy, but an article by Gawker publicized Pacman and Peso’s trip to North Korea. As soon as the two landed and entered into the airport, paparazzi and journalists were there waiting to greet them.

    However, the pair continued onto their anticipated exploration of the country they’ve been so anxious but yet excited to experience for some time.

    Their five-day trip consisted of rides on tourist buses and walks down military surveillance streets. Yet each time, Pacman and Peso were discretely recording scenes of their video.

    Their music video was mainly shot in the metropolitan area of Pyongyang with the assistance of a mutual military friend of Aburden, who gathered up people to be apart of the video project.  Other portions of the video include shots of historical monuments and farmland.

    Throughout their trip, both said that they did not experience any issues and mentioned how people on the streets were nice and even waved at them as they passed by.

    One thing that they have become enlightened about, however, is North Korea’s political animosity towards America.

    “We learned about their leaders and why they have problems with America. All the Koreans we met were cool… It was all love over there. It wasn’t how what people was saying it would be,” Peso told AFP.

    The first thought that came to mind when Pacman safely departed from the communist state was, “We made it out. We beat the odds.”

    Check out the music video prelude here shot in Hong Kong:

    Images via Facebook, Pacman and Peso

    Images via Facebook, Pacman and Peso

  • Dennis Rodman Goes Off In Interview About North Korea

    Dennis Rodman made it clear last year that he and North Korean leader Kim Jung Un are really tight when he tweeted that he was going to ask for a “solid” in order to get an imprisoned man released. Now, after a bizarre interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo, some are asking just what his role is in the situation.

    Rodman became extremely agitated during the interview, in which Cuomo asked about Kenneth Bae and what his status is currently.

    “The one thing about politics, Kenneth Bae did one thing. If you understand — if you understand what Kenneth Bae did,” Rodman said. “Do you understand what he did? In this country?”

    “What did he do?” Cuomo said. “you tell me.”

    “You tell me,” Rodman said. “You tell me. Why is he held captive?”

    Bae–who is from Washington state–was arrested in November of 2012 for unspecified “hostile acts” after allegedly entering the country under an assumed identity. There was speculation last year that Bae’s imprisonment might have been a tactic to get the U.S. to negotiate regarding the nuclear arms program, something Rodman–the U.S. Ambassador for North Korea–commented on.

    “I’m not a total idiot. I know what Kim Jong-un is threatening to do regarding his military muscle. I hope it doesn’t happen because America will take whatever actions to protect America and our allies,” he said.

    Image via YouTube

  • Kim Jong Un Gives New Year’s Day Speech

    Kim Jong Un Gives New Year’s Day Speech

    North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday praised the recent purge of “counterrevolutionary” elements from the government, in reference to last month’s execution of his uncle Jang Song Thaek for treason.

    Kim said the party had been united a hundred fold after removing those who were causing faction. In his New Year’s address, Kim said the ruling party was able to detect counterrevolutionary factionists and anti-party dissenters at the opportune time. Following the decisions, “The Party and revolutionary ranks were further consolidated and our single-hearted unity was solidified to the maximum,” Kim said

    Kim further opined that for the country to progress, it needs to be more vigilant in weeding out any sort of alien ideology and called for thorough worker’s ideological education so that party members can think and act in unison with the party’s philosophy.

    The North Korean government is notorious for its dictatorship and the way it has successfully used propaganda to project a picture of a powerful Kim who demands unquestionable loyalty. The purge of Kim’s uncle will likely be used for more propaganda.

    Kim became the country’s ruler in 2011 following the death of his father, King Jong II. He turns 31 next week and experts say the removal of the highest ranking government official may consolidate his power or bring chaos.

    Meanwhile, Kim talked about a number of policy goals for the country including agriculture and the economy. However, the North Korean leader did not make mention of foreign investment or international trade as his father had done. This could mean that North Korea may have to focus on domestic trade.

    Other issues mentioned include U.S. and South Korea’s interference in his country’s nuclear plans. Last month, South Korea warned that a military provocation is a possibility if North Korea does not cease its nuclear ambitions.

    Image via YouTube

  • Dennis Rodman Back In North Korea

    You have to wonder, what on earth does Dennis Rodman see in North Korea, a cruel communist country. He can’t be going just to appease their love of basketball. What is he doing there?

    After all and in typical backward manner – Kim Jong-un, just last week ordered his uncle Jang Song-thaek to be executed by machine gun. And, according to Fox News, he recently sent his deceased Uncle’s family to prison camps!

    What is the attraction to Kim Jong-un and North Korea for this former NBA Basketball star? Is he just literally, insane?

    In a recent article by CBS News titled “Dennis Rodman back in North Korea to visit buddy Kim Jong Un,” to try to “help the world.” Hu?

    Rodman, after arriving at Pyongyang’s airport was met by Vice Sports Minister Son Kwang Ho. He made no public comments, but told a mob of reporters earlier at Beijing’s airport that he expected, as on previous visits, to meet with Kim and make final arrangements for a Jan. 8 exhibition game in Pyongyang marking the leader’s birthday.

    “I know (Kim) is waiting for me to come back. So hopefully we will have some conversation about some things that’s going to help the world,” Rodman said.

    When reporters asked Rodman about the execution, he said that had nothing to do with his visit. He said he wasn’t worried about his personal safety, despite the recent detentions of two Americans there, one of whom, Kenneth Bae, has been held for more than two years.

    Rodman said that he planned to return to North Korea in two weeks with a roster of 12 American basketball players, but offered no names.

    “I hope this game brings a lot of countries together, because as I said, sports it is so important to people around the world,” Rodman said. “So I hope this is going to engage American people, especially (President Barack) Obama, to just to try to talk to them.”

    North Korea and Kim Jung-un hold the world’s worst human rights record by activists, defectors and the U.S. State Department. Korean defectors have testified loudly – about the government’s alleged random killings, rapes, beatings and prison camps with as many as 120,000 people who are suspected opponents of Kim, the third generation of his family to rule.

    Go figure.

    Image via Wiki Commons