History Matters

CONCERN ABOUT IMMIGRATION

2012-02-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

isn't just for Arizona any more.

At least some folks in Hong Kong seem as exercised about the threat posed by migrating "others" as some folks on the southern border of the U.S. seem to be.

"UNCERTAIN BUT MORE HOPEFUL"

2012-02-07T09:10:00.000-08:00

The Anglosphere's favorite Chinese North Korea expert, Shen Dingli, weighs in on the DPRK. Some snippets:

A month after the demise of Kim Jong-il, the DPRK seems internally stable, which should come as no surprise. Domestically, elites in North Korea benefit from sustaining the regime, despite the change of a specific leader.
...
Given all of the difficulties the DPRK has faced, expecting it to have a hard-landing is unrealistic. Ever since the end of the Cold War, the DPRK has disappointed those who wish or expect it to collapse. Instead, it has succeeded in conducting two nuclear tests without bogging down its economy. The DPRK today is less likely to face a preemptive attack. Reasonably, the leadership in Pyongyang could be expected to continue its current style, running both a shabby economy and a rudimentary nuclear deterrent.

Fairly conventional but worth reading nonetheless.

YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY?

2012-01-31T08:53:00.000-08:00

Overall rates of cigarette smoking in the U.S. are down. Most of us look at ads like these and at least cringe a bit.

It appears that the PRC might still be closer to the halcyon days of tobacco use and status in society than it is to the present-day U.S. mood on the matter

China's anti-smoking lobby is fuming over the recent appointment to the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) of a scientist who works for the tobacco industry.
...
Xie's research focused on adding traditional Chinese herbal medicines to cigarettes in an attempt to reduce the harmful effects of smoking, according to recent media reports.

"NEW POSTER PRODUCED IN DPRK"

2012-01-31T08:36:00.000-08:00

So reads the headline from the KCNA website.

Apparently, the DPRK is working toward a future in which North Korean women have plenty of paper towels.

ANOTHER WATERSHED MOMENT?

2012-01-27T15:27:00.000-08:00

Japan experiences its first trade deficit in decades.

Analysts warned the combination of these factors was hurting Japan's exporters as rivals from South Korea and other Asian nations compete in markets which Japanese companies had previously dominated.

"It reflects fundamental changes in Japan's economy, particularly among manufacturers," said Hideki Matsumura of Japan Research Institute.

"Japan is losing its competitiveness to produce domestically."

YEAR OF THE DRAGON STAMPS

2012-01-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

in all their diversity and glory here.

I quite like the North Korean ones:

Of course postage stamps are rapidly on their way to becoming obsolete. What, if anything, will replace them as widely circulated commemorative images?

IT HAD TO HAPPEN

2012-01-23T16:57:00.001-08:00

Kim Jong Un Looking at Things.

Didn't I predict this?

SWEET

2012-01-20T09:41:00.000-08:00

North Korean defectors are seeking to bring about change in North Korea using Choco Pies.

A group of North Korean defectors launched balloons carrying chocolate-covered snack cakes into the communist state Friday, as they wished their compatriots well ahead of the Lunar New Year's holidays.

More than 20 members of various defector groups filled 20 large balloons with 100 kilograms of Choco Pies on Ganghwa Island, west of Seoul, and launched them into the air from two separate locations.

An interesting idea. But haven't they watched JSA?

Lee Byung-hyun: Hyeong…

Song Kang-ho: Thing is, I don’t understand why we can’t make stuff like this in our country.

LBH: Hyeong… hey, you don’t want to go down South? I mean, you could stuff yourself full of choco-pies.

[uncomfortable silence]

LBH: Geez, forget it then.

SKH: Listen, you little bastard, I’m just going to say this once so listen good. I dream of a day when our country will make cookies that taste a thousand times better than South Korean cookies. Got it? But until then, I have no choice but to dream about these cookies.

LBH: Ah, let’s forget about it. You’re all talk anyway…

WATERSHED MOMENT?

2012-01-17T08:02:00.000-08:00

More people in today's PRC live in cities than in the countryside.

COOL

2012-01-12T09:33:00.001-08:00

The scale of the universe.

HOUR-LONG DPRK DOCUMENTARY

2012-01-09T14:28:00.000-08:00

on Kim Jong Un can be viewed on Youtube.

