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Rumors of Changes in North Korea Persist

Autor: "Anti-Multiculty" Antimulticulture@hotmail.com (2004-11-21 10:49:47)

Rumors of Changes in North Korea Persist
http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=\ForeignBureaus\archive\
200411\FOR20041119b.html
By Patrick Goodenough
November 19, 2004

Pacific Rim Bureau (CNSNews.com) - Speculation continues to swirl around
reports that North Korea is moving to limit the cult of personality built
around the regimes reclusive leader, Kim Jong-il.

A Japanese news agency that monitors Pyongyangs official state media
claimed that some of the titles traditionally used in conjunction with Kims
name are being dropped.

It said reports were identifying Kim by his various job titles, such as
"Supreme Commander of the Korean Peoples Army" or "General Secretary of the
Workers Party," rather than by the honorific, "Dear Leader."

[Ed. Typical leftist, it is all titles and flummery, meanwhile the "poor
bastards" under them starve....]

Recent English-language reports posted on the website of the official North
Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) refer to Kim simply as "leader."

The reports follow news that some portraits of Kim have been taken down from
public places around Pyongyang. Some analysts differ over the significance
of the apparent changes.

South Koreas Yonhap News Agency quoted a former North Korean diplomat
Thursday as saying Kim had given orders that his pictures be taken down as
early as the beginning of last year.

The unnamed North Korean, who defected to Seoul last year, said even
high-ranking officials had been afraid to obey the order in spite of the
fact that it came from Kim himself.

The recent removals may have come after Kim repeated the order, he
speculated.

Earlier an academic specializing in North Korea said that, if confirmed, the
reports of the portraits being removed were highly significant, precisely
because of Kims deity-like status.

[Ed. Marxist who thinks he is god.....now that *is* funny.....]

Dr. Andrei Lankov of the Australian National University said it would
suggest political upheaval of some form.

Douglas Shin, a Korean-American pastor who campaigns for North Korean
refugees and human rights, offered three possible theories Friday for the
reported developments.

The most likely one, he said from Seoul, was that Kim wanted to "hunker
down, anticipating the ongoing storm" resulting from the North Korean Human
Rights Act, recently signed into law by President Bush.

The legislation provides funding to help North Korean refugees, seeks to
pressurize Pyongyang to improve its human rights record, and authorizes the
expansion of radio broadcasting into the Stalinist state.

North Korean has slammed the Act, saying it formed part of U.S. policy to
"realize its wild ambition for regime change."

Shin noted that the driving force in Congress behind the Act had been
evangelical Christians, whom he said "dont like Kim Jong-il being exalted
to the level of a god."

Shins second theory was that Kim was preparing his country for a succession
of power and "they want to make the transition smooth."

North Korea-watchers say Kim was badly affected by the death of cancer
several months ago of his favorite consort, by whom he had two sons.

A third possibility, and one Shin thought was least likely, was that there
was some attempt at a power-grab by anti-Kim forces in the military.

Asked Thursday about the reports from North Korea, State Department
spokesman Adam Ereli said: "We havent seen really anything going on in
North Korea to raise alarm bells here."

North Korea has been engaged in a two-year standoff with the U.S. and the
international community over its nuclear weapons programs.

President Bush is expected to use his meetings with Asian leaders at this
weekends Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Chile to
galvanize support for diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.

Three rounds of talks involving the U.S., North and South Korea, Japan,
China and Russia have been held in Beijing. A fourth round of the six-party
talks was scheduled for last September, but North Korea refused to attend
and the meeting did not take place.

--
JimB
http://www.antimulticulture.0catch.com
Union Against Multi-Culty

"Abolish Multiculturalism and String Up The Traitors"

Autor: "Anti-Multiculty" Antimulticulture@hotmail.com (2004-11-21 10:49:47)




Autor: "Anti-Multiculty" Antimulticulture@hotmail.com (2004-11-21 10:49:47)

Rumors of Changes in North Korea Persist
http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=\ForeignBureaus\archive\
200411\FOR20041119b.html
By Patrick Goodenough
November 19, 2004

Pacific Rim Bureau (CNSNews.com) - Speculation continues to swirl around
reports that North Korea is moving to limit the cult of personality built
around the regimes reclusive leader, Kim Jong-il.

A Japanese news agency that monitors Pyongyangs official state media
claimed that some of the titles traditionally used in conjunction with Kims
name are being dropped.

It said reports were identifying Kim by his various job titles, such as
"Supreme Commander of the Korean Peoples Army" or "General Secretary of the
Workers Party," rather than by the honorific, "Dear Leader."

[Ed. Typical leftist, it is all titles and flummery, meanwhile the "poor
bastards" under them starve....]

Recent English-language reports posted on the website of the official North
Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) refer to Kim simply as "leader."

The reports follow news that some portraits of Kim have been taken down from
public places around Pyongyang. Some analysts differ over the significance
of the apparent changes.

South Koreas Yonhap News Agency quoted a former North Korean diplomat
Thursday as saying Kim had given orders that his pictures be taken down as
early as the beginning of last year.

The unnamed North Korean, who defected to Seoul last year, said even
high-ranking officials had been afraid to obey the order in spite of the
fact that it came from Kim himself.

The recent removals may have come after Kim repeated the order, he
speculated.

Earlier an academic specializing in North Korea said that, if confirmed, the
reports of the portraits being removed were highly significant, precisely
because of Kims deity-like status.

[Ed. Marxist who thinks he is god.....now that *is* funny.....]

Dr. Andrei Lankov of the Australian National University said it would
suggest political upheaval of some form.

Douglas Shin, a Korean-American pastor who campaigns for North Korean
refugees and human rights, offered three possible theories Friday for the
reported developments.

The most likely one, he said from Seoul, was that Kim wanted to "hunker
down, anticipating the ongoing storm" resulting from the North Korean Human
Rights Act, recently signed into law by President Bush.

The legislation provides funding to help North Korean refugees, seeks to
pressurize Pyongyang to improve its human rights record, and authorizes the
expansion of radio broadcasting into the Stalinist state.

North Korean has slammed the Act, saying it formed part of U.S. policy to
"realize its wild ambition for regime change."

Shin noted that the driving force in Congress behind the Act had been
evangelical Christians, whom he said "dont like Kim Jong-il being exalted
to the level of a god."

Shins second theory was that Kim was preparing his country for a succession
of power and "they want to make the transition smooth."

North Korea-watchers say Kim was badly affected by the death of cancer
several months ago of his favorite consort, by whom he had two sons.

A third possibility, and one Shin thought was least likely, was that there
was some attempt at a power-grab by anti-Kim forces in the military.

Asked Thursday about the reports from North Korea, State Department
spokesman Adam Ereli said: "We havent seen really anything going on in
North Korea to raise alarm bells here."

North Korea has been engaged in a two-year standoff with the U.S. and the
international community over its nuclear weapons programs.

President Bush is expected to use his meetings with Asian leaders at this
weekends Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Chile to
galvanize support for diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.

Three rounds of talks involving the U.S., North and South Korea, Japan,
China and Russia have been held in Beijing. A fourth round of the six-party
talks was scheduled for last September, but North Korea refused to attend
and the meeting did not take place.

--
JimB
http://www.antimulticulture.0catch.com
Union Against Multi-Culty

"Abolish Multiculturalism and String Up The Traitors"