North Korean army beginning to starve Options

[samnang]

http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2011/06/27/3253979.htm

Footage shot inside North Korea and obtained by the ABC has revealed the extent of chronic food shortages and malnutrition inside the secretive state.

The video is some of the most revealing footage ever smuggled out of the impoverished North Korean state.

Shot over several months by an undercover North Korean journalist, the harrowing footage shows images of filthy, homeless and orphaned children begging for food and soldiers demanding bribes.

The footage also shows North Koreans labouring on a private railway track for the dictator's son and heir near the capital Pyongyang.

Strolling up to the site supervisor, the man with the hidden camera asks what is going on.

"This rail line is a present from Kim Jong-il to comrade Kim Jong-un," he is told.

The well-fed Kim Jong-un could soon be ruling over a nation of starving, impoverished serfs.

The video shows young children caked in filth begging in markets, pleading for scraps from compatriots who have nothing to give.

"I am eight," says one boy. "My father died and my mother left me. I sleep outdoors."

Many of the children are orphans; their parents victims of starvation or the gulag.

But markets do exist - private markets that stock bags of rice, pork, and corn. The state no longer has any rations to hand out.

But the state wants its share of this embryonic capitalism.

In the footage, a party official is demanding a stallholder make a donation of rice to the army.

"My business is not good," complains the stallholder.

"Shut up," replies the official. "Don't offer excuses."

It is clear that the all-powerful army - once quarantined from food shortages and famine - is starting to go hungry.

"Everybody is weak," says one young North Korean soldier. "Within my troop of 100 comrades, half of them are malnourished," he said.

Jiro Ishimaru is the man who trained the undercover reporter to use the hidden camera.

"This footage is important because it shows that Kim Jong-il's regime is growing weak," he said.

"It used to put the military first, but now it can't even supply food to its soldiers. Rice is being sold in markets but they are starving. This is the most significant thing in this video."

Kim Jong-il's grip on power depends on the military and if some of its soldiers have growling, empty bellies, it is bad news for the dictator and his hopes for a smooth transition to his son.

"The priority for Kim Jong-il is the succession," said Mr Ishimaru.

"But Kim Jong-un is still very young, just 27 or 28. He doesn't have any experience and hasn't achieved anything. So opposition to a third generation of the Kim family taking over is growing."

But this dynasty of dictators has proven that it is more than capable of keeping its wretched population in line through gulags, hunger and a total control over every aspect of life.

But as this footage shows, occasionally, a crack of light emerges from this dark, dark place.

If this continues, there'll undoubtedly be revolts. All the brainwashing and discipline in the world can't suppress the human survival instinct. People will do anything to get food if their hunger gets bad enough.

[tom2011]

http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2011/06/27/3253979.htm



If this continues, there'll undoubtedly be revolts. All the brainwashing and discipline in the world can't suppress the human survival instinct. People will do anything to get food if their hunger gets bad enough.

If it wasn't for 20,000 heavy guns pointed at Seoul, and the number of nuclear and biological weapons North Korea possess, South Korean military would have just walked in without a fight, and they still would have been welcomed as liberators. South Korean president LMB said the reunification of Koreas could come like the thief in the night - with sudden unexpected events. I believe he is right on this point.

It is hard to believe that this is a Korean child. It makes me sick to my stomach.



This post has been edited by tom2011: Jun 27 2011, 07:46 PM

[freezingpoint]

Yeah they've been saying this for 60 years lol. North Korea is going nowhere.

[foi2]

If it wasn't for 20,000 heavy guns pointed at Seoul, and the number of nuclear and biological weapons North Korea possess, South Korean military would have just walked in without a fight, and they still would have been welcomed as liberators. South Korean president LMB said the reunification of Koreas could come like the thief in the night - with sudden unexpected events. I believe he is right on this point.

It is hard to believe that this is a Korean child. It makes me sick to my stomach.

I don't normally call murder, but someone should really go kill kim jong-il. Really. I'm surprised the South Koreans haven't done it yet.

[ElapsePride]

NK will fall sooner or later.
Such regime wouldn't survive in modern world.
China also will grasp democracy in the future, maybe takes a bit long.

[ccL1]

This should be exploited. If the military is starving and they revolt, foundation of the Kim regime will collapse. This is what is needed for reunification on ROK's terms.

[Chan-Ho]

This should be exploited. If the military is starving and they revolt, foundation of the Kim regime will collapse. This is what is needed for reunification on ROK's terms.

No kidding.

But I guarantee China will send secret food aid to prevent that from happening.

[ccL1]

No kidding.

But I guarantee China will send secret food aid to prevent that from happening.

If they are, they're doing a pretty bad job of it. And there is no way the Chinese will send enough food secretly to feed over a million men.

But while I want the Kim regime to fall, I hope what comes after isn't as bad or worse.

[ElapsePride]

No kidding.

But I guarantee China will send secret food aid to prevent that from happening.

You sound like an United Korea is going to threat China, Korea is never a threat to China, it's the US.
China aids Nk but it's not a secret. even UN gives NK food.
you and I as ordinary people could easily predict it, couldn't the Chinese government which is running by a group of elites? I bet they know one day the regime is going to fall.