So far I've managed to make it through only about ten minutes of it. Highlights:
--A majestic Kim Jong Un on horseback
--Many scenes of enthusiastic crowds literally jumping for joy
--Weapons, weapons, and more weapons
--Sober written works most of which expound on the centrality of the military and/or how the military should be emphasized even more (clearly Kim Jong Un knows which side his bread is buttered on)
--Scenes of Kim Jong Un's father and grandfather (with the facial resemblance of grandfather and grandson so obvious as to not merit much direct commentary)
--On the spot guidance (mostly with soldiers and officers).

Happy viewing!

UPDATE: A much more detailed summary available here.

UNBELIEVABLE

2012-01-06T14:47:00.000-08:00

A video put together by some putative supporters of Ron Paul (though both Paul and his campaign have disavowed the video).

What, exactly, is suspect or un-American about being able to speak another language (albeit not with the greatest of fluency) or adopting children from another country? Seriously?

In my usual try-to-think-the-best-of-everyone mode, I suppose one could chalk this up as a false flag operation deliberately intended to hurt Ron Paul's credibility (as if he needs much help in that department). But if someone actually believes this stuff and/or thought that broadcasting it would sway the minds of other Americans...

Sigh.

TEN PEOPLE TO KNOW

2012-01-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

to understand the DPRK leadership transition (courtesy of the good folks at KEI).

I'm happy to report that I know (or at least know of since I don't really know any of them) all but #7.

A query: Does anyone know what happened to the "other" Kim Yong-il (not #10 but Kim Jong Il's half brother)?

UPDATE: A handy chart of DPRK leadership here.

P'YÔNGYANGOLOGY

2012-01-05T13:56:00.000-08:00

Done well (at least within the limits of the genre). This time by "James Church." A snippet:

Anything that sticks out so far? Well, yes, one thing perhaps. In the nasty, but not overly threatening, NDC statement on Friday, there is a formulation that begs for clarification. “Upon the joint authorization of our party, state, army, and people.” These are not normal times, and that is decidedly not the normal formulation. Normally, No. 1 is cited (or implied) as doing the authorizing. Now, suddenly, it is “joint?” If we see it again, there will be grist for many mills.

And, done amusingly: everyone, it seems, is fascinated by the appearance of a giant among the crowds mourning Kim Jong Il's passing.

KIM JONG UN

2012-01-02T20:49:00.000-08:00

looking at things.

Many more similar pics here.

Like father, like son?

EVEN HEAVEN WEPT

2011-12-28T12:00:00.001-08:00

at Kim Jong Il's funeral procession.

TWO WISE MEN

2011-12-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

on the current state and the future of the DPRK.

OK, to be perfectly accurate, it the musings of one wise (and pseudonymous) man, "James Church," author of the Inspector O novels (A Corpse in the Koryo remains my favorite of the bunch) on the writings of another wise man, Rudiger Frank, who recently penned an interesting article, "The Party as Kingmaker..."

A snippet:

What is interesting about the current situation is that, for the first time in more than 50 years, there is in Pyongyang no single, dominant individual at the top to make the final decisions, to resolve different approaches among advisors, to play individuals against each other to keep the system in rough balance.

Read the whole thing.

WHAT'S NEXT

2011-12-22T08:52:00.000-08:00

for North Korea?

Some interesting ruminations here. A couple of intriguing snippets:

Kim Jong Il’s funeral committee list offers hints that the Korean Workers’ Party (WPK) might be on the rise somewhat, but it is difficult to imagine it surpassing the army in importance. The military is also well represented on the funeral committee and curiously, Jang Song Thaek—widely regarded as Kim Jong Un’s closest ally—was way down the list in 19th place.

Is "Jang" simply keeping a low profile while remaining comfortably ensconced in his role as regent?

They, and Central Military Commission members, know that they can ill afford to anger the Chinese at such a sensitive time. Whatever internal logic might exist for a military provocation, it probably would not outweigh risking the support that they earned through several trips to China over 2010 and 2011. It would endanger the very political order they are trying to secure.

News media has a stake in conflict, so the thematic emphasis has been very much about the potential for instability. Right now, though, quiet is in everybody’s interests. Most of all, for the North Korean leadership.

