March
31, 2006: North Korea is trying to get the most that it can for vague promises
to talk about its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Of particular concern
are the increasing number of defections by North Korean civilian and military
officials. These men carry lots of embarrassing secrets with them, and the
North Koreans are trying to get China and South Korea to give these people
back. China has been somewhat cooperative, but not South Korea. However, the
South Koreans are increasingly buying into the concept of propping up the
communist government in the north, so that the more affluent south is not stuck
with a huge reconstruction bill to rebuild the north. The North Korean communists
play on this fear, pointing out that it's a lot cheaper to help keep the
communists in power, than for the northern government to collapse, and the
south being forced to pick up the unification bills. But the defectors tell
another story, of despair and anger in the north, as more people realize how
much better off the southerners are, and how incompetent and cruel the northern
government has been, and continues to be.
March
30, 2006: The United States froze the assets (in the U.S.) of a Swiss trading
firm it accuses of helping North Korea import weapons technology. This is yet
another American move against foreign firms that have been assisting illegal
North Korean activities. These sanctions have apparently hurt North Korea quite
a bit, as the North Korean protests have been very energetic, and futile. The
war on terror has given U.S. more muscle in the area of financial
investigations overseas, and the North Korean illegal smuggling network has
been revealed. Now it's being taken down, and hurting the North Koreans where
they are most vulnerable.
March
30, 2006: South Korea has put into service two locally made missiles. One is a
shoulder fired anti-aircraft missile, like the U.S. Stinger, while the other is
an anti-ship missile, like the U.S. Harpoon. As the South Korean economy has
boomed in the last thirty years, the nation has acquired the industrial
capability to build high tech weapons and, increasingly, is doing so.
March
20, 2006: Japan is planning sanctions if North Korea is not more forthcoming
about the kidnapping of Japanese two decades ago, and current underground
operations in Japan. There has been a crackdown on the pro-North Korean
movement in Japan, and the investigations have revealed far more dirty business
than anyone ever suspected. North Korea has responded by demanding that Japan
hand over four Japanese for prosecution on charges of aiding North Koreans to
escape from North Korea.
