North Korea Megathread

[New switz empire]

Jo Leader's so fat, he broke his ankles while in his office!

LOL

[Imperializt Russia]

So massive they apparently fail to catch anyone.

The US has one of the worst rich-poor divides and worrying levels of abject poverty. The US is a sufficient food producer/importer to not require centralised distribution and is not under meaningful economic sanctions.

Yeah, your anti-Americanism is fun and all, but that doesn't actually answer the question.

Love to know how you go from "the US has a poverty problem" to "anti-Americanism".

Statement of facts is sedition against the Great Satan now?

[Conserative Morality]

Love to know how you go from "the US has a poverty problem" to "anti-Americanism".

Statement of facts is sedition against the Great Satan now?

So massive they apparently fail to catch anyone.

In addition to not actually answering the starvation question. It's more than your responses are trite and uninteresting at this point, but if you have an actual source for supply/distribution related starvation deaths in the US, I'd be happy to see it.

[Des-Bal]

I weigh over 300lb. Way over 300lb. And while my feet are sore after a day out & about, I've never been in any particular danger of my bones fracturing under my own weight.

I call bull$hit journalism....oh, wait - this is the Torygraph of which we speak.

After gaining a great deal of weight in a short time he went on a death march in high heels. When the telegraph says gravity is real do you expect to float away?

[Imperializt Russia]

Love to know how you go from "the US has a poverty problem" to "anti-Americanism".

Statement of facts is sedition against the Great Satan now?

So massive they apparently fail to catch anyone.

In addition to not actually answering the starvation question. It's more than your responses are trite and uninteresting at this point, but if you have an actual source for supply/distribution related starvation deaths in the US, I'd be happy to see it.

I imagine they're quite low.
Because starvation deaths in the US, if they exist in any appreciable number, are probably not due to failures of the supply and distribution network.

The US has a brilliant supply and distribution network. People in poverty, who make up a worryingly large number of people in the US, are less able to tap into that brilliant network for financial reason. There are some distribution issues - such as "grocery deserts", or whatever the term is - the phenomenon where nutritious groceries are often not located in or appreciably near low-income and deprived areas. Food is still available here, critically - there is no issue of the supply in the United States.

This still does not explain where you found "anti-Americanism" from my statement. Though I freely admit an anti-American bias - this is mostly in relation to its foreign and domestic policies. I have no problem in (begrudgingly) admitting the US' inherent superiority in many qualifiers. This includes the military global hegemony it has formed and its ability to enforce this - its wealth as a nation, if not how it is spread - and its absurdly high level of industrialisation and development.
Pointing out the US has problems is not anti-Americanism. It's an observation and acceptance of reality.

[Conserative Morality]

I imagine they're quite low.
Because starvation deaths in the US, if they exist in any appreciable number, are probably not due to failures of the supply and distribution network.

The US has a brilliant supply and distribution network. People in poverty, who make up a worryingly large number of people in the US, are less able to tap into that brilliant network for financial reason. There are some distribution issues - such as "grocery deserts", or whatever the term is - the phenomenon where nutritious groceries are often not located in or appreciably near low-income and deprived areas. Food is still available here, critically - there is no issue of the supply in the United States.

This still does not explain where you found "anti-Americanism" from my statement. Though I freely admit an anti-American bias - this is mostly in relation to its foreign and domestic policies. I have no problem in (begrudgingly) admitting the US' inherent superiority in many qualifiers. This includes the military global hegemony it has formed and its ability to enforce this - its wealth as a nation, if not how it is spread - and its absurdly high level of industrialisation and development.
Pointing out the US has problems is not anti-Americanism. It's an observation and acceptance of reality.

So what you're telling me is that you took a question about starvation in the US that wasn't directed at you in order to lambast the US's public and private security nets with an unsourced claim that it catches 'no one'? Even as an exaggeration that's ridiculous.

Please note that those sources don't even include private charity in the States. There's a difference between saying that the US has a poverty problem and making stupid claims about the inefficiency of our security nets.

[Agneth]

I weigh over 300lb. Way over 300lb. And while my feet are sore after a day out & about, I've never been in any particular danger of my bones fracturing under my own weight.

I call bull$hit journalism....oh, wait - this is the Torygraph of which we speak.

After gaining a great deal of weight in a short time he went on a death march in high heels. When the telegraph says gravity is real do you expect to float away?

As a fat man I always have to hold onto objects so I don't float off.
One time I made it outside our atmosphere, that was terrible.

[AiliailiA]

Not that I condone making fun of Kim Jong-Un's weight, but really, when was the last distribution/supply related starvation death in the US? Our private and public security nets are massive.

So massive they apparently fail to catch anyone.

The US has one of the worst rich-poor divides and worrying levels of abject poverty. The US is a sufficient food producer/importer to not require centralised distribution and is not under meaningful economic sanctions.

The rich/poor divide in the US is admittedly wide. But the poor are not starving, in fact they're disproportionately prone to obesity. Cheap food there is high in fat and carbs including sugar.