UPDATE: More here from Scott Snyder. An interesting snippet:

And I take it this funeral will not be attended by Western leaders?

That's right; it's all just a domestic affair. No foreign leaders invited.

It is interesting to contemplate how this squares with the consistent DPRK propaganda that emphasizes the global stature and status of the Kims. Perhaps the KCNA will inform us that grieving world leaders expressed their desire to come but couldn't make it because of bad weather?

UPDATE II: Jack Pritchard makes some predictions.

Kim Jong Il did not live long enough to even enjoy his elevation to Number One Dictator in Parade Magazine’s December 18 edition.

The consequences for Kim Jong Un because of his father’s abrupt death will be dire. He has virtually no practical experience, no individual power base and a system newly designed to weakly function after Kim Jong Il as check and balance between the military, the party and a regent (Jong SongTaek, Kim Jong Il’s brother-in-law). The problem is that Kim Jong Il elevated the military through his Military First Policy to the point where it is THE power in North Korea and efforts to share power can only come through the diminution of the military – something it will not accept in the mid- to long-term.

KIM JONG IL

2011-12-19T07:06:00.000-08:00

Gone.

Official announcement:

One of the many video clips of a mourning DPRK population

Much more of the same here

And, for comparison's sake, the reaction when Kim Jong Il's father died:

BAH HUMBUG

2011-12-13T11:16:00.000-08:00

It appears as if the DPRK doesn't care much for displays of Christmas lights along the DMZ.

UPDATE: A suggested DPRK response here.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY

2011-12-06T08:44:00.000-08:00

Saw this photo of some ROK postage stamps celebrating the fact that South Korea enjoyed one trillion dollars' worth of foreign trade (found here).

This made me realize that I have never known or used the Korean word for "trillion" (조, 兆) before. I think this is at least in part because a trillion simply hasn't been a number that has had much in the way of real-world examples or applications until recently.

Remember when the IMF bailout of $57 billion was an unprecedentedly astronomical amount? Those were the days.

"NORTH KOREA'S FIRST FAMILY"

2011-11-10T08:43:00.000-08:00

A picture is supposed to be worth 1,000 words. But this attempt by MSNBC to map out the Kim family tree is one of the more muddled things I've seen in a while. Yes, the Kim clan with the multiple wives and concubines of both Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il presents a tangled web. But this depiction doesn't help much in understanding the relationships.

ADVANCES IN TYPESETTING

2011-11-09T10:47:00.001-08:00

Leg hair fonts?

I don't think I am a fan.

CULTURE MATTERS

2011-10-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

Straight teeth in the U.S. = good. In Japan, not so much.

A result of tooth-crowding commonly derided in the United States as “snaggleteeth” or “fangs,” the look is called “yaeba” in Japanese or “double tooth.” Japanese men are said to find this attractive: blogs are devoted to yaeba, celebrities display it proudly, and now some women are paying dentists to create it artificially by affixing plastic fronts to their real teeth.

Thanks to Tyler Cowen for the link.

OCCUPY HONG KONG?

2011-10-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

Now things are getting interesting (link to pics found here).

Of course what will be really interesting is if we see an "Occupy P'yôngyang" movement. The KCNA publishes opinions and observations that might not be too incongruous with what has been seen on signs of various "Occupy ____" movements

There is no doubt that capitalism is waning. It is on its decline and our leaders are unable to take any measure to stop it.

They are increasing credit loans as a relief measure but the capitalist system is getting weak day by day.

The loan of the rich is gradually on the increase and the surplus fund is used for speculation.

The customers are mired in evil cycle of debt and politics have become hollow unable to advance any creative initiative.

But I somehow doubt that the DPRK would welcome large numbers of protestors with "V for Vendetta" masks in front of Kumsusan Memorial Palace.

AWESOME

2011-10-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

Pizza was originally Korean!

CHECK "IT" OUT

2011-10-10T12:43:00.001-07:00

Entirely unrelated to history or Asia but the "Blog" of "Unnecessary" quotation marks is worth a look (and a laugh).

CANINE IMPERIALISM

2011-10-07T10:04:00.000-07:00

Read the summary. Then, buy the book.

LOST GENERATION

2011-10-06T18:35:00.000-07:00

They are told to work hard and go to college, yet after graduating they find few permanent job opportunities?

