North Korea

and when I say reports, I mean "rumours on Twitter"

Kim Jong was un assassinated?

Twitter rumour, but the rumour is getting some traction
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2012/02/twitter-weibo-light-kim-jong-un-death-rumors/48565/

UN DEAD

http://www.businessinsider.com/north-korean-claims-unicorns-are-real-2012-11

url kinda says it all, really.

that URL leaves out the words "News Agency"! north korean news agency claims unicorns are real! wow. if only north korea was a magical place to live...

"unicorn lair"

sounds like a name for a gay bar in a 70s crime movie tbh

but it fucking doesn't say anything about them claiming unicorns are real.

the one guy quoted in the story even refers to the unicorn thing as "associated with legend."

and i'll guess they're talking about a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qilin

KNCA reports a "rectangular rock carved with words 'Unicorn Lair' stands in front of the lair.

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQHauC3GkUkeBzrFKbwYQOVFwV6p2p9edewolzgktagyKyULgPr

i don't want to split hairs here but how is that proof that kcna believes unicorns are real?

here's the original: http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2012/201211/news29/20121129-20ee.html

The discovery of the unicorn lair, associated with legend about King Tongmyong, proves that Pyongyang was a capital city of Ancient Korea as well as Koguryo Kingdom."

i think it would be more interesting to talk about the practice of archeology in north korea, its ideological uses, what it means that nk is using archeological finds to reconfirm that pyongyang is the ancient capital of "Ancient Korea." something instead of playing the headline for the lulz.

http://www.questgreekislands.com/travel/activities/1389-climbing-mount-olympus.html

does this article claim that the gods of the ancient greek pantheon are real?

Mount Olympus is home to the gods of Greek mythology and Greece's highest mountain which is located on the Greek mainland. Mount Olympus is an impressive mountain and principal peak of a still-wild mountain area.

North Korea to launch long-range rocket in December

cue "a big 'dong for Christmas" joeks

They should call the missile the Unicorn Horn.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQhB0ZgBK4Qr34_AZr9pCMXRMum-V3nE2ntOw4UMuDDwXweMeRKlw

http://digg.tumblr.com/post/45262980994/north-korean-propaganda-video-shows-how-americans

"They drink coffee made out snow, live in tents and buy guns to kill each other and children."

lil kim stars in 'this old boat'

http://i.imgur.com/SACseei.jpg

Reminder that the DPRK runs a Cafepress:

http://www.cafepress.com/kfashop.788830791

(want that mousepad)

Too bad the propaganda movie was taken down. It often sucks here, but it would take a hell of a imagination to make living in the US seem worse than what life in NK must be like.

Is it for real? I thought I read somewhere that it was a parody. But then again the fact that it was largely plausible that it did come from the NK gov't (given the bizarre shit they've put out lately) says plenty.

Yeah, this country's rabbit hole is so deep it's hard to tell which way is even up or down.

angry birds comes to north korea

also, nothing new but still fascinating: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/07/31/behind-the-spectacle-the-ugly-truth-about-north-koreas-mass-games/

We've got Miley, they've got...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/10272953/Kim-Jong-uns-ex-lover-executed-by-firing-squad.html

(not hilarious btw)

jesus christ!

She was luckier than Kim Chol, vice minister of the army, who was executed with a mortar round in October 2012.

Kim Chol was reportedly executed for drinking and carousing during the official mourning period after Kim Jong-il's death.

On the explicit orders of Kim Jong-un to leave "no trace of him behind, down to his hair," according to South Korean media, Kim Chol was forced to stand on a spot that had been zeroed in for a mortar round and "obliterated."

still hilarious!!!

Hyon's band was responsible for a string of patriotic hits in North Korea, including "Footsteps of Soldiers," "I Love Pyongyang," "She is a Discharged Soldier" and "We are Troops of the Party." Her popularity reportedly peaked in 2005 with the song "Excellent Horse-Like Lady."

the independant:

Among those killed was said to be singer Hyon Song-wol, who reached an international audience when she won a Hungarian competition in 2005 and released the hit single “A Girl In The Saddle Of A Steed” – often mistranslated as “Excellent Horse-Like Lady”.

http://rlv.zcache.com/i_heart_pyongyang_north_korea_trucker_hats-ra9e78b7968de4366bf84c2c7d4eedee8_v9wfy_8byvr_512.jpg

http://rlv.zcache.com/i_heart_pyongyang_aprons-r094f77b2ca0f45519c1df676bd220ae8_v9wh6_8byvr_324.jpg

damn. what a fucked up world.

300 page report from the Rand corporation on preparing for a North Korean collapse

It explains how appropriate preparations now could reduce the negative consequences that could otherwise occur.

i love it. god bless america.

Jang Song-thaek, an uncle of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a man widely considered to be No. 2 in the Pyongyang government, has been dismissed from all posts of influence, the National Intelligence Service of South Korea told Parliament on Tuesday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/04/world/asia/uncle-of-north-korean-leader-stripped-of-power-according-to-reports.html?hp&_r=0&pagewanted=all

BBC speculates his removal might be for health reasons, with a continuing behind the scenes role. But really who knows?

Maybe his deputies were executed also for health reasons.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25197281 is the speculation FWIW

The story of the 80-something Korean War vet being held there - they just made him do a hostage video - is pretty weird. I guess an eBook he had said something bad about NK, or at least they claim to have taken offense? And they're sort of charging him with war crimes?

The bizarre and baffling tale of an elderly Palo Alto man who’s been detained by North Korea for more than a month grew even more mysterious Saturday as new details emerged about his role during the Korean War secretly training anti-communist guerrillas fighting behind enemy lines.

New revelations that 85-year-old Merrill Edward Newman had served in a once-top-secret U.S. Army unit nicknamed the “White Tigers’’ explains why the North Koreans detained the retired corporate finance executive last month as Newman was about to leave with a fellow Palo Alto traveler after a 10-day visit.

http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20131202/new-details-on-california-grandfather-held-hostage-in-north-korea

havent had a good ol' stalinist purge and public executions in a while

http://www.buzzfeed.com/lesliejo/was-an-american-college-student-kidnapped-by-north-korea

the answer to the headline question is probably no. but interesting.

their tv is serious no funny

not funny

http://sinonk.com/2013/12/06/sino-nk-2013-rewind-sepho-and-the-quiet-charisma-of-grassland-reclamation/

the bum's rush
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25295312

drug abusing womaniser executed
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25359939