North Korea

The square peg in the round hole dilemma continues . Pyongyang wants an end-of-war declaration. Washington wants denuclearization. Nobody wants to go first.

Step-by-step is the only way this quandary is going to end. D’.C.’s “all or nothing” approach is a road to a breakdown. https://t.co/7kHrOnJ9sG

— Daniel DePetris (@DanDePetris) September 20, 2018

South Korean President Moon, in his remarks to the public about the Pyongyang Summit: "the North requested mediation from the South in its talks with the United States." That's been the case for awhile already, but I still find it remarkable. https://t.co/ZitxB56ZtS

— Joshua H. Pollack (@Joshua_Pollack) September 21, 2018

In the interview with Geraldo that aired yesterday, Trump said of Kim Jong Un: "We were going to go to war. Now he's a friend of mine."

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 25, 2018

Moon has no option but to overpromise. Best case: he keeps the Trump diplomacy train on the rails for at least one more round. Worst case: Trump’s advisors reach the limit on how much delusion they will allow and this blows up badly for Moon. We are pushing on wrong door here. pic.twitter.com/vaEfnmfWTS

— Vipin Narang (@NarangVipin) September 25, 2018

North Korean media drops new posters and slogans focusing on the themes of Kim Jong Un's New Year Address: "Let the young people become pioneers of new technology, creators of new culture and pathfinders for a great leap forward!" pic.twitter.com/uhzCRGJqAs

— Oliver Hotham (@OliverHotham) January 24, 2019

serious question for the better informed: what prevents nk and sk from negotiating a separate peace w/o US oversight?

An official peace treaty would require approval of 2/3 of the US Senate to be ratified. Plus a lot of the economic cooperation the two countries can do together are limited by the current sanctions against NK.

Some reassuring stuff in Special Envoy to North Korea’s speech yesterday but a little concerned that he claimed KJU agreed to some major steps back in the meeting Pompeo had with him in October that the North Koreans have never actually said they agreed to publicly as of yet.

Biegun: "I don’t mince my words…he is unconstrained by the assumptions of his predecessors. President Trump is ready to end this war. It is over. It is done. We are not going to invade N. Korea. We are not seeking to topple the N. Korean regime."https://t.co/P6QE0FHdkj

— Jonathan Cheng (@JChengWSJ) February 1, 2019

"North Korea executed Kim Hyok Chol, its special envoy to the United States, and foreign ministry officials who carried out working-level negotiations for the second U.S.-North Korea summit, a South Korean newspaper reported on Friday." https://t.co/NgsQaMnRyv

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) May 30, 2019

A good reminder that things can always get worse

ever timely
How To (Sp)read a Rumor About North Korea

Top North Korean official reappears days after purge report

that link doesn't but here it is https://www.apnews.com/502b038c1720487294e8ea43f5b39d9c

https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1252419687775744000

North Korea does not have an official line of succession. If Kim Jong Un were to pass away, there would likely be an immediate & intense power struggle.

History also teaches us that totalitarian states don’t end if the leader dies. But it could provide opportunities for change. https://t.co/VVQLVDmwZq

— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 21, 2020

As if this year couldn't get any crazier...

"I Dream Myself Alive" by A-ha, performed by a student accordion trio of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Pyongyang 💙 pic.twitter.com/etiKiSHvEa

— Comrade Natalie 🇰🇵 (@NatalieRevolts) September 17, 2020

I don't know how something like this comes to be (the A-ha > N Korea > specific accordians > my eyes journey) but I like it.

Love to see Kim defy traditional masculine gender roles of what a leader should look and act like. Between him and Jacinda Adern, the millenial generation looks set to defy stereotypes and deliver progressive government across the globe 🤝 https://t.co/9NSr6C1VXD

— doug (@heardougtweet) October 12, 2020

Kim Jong Un had his uncle assassinated. But all is forgiven now that he shed tears in public, thus becoming an icon for progressive values.