Many of the jobs that are available are part-time, temporary or contract labor?

These insecure jobs pay one-third of what their fathers earned?

Sound familiar? A report on the Occupy Wall Street movement or similar protests throughout the U.S.?

Not quite, this is a piece from a year ago about Japan.

NORTH KOREAN FOOD CRISIS

2011-10-06T18:14:00.000-07:00

Serious or not?

UPDATE: More on the "serious" side of things here (complete with heart-wrenching photos; more photos here).

UPDATE II: And, on the "not so much more serious than last year" side of things, there is this.

THE HEIR

2011-09-26T10:03:00.000-07:00

is out and about mingling with the people.

Much like his grandfather was wont to do, Kim Jong Un has begun to appear making field visits throughout the DPRK. Kim Jong Il did this too, but he seldom seemed to be able to muster the enthusiasm about the visits that his gregarious father naturally seemed to possess.

Does Kim Jong Un look like his grandfather or what?

UPDATE: A brief article on this phenomenon here.

MOONCAKE

2011-09-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

The "fruitcake of China"?

I've never been a huge fan of them. But then again I've never cared for fruitcake either.

WHAT A POLAROID CAN DO IN NORTH KOREA

2011-09-12T14:42:00.001-07:00

Interesting.

LMB TO MAKE A U-TURN

2011-09-12T14:18:00.000-07:00

or is already in the process of making one on North Korea policy.

So writes the ever-readable Aidan Foster-Carter in 38 North.

Worth reading if for no other reason than the fascinating glimpse into the inter workings of the ROK government under President Lee and the influence of an unlikely academic--Immanuel Wallerstein--on the ROK's North Korea policy.

HOYAS IN BEIJING

2011-09-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

You probably have heard the reports and seen the pictures (or video) of the brawl that took place when the Georgetown men's b-ball team played the PLA Bayi Rockets.

Victor Cha (who has written about sports in Asia before) provides a much needed antidote to the hyperbole that has surely followed the event on both sides of the Pacific. A snippet:

Despite the widespread play of the video clips in the US, things calmed down considerably after the event. No one was seriously hurt. The coaches and player representatives from the two teams were immediately in contact after the incident to express sincere regrets and worked together through the night to find a proper way of reconciling. Senior levels of the Chinese government offered to help the team in any way possible. The Bayi coach and two players the following morning met Coach Thompson and two of the upperclassmen on the team. It was a very friendly meeting and they talked about future events where Chinese youth might come to participate in summer basketball clinics in the US. The two groups exchanged gifts at the end of the meeting and there were no hard feelings on either side.

TABLES ARE TURNING?

2011-08-30T07:43:00.000-07:00

Perhaps. A Chinese tycoon is seeking to buy a big chunk of land in Iceland for tourism development (free registration required to access the link).

Opponents have questioned why such a large amount of land – equal to about 0.3 per cent of Iceland’s total area – is needed to build a hotel. They warned that the project could provide cover for China’s geopolitical interests in the Atlantic island nation and Nato member.

While home to just 320,000 people, Iceland occupies a strategically important location between Europe and North America and has been touted as a potential hub for Asian cargo should climate change open Arctic waters to shipping.

CHINESE NAVY IN WÔNSAN

2011-08-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

As someone who has spent a bit of time examining the Chinese presence--political, commercial, military--in Korean port cities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (read all about it here), I found this article to be interesting.

I don't recall that the Qing Empire sent many gunboats to Wônsan (they were a frequent sight in Inch'ôn) but steamships from the China Merchants Steamship Company visited the port from time to time and the small Chinese commercial community there did a thriving business that far exceeded what their numbers would warrant.

Now the Chinese navy is back. Plus ca change ....

On the other hand, this didn't happen back in the 19th century:

Members of the flotilla of navy ships of the Chinese People's Liberation Army headed by Vice Admiral Tian Zhong, commander of the North Sea Fleet of the Navy, laid a floral basket before the statue of President Kim Il Sung in the city of Wonsan in Kangwon Province of the DPRK.

They placed the floral basket in the name of the flotilla before the statue and paid high tribute to Kim Il Sung with deep reverence for him. -

THE CULTURE THAT IS SOUTH KOREA

2011-08-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

Starcraft tournaments on tv!

