War on the Korean Peninsula: Present-day

[kyli]

not sure this has been reported here or not

The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - China Ships No Oil to N.Korea in February
China Ships No Oil to N.Korea in February

China suspended shipments of crude oil to North Korea in February, Reuters reported on Thursday quoting Chinese customs data.

China, North Korea's sole real ally, normally supplies 30,000-50,000 tons of crude oil a month to the North. Its crude oil shipments to North Korea totaled 523,041 tons in 2012.

Some believe the suspension of shipments is further evidence that Beijing is losing patience with Pyongyang's brinkmanship tactics. They suspect it was triggered by the North’s refusal to listen to Beijing and cancel its nuclear test on Feb. 12.

But a South Korean government official dismissed the speculation, saying it is quite usual for China not to ship crude oil to the North in February due to seasonal factors.

According to the Korea International Trade Association in Seoul, China several times shipped no crude oil to the North in February between 2000 and 2012. There were only February shipments in four years -- 2001, 2004, 2009, and 2010 -- over the past 13 years, and their volume was well below average.

The problem is that the Chinese government's official data do not reflect the whole picture. "China's free aid shipments of crude oil to the North aren't reflected in customs data," a Unification Ministry official here said. "So if no shipments are shown, it doesn't necessarily mean that there were none."

"It's possible that China actually sent crude oil shipments to the North in the form of unofficial aid," he added.

A diplomatic source in Beijing said, "There's no report yet that China has cut off crude oil shipments to the North. I don't think there's an urgent reason for China to take such an extreme measure."

But another source said, "It's possible that China temporarily delayed crude oil supplies" to rap the North over the knuckles. In fact, rumors circulated for a while last month in Dandong that China cut off crude supplies.

Last time, Kim the Fat II capitulated after a couple months without oil. Don't know if Kim The Fat III could outdo and outlast his dad.

[xinhui]

not sure this has been reported here or not

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/...032201009.html
China Ships No Oil to N.Korea in February

China suspended shipments of crude oil to North Korea in February, Reuters reported on Thursday quoting Chinese customs data.

China, North Korea's sole real ally, normally supplies 30,000-50,000 tons of crude oil a month to the North. Its crude oil shipments to North Korea totaled 523,041 tons in 2012.

Some believe the suspension of shipments is further evidence that Beijing is losing patience with Pyongyang's brinkmanship tactics. They suspect it was triggered by the North’s refusal to listen to Beijing and cancel its nuclear test on Feb. 12.

But a South Korean government official dismissed the speculation, saying it is quite usual for China not to ship crude oil to the North in February due to seasonal factors.

According to the Korea International Trade Association in Seoul, China several times shipped no crude oil to the North in February between 2000 and 2012. There were only February shipments in four years -- 2001, 2004, 2009, and 2010 -- over the past 13 years, and their volume was well below average.

The problem is that the Chinese government's official data do not reflect the whole picture. "China's free aid shipments of crude oil to the North aren't reflected in customs data," a Unification Ministry official here said. "So if no shipments are shown, it doesn't necessarily mean that there were none."

"It's possible that China actually sent crude oil shipments to the North in the form of unofficial aid," he added.

A diplomatic source in Beijing said, "There's no report yet that China has cut off crude oil shipments to the North. I don't think there's an urgent reason for China to take such an extreme measure."

But another source said, "It's possible that China temporarily delayed crude oil supplies" to rap the North over the knuckles. In fact, rumors circulated for a while last month in Dandong that China cut off crude supplies.

[Chogy]

Much like the cult of the emporer in Japan prior and during WWII

That's an interesting comparison.

I believe the Japanese devotion to their Emperor was every bit as intense, if not more, than the North Koreans for Supreme Leader.

Interestingly, since Communism is officially atheist, Dear Leader isn't technically considered a god, but the fervor comes close.

I wonder... if you could go back in time with nice color video equipment and interview Japanese soldiers in 1938 or thereabouts, if it would parallel what we see now from NK. My guess (given their culture of manners) is that it wouldn't be so bombastic, but probably every bit as sincere. And that said, I wonder if, in war, the average NK soldier would show the extreme devotion to duty as his earlier Japanese counterpart.