[Chan-Ho]

You sound like an United Korea is going to threat China, Korea is never a threat to China, it's the US.
China aids Nk but it's not a secret. even UN gives NK food.
you and I as ordinary people could easily predict it, couldn't the Chinese government which is running by a group of elites? I bet they know one day the regime is going to fall.

A $hitty North Korea is in China's geopolitical interests is it not? If China can control North Korea through henchmen like Kim Jong Il, why wouldn't they?

[freezingpoint]

You sound like an United Korea is going to threat China, Korea is never a threat to China, it's the US.
China aids Nk but it's not a secret. even UN gives NK food.
you and I as ordinary people could easily predict it, couldn't the Chinese government which is running by a group of elites? I bet they know one day the regime is going to fall.

Ordinary people usually cannot see all the facts hidden from view. What the government sees and what we see are totally different. Every country has 2 versions of the truth, 1 for the decision makers and 1 for the masses. This is true of all societies.

[ElapsePride]

Ordinary people usually cannot see all the facts hidden from view. What the government sees and what we see are totally different. Every country has 2 versions of the truth, 1 for the decision makers and 1 for the masses. This is true of all societies.

still, it's obvious that NK is going to fall, it's just matter of time

This post has been edited by ElapsePride: Jun 27 2011, 09:33 PM

[ElapsePride]

A $hitty North Korea is in China's geopolitical interests is it not?

No, otherwise China wouldn't trade closely with SK.
NK is a difficult situation, no one knew communism would fail 60 years ago. but China changed, to some level, and wants NK to change, they refuse to. I say China wants a Korea that stands along side with her other than the US, doesn't matter it's rich or $hitty.

If China can control North Korea through henchmen like Kim Jong Il, why wouldn't they?

Seriously, I don't think Chinese government wants to control NK like Kim Jong Il does. Chinese army could easily overthrew Kim's regime in Korea war, but the fact is they didn't. if SK was going to help US stir up China and separate China, then I'd say, your suspension had point.

This post has been edited by ElapsePride: Jun 27 2011, 09:31 PM

[samnang]

kim jong il is fu-kin insane. i don't think anyone can predict what he'll do.

if there was an internal revolt, he might start bombing seoul even though they had nothing to do with it.

maybe the food aid should continue just to keep things stable. kim jong il won't live forever, and his death will probably be in the near-future.

maybe it'd be best just to wait for him to die and hope his successor won't be so crazy.

This post has been edited by samnang: Jun 27 2011, 09:35 PM

[ElapsePride]

kim jong il is fu-kin insane. i don't think anyone can predict what he'll do.

if there was an internal revolt, he might start bombing seoul even though they had nothing to do with it.

maybe the food aid should continue just to keep things stable. kim jong il won't live forever, and his death will probably be in the near-future.

maybe it'd be best just to wait for him to die and hope his successor won't be so crazy.

He wants to run a country like a king, an emperor, that's the rudimentary flaw with NK that's doomed to fall.
If there was an United Korea and was going to have impact on China's democratic movement, that wouldn't be so bad, maybe China and the US could ally again against Russia, LOL.

This post has been edited by ElapsePride: Jun 27 2011, 09:42 PM

[YourMuDoIsWeak]

No, otherwise China wouldn't trade closely with SK.
NK is a difficult situation, no one knew communism would fail 60 years ago. but China changed, to some level, and wants NK to change, they refuse to. I say China wants a Korea that stands along side with her other than the US, doesn't matter it's rich or $hitty.


Seriously, I don't think Chinese government wants to control NK like Kim Jong Il does. Chinese army could easily overthrew Kim's regime in Korea war, but the fact is they didn't. if SK was going to help US stir up China and separate China, then I'd say, your suspension had point.

Communism never failed it never truly existed, Socialism failed read the revolution betrayed by Trotsky it explains alot.

Also the UN wanted to reunite Korea but china wanted its little buffer.
Also the UN had no interest at China because they did not want to have another world war you forget that at the time the USSR and China had a mutual defense pact.

[Han Man]

Surely, are there no Koreans brave enough to try assassinate the dear leader! Perhaps a Korean from this forum should volunteer, and be done with this misery.

[YourMuDoIsWeak]

Surely, are there no Koreans brave enough to try assassinate the dear leader! Perhaps a Korean from this forum should volunteer, and be done with this misery.

Surely you jest. The man is heavily guarded no doubt. I doubt any Korean on this forum speaks the northern dialects well enough to go unnoticed. Also assasinations dont work unless their is a coup involved after the deed is done.

[VJDay]

Germany was reunited after East Germany's Superpower patron collapsed.

Which sphere of influence in the Korean peninsula will collapse first? China's or America's?

This post has been edited by VJDay: Jun 27 2011, 10:32 PM

[SantaKlaws]

Kim Jong-il's foundation of power are some key military officers under Chinese patronage, not the ordinary grunts. It doesn't really matter so long as the military officers are satisfied, who are enriched and empowered trough trade and support from China. If this starvation among the troops do become wide-spread, maybe there will be some emboldened dissent among officers against this Kim Dynasty-China alliance, but otherwise I don't see much happening.

This post has been edited by SantaKlaws: Jun 27 2011, 11:00 PM