WAVE OF THE FUTURE?

2011-08-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

The PRC tests its first aircraft carrier.

China’s first aircraft carrier began sea trials on Wednesday, the state-run Xinhua news service reported, a highly symbolic step in what is certain to be a years-long effort to create a carrier presence in the Pacific waters off its coast.

The carrier, once known as the Varyag, left Dalian, its northeast China port for what analysts said would be a test of its rudder, propulsion system and other basics.

I'm sure folks in Taibei and those that border the South China Sea are thrilled.

"THE BLACK HOLE OF NORTH KOREA"

2011-08-09T08:14:00.001-07:00

an NYT story on the difficulty foreign reporters have in making sense of the DPRK.

North Korea might be struggling with an unprecedented crystal meth epidemic. Reporting a story on the drug trade between North Korea and China, I spoke with dozens of sources: defectors, academics, policemen and even one North Korean crystal meth dealer, and I heard estimates that anywhere from zero to 50 percent of the population have tried the drug.

I painted a picture of the drug’s abuse for my article: part escape from the desolation of North Korean life, part medicine in a country with practically no healthcare infrastructure. Yet after months of research I have to admit that I have no idea what is actually happening inside North Korea.

This is all well and good (and has been oft repeated) but the author hides the lede which I think is most important:

I have no idea how many of my U.S. college classmates tried crystal meth, and I spent four years among them in one of the most open societies in the world.

The fact is, we actually have a considerable amount of information about the DPRK from official sources, defectors, foreign visitors, intelligence sources etc. etc. But at the end of the day trying to come to a valid conclusion about any society, nation, or group of people is much, much harder than it might seem.

ARIRANG FESTIVAL

2011-08-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

Some video footage of the latest incarnation here. Somehow I am reminded of this. I wonder what the folks out in District 12...oops, I mean Chôngjin, think of all of this.

"THE FIFTH PHOTO"

2011-07-20T14:20:00.001-07:00

a North Korean short story which warns of the perils of succumbing to the temptations of capitalism is summarized and reviewed by Andrei Lankov. Lankov's conclusion:

The message of this story is simple and easy to understand: Katya is Russia herself, she was lured into a trap by Western propaganda and scheming descendents of landlords, she was fooled into selling her great heritage and she ended up a pitiful prostitute at the bottom of the merciless capitalist heap.

The story is written to serve as a clear warning to North Koreans not to listen to the seductive voices from abroad and should remain on guard against their enemy.

Does this message work? Do reports about Russians suffering under the yoke of capitalism have much impact on North Koreans' vision of the world and themselves within it? Probably it does - at least to some extent, but whether this ideological construct can survive the unavoidable clash with reality is another matter.

Does anyone read or write such obviously didactic literature in the West these days? If not, why not? Have we as a reading audience become so jaded and cynical that we refuse to be moved or persuaded by such literature? Or are we simply unable to come to any consensus about what kind of messages ought to be conveyed?

"KIM JONG IL ENJOYS CHINESE DANCE DRAMA"

2011-07-18T18:39:00.001-07:00

so reads the Chinese People's Daily (on-line version).

Enjoys? You be the judge:

For comparison's sake, go here (or here).

SUMO AND GLOBALIZATION

2011-06-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

Interesting thoughts and observations here.

"RED REVIVAL"

2011-06-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

in Chongqing.

Many here, including Communist Party adherents, agree that this revival of revolutionary fervor is needed to instill a new sense of pride and common purpose, adding that they feared China’s decades-long rush to get rich has eroded the country’s moral bearings and created an ethos of unchecked materialism.

“When I sing red songs, I find a kind of spirit I never felt when singing modern songs,” said Zhang Chenxi, a third-year student at Southwest University here. “To surround yourself with material stuff is just a waste of time.”

I guess if you wait long enough, there may be nostalgia for anything.

At least there is some push-back:

Some critics said they were rattled by this apparent revival of Maoism and red culture, which seems to be gaining traction nationwide.

“To not forget history, we also have to remember the crimes committed during the Cultural Revolution, how they trampled on human rights, how Mao put all his colleagues who had been with him in the revolution in jail,” said legal scholar He Weifang in Beijing, who studied in Chongqing. “We cannot simply remember the beautiful parts of the history.”

UPDATE: Some commentary here.