This fit crazy pic.twitter.com/FqvBBB57P9

— eĺe💃 (@LesbianDrakeFan) April 16, 2021

No skinny jeans for Kim

that's how you dress when you are a 100pts ahead.

That's a solid look I would like to emulate

*takes notes by hand*

yes, JNCOs sir, yes

Cool.

This demonstration at the Defence Development Exhibition was bit intense. Video broadcast today on North Korean TV. pic.twitter.com/zehpI6EAEd

— Martyn Williams (@martyn_williams) October 12, 2021

So I guess our new intercontinental brick missiles won't have the desired effect

You don't go to war with the bricks you want, you go to war with the bricks you have.

this will hold me over until the new jackass movie comes out

Just being the usual wet blanket here, but I don't think the point of that demonstration was that brick-breaking is a useful military skill.

You're saying you want to fight that guy? If North Korea had a dozen more dudes that tough we might as well just surrender right now.

you got my point, while missing my point

That look from Kim at 0:38: "Tssst, that guy thinks he's so tough... he's not all that."

Lol Josh giving Kim exactly the reaction he wants

lol that guy going aggro was as choreographed as a Jackie Chan movie. But I do love the idea of Kim thinking anyone would really find that intimidating. Like, oh shit, this guy broke a concrete bar with a flying headbutt! Better not mess with North Korea.

would have been better if it was Kim doing the head butting though.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/BareBaggyLiger-max-1mb.gif

imo, the NK military putting on that show in front of Kim was not meant to intimidate SK or the USA nearly so much as to show their dear leader how unflinchingly loyal they are to him. they are saying, "see how we will gladly butt through walls with our foreheads and have rods broken across our backs for you." which explains why Kim was kind of bored by it, since that kind of fealty is demonstrated to him constantly.

Yet also demanded by him constantly. Be careful what you wish for, I guess!

But I think the display is part of a larger PR campaign about NK's military might.. like all these boss new gadgets:

https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/north-korea-shows-off-new-weapons-at-mil-idUSRTXIGLY4

Just wait until North Korea reveals it's got the atomic elbow.

The way they loop the applause in all these videos is a lot like laying down in glass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxXZF60EPdM
lil palate cleanser

this is just bollocks isn't it https://t.co/yDEYlL0LGo

— jamie k (@jkbloodtreasure) November 25, 2021

This looks like an FBI photo of a Serbian gangster outside his stone mason shop in Wicker Park, 1978 @ericzieg https://t.co/Jdwa0D0j8n

— Justin Sherin (@wychstreet) March 10, 2022

Surprisingly high production value for NK:

BREAKING: North Korea's state-run television shows edited footage of Kim Jong Un guiding the test-launch of what the country referred to as the Hwasong-17 ICBM.

Latest story: https://t.co/belL7EdPUl
(Video: KCTV) pic.twitter.com/APifRhtJVr

— NK NEWS (@nknewsorg) March 25, 2022

All I can think of is "Elvis impersonator, with missles"

The bit with the watches can't be real!

Well having been extensively exposed to NK video productions when visiting back in 2015 (?), it looks completely legit to me, just with fancier cinematography and better picture quality.

Well having been extensively exposed to NK video productions when visiting back in 2015 (?), it looks completely legit to me, just with fancier cinematography and better picture quality.

I seriously can't stop watching it.

If they are calling it an ICBM, the implication is that it can reach other continents. I suppose they could be cheating slightly, if it can only reach Australia.

NK is quite a bit closer to North America than to Australia, though. "Only" the remoter bits of Alaska, granted.

Ok

I CANT BREATHE 😭😭😭😭😭😭

she had to come up with something real quick pic.twitter.com/6uVnDX1QDY

— Dame Fagatha Christie, PhD (@FagathaGagatha) May 10, 2023

We had to buy replacement badminton shoes or a racquet or something, and the salesman told us they weren't available anymore. We asked what happened, and he said the company got busted working with North Korea or something!