The welfare state in the US is weak, compared with other developed countries. I would not say the US welfare state is less efficient, nor more corrupt. It is quite simply under-funded. The vast bulk of transfers are Social Security: a misconcieved and malfunctioning system to relieve poverty in the elderly. Poverty in the elderly was a huge problem when SS was booting up, but now the demographic of over-65 are disproportionately wealthy.

Apart from Social Security, and the related Medicare, US governments at the state and federal levels spend amazingly little on welfare for anyone who isn't a child or an old person. And that's dumb. It's stupid public policy.

After childhood, the State (and of course the community, most particularly parents) have invested hugely in an individual. And that individual has in every case, potential to repay into society. A strong safety net for young adults would reclaim some of the sunken costs in raising children (and not all those costs borne by government). It would serve the nation to reclaim those sunken costs, instead of spending money on harsher penalties to turn the least advantaged citizens into lifelong supplicants of the state. Prisoners, and then socially crippled ex-cons.

Of course, most young adults do go to work, contribute to society and pay taxes. They do so for many reasons: to prove themselves, to have high income and thus the pride of spending, or to move in society away from where their upbringing placed them. Nothing wrong with that. But it is terribly harsh on those who entered adulthood at an economic, social, or educational disadvantage. They want the same things, but they can't have them, and they're told it's their fault. As if they just aren't trying hard enough.

A proper welfare state would redress the disadvantage of citizens in that most crucial stage of their lives. Leaving the nest, retreating to the nest, or falling from the nest.

And falling from the nest is pretty bad. It's prison.

[Organized States]

Sources in the ROK Defense Ministry have stated that the North Korean Military has a goal of reuniting the Koreas by or in 2015. This comes after the North Korean and South Korean Navies exchanged fire.

Source
SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Yonhap) -- With a goal to achieve national reunification in 2015, North Korea has geared up for all-out wars by conducting tactical trainings and boosting its attack capabilities, Seoul's defense ministry said Tuesday.

"After declaring 2015 the year of completing unification, North Korea has been prepared for full-scale wars," the ministry said in a report presented to the National Assembly for an annual audit of state agencies.

The communist country has ratcheted up tensions on the Korean Peninsula by firing off a series of rockets this year, though it has made peace offensives toward the South recently. Last week, Pyongyang sent key aides to its leader Kim Jong-un to the western port city of Incheon and sat down for talks with Seoul's high-ranking officials to agree upon holding another high-level inter-Korean meeting later this month or early November.

"For that goal, the North doubled the number (of servicemembers) involved in its summer trainings compared to previous years. It has also boosted its attack capabilities in a consistent manner," the ministry noted.

North Korea also added 300 units of multiple rocket launchers over the past two years to bring the total number to some 5,100, according to the Seoul ministry.

The rockets with 240-millimeter caliber can fly some 60 kilometers to reach the capital city of South Korea, and the 300mm ones have a range of 200 kilometers to pose threats to the military headquarters in central South Korea.

This year alone, Pyongyang launched rockets 19 times, with the latest one in early September, firing a total of 111 projectiles.

In a move to counter such threats, the Seoul government devised "a timetable" to launch precise strikes against the origin of provocations on the ground, at sea and in the air but also forces supporting it and its commanders.

"South Korea has maintained a firm readiness against North Korea's limited provocations and any attempts to wage full-scale wars," the ministry said. "We are trying to boost security posture in capital areas to deter diverse and novel types of threats by the enemy."

graceoh@yna.co.kr

(END)

Apologies about the Source, I'll find a better one later hopefully.

Anyways, this is rather interesting. North Korea as many of us know (*looks at Washington Resistance Army, the resident North Korea analyst on NSG*) is on a military buildup, primarily to modernize their 1950s and 60s vintage military. However, this comments from the ROK are certainly disturbing, as I would prefer not to see the Korean Peninsula go up.

Anyways, what do you think NSG? Is Korean War round 2 imminent? Is 2015 a year for peaceful integration? Is North Korea off its rocker (as usual)?

[Republic of Coldwater]

I doubt it is possible with political turmoil happening in North Korea and an uncertain future for the leadership of the troubled nation. Keep in mind that the North has been very extreme in the past and still is going on with their far-left dictatorial rhetoric of destroying America and taking over the rest of the Korean peninsula, good luck trying to reunite while your government has increased hostilities against the south. This surprise visit to South Korea won't be a sign of reunification. After all, there have been visits like these in the past, and people thought that reunificaiton will come, yet the north continues on their rambling about bombing America and a unified Korea under the DPRK rule, which goes against the South's hope of a mixed government of the north and the south or an entirely ROK rule over the peninsula. Lastly, we must keep in mind that "China" would not like a US ally right on their doorstep, and that is a further complication for reunification.