JAPAN TSUNAMI CLEAN-UP

2011-06-13T16:06:00.001-07:00

Pics here. Impressive.

CHINA: LIFE ON THE STREETS

2011-06-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

of Chengdu. Interesting.

WHO'S THAT LURKING IN THE BACKGROUND?

2011-05-24T08:07:00.000-07:00

of this famous photograph?

Why, it is Wen Jiabao! Who knew? How did he escape being marginalized like Zhao after Tiananmen? Thanks to the ever interesting Iconic Photos for the observation.

KIM JONG-IL IN CHINA

2011-05-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

again? Aidan Foster-Carter retraces the several previous visits to China and their implications.

In speaking with ROK President Lee Myung Bak, Premier Wen confirmed Kim’s visit. Its aim? To give the DPRK “a chance to understand China’s development, and use the understanding for its own development.” That tone won’t play well in Pyongyang

Rewind 28 years, and Deng Xiaoping could have said the exact same thing. Perhaps he did. You do wonder just how often this obdurate horse has to be led to water. Will he ever drink?

Good question.

WHY NOT?

2011-05-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

As far as this genre goes, I still like this one better:

I DON'T GET IT ....

2011-05-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

"The American people, they're very simple people."
--Wang Qishan

MAO'S GHOST

2011-05-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

Still haunts China today.

Mao Yushi, an 82-year-old economist, penned a blog entry that was strongly critical of Mao, suggesting he should be held responsible for the deaths of 50 million Chinese citizens during the 1960s. The economist also noted his reputation as a womanizer who made decisions for his own benefit, rather than for the greater good of China’s development.

Unsurprisingly, the entry captured the attention of the media, academics, senior government officials and ordinary citizens. But when I tried to access the original entry, I found it had already been removed ...

In many ways, Mao Zedong still looms over China, decades after his death. His portrait is hung in Tiananmen Square and his image appears on the country’s currency. Yet Mao Yushi’s blog might finally open up discussion on what is still largely a taboo issue. Either way, it was a remarkable act of daring to publish this piece in the first place.

Some on the left have told me that we shouldn’t expect this to be the last effort among opponents of Mao’s legacy to force debate on the issue. The battle lines, it seems, are being drawn ahead of the crucial 18th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party next year.

THE MYTH OF THE CHINA MARKET

2011-05-10T12:37:00.001-07:00

For centuries, foreigners have eyed the "China market" with dreams of making a fortune retailing a product to millions upon millions of Chinese consumers. That the vast majority of these ventures have failed seldom seems to deter the next generation of China market seekers.

The latest casualties: Barbie and Home Depot.

Despite the potential, some firms have found profits here elusive. Analysts said the most successful American retailers in China are those that recognize the complexity of the market, and adopt their products to local tastes and preferences. Chinese are still highly discerning consumers, experts say, and what works on Main Street does not always easily translate.

TOP TEN KOREAN FOODS

2011-04-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

you have to try. They all look good to me but I would say may favorites are 2, 4, 8 and 10.

FACT CHECKING THE NEW YORK TIMES

2011-03-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

Shanghai Scrap does it with glee. You'll want to read the whole thing, but here's the conclusion:

The staff of Shanghai Scrap conclude that, a) Foreigners can feel confident that they can quote Shakespeare, in English, when discussing restaurants in China on the phone; b) the New York Times needs to widen its circle of sources on censorship beyond people who quote Shakespeare, in English, when discussing restaurants on the phone. Further study needed on whether or not phones used by New York Times correspondents and assistants are the most reliable means of judging phone censorship in China.

Of course one set of anecdotes doesn't necessarily disprove the validity of another set of anecdotes. But I have to say that Shanghai Scrap's conclusion is far more reasonable sounding to me than those of the NYT.

"DUBAI ON EMPTY"

2011-03-18T11:52:00.000-07:00

I take it the author didn't really care for the place.

JUCHE LEGOS?

2011-03-15T06:13:00.001-07:00

Why not?

WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS?

2011-03-13T18:36:00.001-07:00

Before and after pics of the earthquake and tsunami damage.

Heart wrenching.

UPDATE: More here.

Here's an example

THIS IS NOT GOOD

2011-03-10T23:11:00.001-08:00

Condolences to the people of Japan. 8.9 Richter scale earthquake, tsunamis. Scary stuff.