[Parihaka]

Much like the cult of the emporer in Japan prior and during WWII

[TopHatter]

I believe that their group-think is very different from the USSR and her proxies during the cold war.

Agreed. The North Koreans took the Stalinist cult of personality and cranked up beyond anything imaginable.
Being nearly as isolated geographically as an island certainly didn't hurt one iota either.

[Chogy]

So I have doubts about how serious belivers these people are.But they also come from a very different cultural background.

I think their sincerity is genuine. Two reasons... they do not have the data to know differently; no real media. Secondly, the propaganda has been drilled into their brains from the moment they started forming language synapses as babies.

The Supreme Leader loves us and cares for us, he defeated the Yankees in their war of aggression in the 1950's, and the Southern puppets deep in their hearts want his radiance and love to shine upon them as well.

Any deficits in their lives are the fault of the USA, SK, Japan, and other like nations.

I believe that their group-think is very different from the USSR and her proxies during the cold war.

"Traitorous dogs will die in a sea of righteous flame, ignited by our dignified supreme leadership."

Why do I hear my ex-wife's voice when I read that?

There's more than one of them?

[chanjyj]

Bullpups are not very suited for arms drills, so it makes sense to keep a bunch of full length rifles around. I believe the US Army still uses the M14 for the same purposes. On the other hand, chrome plated barrels and bayonet? Did the Soviets keep such stuff around for parade or honour guard?

I am not sure. If they have I've not consciously noticed it.

[citanon]

Up to the 1980's in the former Yugoslavia all the correspondence ended with "SFSN" which is abbrev for Death to the fascism, freedom for the people.

Then they decided not to use it and the country dissolved :)

Exactly. In China, almost everyone said it, most people only believed a small portion of what they were saying, and most of that portion relates to the abstract and the historical rather than the concrete and present. Once ¥ ¥ ¥ showed up, people found their true religion, and became born again.

[Mihais]

Up to the 1980's in the former Yugoslavia all the correspondence ended with "SFSN" which is abbrev for Death to the fascism, freedom for the people.

Then they decided not to use it and the country dissolved :)

Smert Fascistam Svobodu Naroda
Yep,I've started learning Russian

WRT what Citanon said,in theory our guys were the same.In practice they were not.So I have doubts about how serious belivers these people are.But they also come from a very different cultural background.

[Doktor]

Up to the 1980's in the former Yugoslavia all the correspondence ended with "SFSN" which is abbrev for Death to the fascism, freedom for the people.

Then they decided not to use it and the country dissolved :)

[citanon]

The tirades given in those videos by officers and men... robotic is an understatement. Painfully scripted.

I honestly thought even NK didn't still use "Com-Speak" anymore - "Traitorous dogs will die in a sea of righteous flame, ignited by our dignified supreme leadership." That sort of thing.

I'm a bit stunned, to be honest.

I'm not sure it's scripted Chogy. It's just that everyone has attended so many political indoctrination meetings where people said shit like this over and over again that by now they all know it by heart. I bet you if you go around Pyongyang and grab an average guy who is fairly intelligent off the street he will ad lib very similar lines for you.

Same thing happened in China during the Cultural Revolution. Everyone knew those lines and recited them like grand sutras of protection (which they were) at every public meeting. Those guys probably spend 5 hours a day in "political meetings". In China even into the 1980s people in every state institution (not even the army) would waste hours and hours of their work day on political meetings. It was like being in an overzealous evangelical Christian church, but with the Bible replaced by communism.

I bet you anything that once the Norks fall the evangelicals from SK will have a field day.

[Mihais]

"Traitorous dogs will die in a sea of righteous flame, ignited by our dignified supreme leadership."

Why do I hear my ex-wife's voice when I read that?

Sir,your security service is lacking.They didn't checked her before you married her.You spent years with a NORK agent.

[Albany Rifles]

"Traitorous dogs will die in a sea of righteous flame, ignited by our dignified supreme leadership."

Why do I hear my ex-wife's voice when I read that?

I was going to say that ammo is not that expensive but outside of dog and pony shows, the NORKs really do not have any exercises.

The thing is that Kim the Fat is trying to impress us with his threats but all he is done is make his country look like a laughing stock. His bluff has been called 4 times already. Even Seoul said enough is enough, you want a fight, you will get one.