[Organized States]

I doubt it is possible with political turmoil happening in North Korea and an uncertain future for the leadership of the troubled nation. Keep in mind that the North has been very extreme in the past and still is going on with their far-left dictatorial rhetoric of destroying America and taking over the rest of the Korean peninsula, good luck trying to reunite while your government has increased hostilities against the south. This surprise visit to South Korea won't be a sign of reunification. After all, there have been visits like these in the past, and people thought that reunificaiton will come, yet the north continues on their rambling about bombing America and a unified Korea under the DPRK rule, which goes against the South's hope of a mixed government of the north and the south or an entirely ROK rule over the peninsula. Lastly, we must keep in mind that "China" would not like a US ally right on their doorstep, and that is a further complication for reunification.

Well, the Chinese have actually grown more sympathetic to the Koreas under the ROK, and the North Koreans have become bad for business. I suspect this is either justification for more Juche, and Songun type stuff, or they've run out of ideas to spew for propaganda.

[Tule]

I think something big is brewing in the region.

Secret talks between the North and the South? Kim Jong Un incapacitated? Recent military modernization in the North? Pyongyang in a state of lockdown?
Military buildup on the Chinese border?

And the North Koreans are unusually silent about the whole thing.

[Organized States]

I think something big is brewing in the region.

Secret talks between the North and the South? Kim Jong Un incapacitated? Recent military modernization in the North? Pyongyang in a state of lockdown?

And the North Koreans are unusually silent about the whole thing.

Agreed. Something's going on, what it is, I can't tell you.

Shit may or may not go down.

[Bosakia]

I bet 50 bucks that the ROK will win the 2nd
Korean War..

[Bojikami]

Maybe Kim Jong Un got couped by some generals who were sick of his shit and they decided it was time to unify?

[The Sotoan Union]

I bet 50 bucks that the ROK will win the 2nd
Korean War..

Mainly because North Korea will have no international support.

[Organized States]

I bet 50 bucks that the ROK will win the 2nd
Korean War..

There will be no 2nd Korean War, primarily because the Korean War never technically ended.

[Bojikami]

I bet 50 bucks that the ROK will win the 2nd
Korean War..

There will be no 2nd Korean War, primarily because the Korean War never technically ended.

Indeed, it will just be an end to the ceasefire.

[Bosakia]

I bet 50 bucks that the ROK will win the 2nd
Korean War..

There will be no 2nd Korean War, primarily because the Korean War never technically ended.

Well, the DPROK can strike any time now....
Also, check out the North Korean website, it's hilarious.

[Connori Pilgrims]

I doubt it is possible with political turmoil happening in North Korea and an uncertain future for the leadership of the troubled nation. Keep in mind that the North has been very extreme in the past and still is going on with their far-left dictatorial rhetoric of destroying America and taking over the rest of the Korean peninsula, good luck trying to reunite while your government has increased hostilities against the south. This surprise visit to South Korea won't be a sign of reunification. After all, there have been visits like these in the past, and people thought that reunificaiton will come, yet the north continues on their rambling about bombing America and a unified Korea under the DPRK rule, which goes against the South's hope of a mixed government of the north and the south or an entirely ROK rule over the peninsula. Lastly, we must keep in mind that "China" would not like a US ally right on their doorstep, and that is a further complication for reunification.

The bold is not very true anymore, at least not since Kim Jong Un (or FattyKims) took power.

It has been known (through released cables c/o wikileaks since at least 2011) that the Chinese have pretty much given up on Kim Jong Un as an ally. The People's Republic has resigned itself to allowing Seoul to rule the peninsula if it means FattyKims is silenced forever - besides, relations between Seoul and Beijing, while not perfect or even allies, is cordial enough to allow it, at least Seoul's governments are sane and fairly predictable.

Hell, some of those cables have indicated that if the US and/or ROK don't do the damn NoKors in the Chinese might do it themselves, if only to preempt the inevitable refugee flow northwards.

Of course, the only reason why they haven't done anything is the same reason the US/ROK have done nothing. Status quo is God as far as their concerned, and so long as Fattykims and his generals stay within their own self-imposed Mordor no one need give any fucks.

[Grenartia]

Seems like some awfully contradictory moves on NK's part. Stepping up its aggressive rhetoric, as well as its military capabilities, while also sending diplomats to speak to SK's Unification Ministry, among other things? Something is going on, but short of some sort of Madman Strategy, I have no clue what.

[Benuty]

Uh huh...since the Korean War never ended it would just be a full reactivation of hostilities not to mention one of the longest wars in the modern era.

[Scepez]

Interesting.
Well, North Korea had to fall at some point.

[Herargon]

I think something big is brewing in the region.

Secret talks between the North and the South? Kim Jong Un incapacitated? Recent military modernization in the North? Pyongyang in a state of lockdown?
Military buildup on the Chinese border?

And the North Koreans are unusually silent about the whole thing.

The North Koreans can't talk about it because they will be punished severely... Dude, do you even-?

[Bojikami]

I think something big is brewing in the region.

Secret talks between the North and the South? Kim Jong Un incapacitated? Recent military modernization in the North? Pyongyang in a state of lockdown?
Military buildup on the Chinese border?

And the North Koreans are unusually silent about the whole thing.

The North Koreans can't talk about it because they will be punished severely... Dude, do you even-?

I think he means the government.