More pics here.

JAPAN IN DECLINE

2011-03-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

Interesting thoughts (and photos, charts etc.) here.

FORTUNE TELLING NORTH KOREA'S FUTURE

2011-03-08T07:45:00.001-08:00

A South Korean fortune-teller in Pusan (originally found here).

If we can resort to P'yôngyang-ology, why not fortune telling?

A prominent fortune teller in Yangkang and Hamkyung Provinces has declared that power in the post-Kim Jong Il era will rest with “Mr. Jang”, according to a source. In North Korea, where belief in superstition is exceedingly common, the declaration has attracted attention.

“Mr. Jang” refers to Jang Sung Taek, Director of the Ministry of Administration of the Chosun Workers' Party and a leading figure in the Kim Jong Il regime.

If defector testimony is to be trusted, there are at least a few well known fortune tellers in the DPRK:

North Korean defectors and sources often mention a reliance on or belief in superstition. For example, in Dongkye Workers District, Baekam-gun in Yangkang Province, there is a well-known female fortune teller. She is 27 years old this year.

A North Korean defector from Yangkang Province commented, "I know her. People often seek her out when looking for a thief or lost animal. It is only possible for people to get to see her at night, because cadres who have a sick person at home visit her in the evening and take her to expel evil from their homes."

When the woman first became famous, the authorities tried to stop her activiities and security agents arrested her for spreading superstition. However, her father, who was set to be sent to a training camp, protested, "She doesn’t do this because she wants to. If she does not do this, her body aches, so what are we supposed to do?"

10 SAFEST PLACES IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC

2011-03-03T05:54:00.000-08:00

List here. The number one on the list should surprise no one. Where the ROK ranks was somewhat surprising to me (lower than I expected). And Kazakhstan? Who knew?

FWIW

2011-02-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

Here is some guy talking about political cartoons and taking North Korea seriously

MAN PURSES IN CHINA

2011-02-08T11:44:00.000-08:00

Article here. A snippet:

Designed for men, many of these guy purses often known as shou bao in Mandarin would be right at home in the women's handbag section of an upscale department store. Popular styles include the oversize wallet with wraparound zippers like Zhang's and the embossed leather Coach handbag with the slinky shoulder strap and handles. Colors trend toward solid brown, black and gray. But some fashion-forward gents don't mind showing a little flash: Burberry plaid, Gucci's interlocking GG pattern or Louis Vuitton's distinct LV monogram.

Luxury leather goods makers can't believe their luck: Both sexes in the world's most populous country adore purses.

Men represent 45% of the $1.2-billion market for all luxury handbags in China, according to Victor Luis, president of Coach Retail International. That figure is just 7% in the U.S.

A photo:

Perhaps all of those "European carry-all" jokes will have to be re-written for the 21st century.

HITCH ON DICTATORSHIPS

2011-02-01T09:50:00.001-08:00

He's focusing on Egypt and the Arab authoritarian states in the Middle East, but might the same concepts be applied to North Korea?

I think that the factor of indignity and shame, of the sort manifested in the anecdote above, makes a more satisfactory initial explanation. And one of the cheering and reassuring things about dictatorship is the way that it consistently fails to understand this element of the equation. How gratifying it is that all such regimes go on making the same obvious mistakes. None of them ever seems to master a few simple survival techniques: Don't let the supreme leader's extended family go on shopping sprees; don't publicly spoil some firstborn as if the people can't wait for him, too, to be proclaimed from the balcony; don't display your personal photograph all over the landscape; don't claim more than, say, 75 percent of the vote in any "election" you put on. And don't try to shut down social media: It will instantly alert even the most somnolent citizen to the fact that you are losing, or have lost, your grip.

People do not like to be treated like fools, or backward infants, or extras in some parade. There is a natural and inborn resistance to such tutelage, for the simple-enough reasons that young people want to be regarded as adults, and parents can't bear to be humiliated in front of their children.

Is North Korea the exotic Oriental exception to this rule? Or has the DPRK regime been successful in fusing the natural desire for dignity that Hitchens mentions with the dignity of the state (nation/regime/race) in a way that other despotic regimes can only envy?

LATEST IN P’YÔNGYANG-OLOGY

2011-01-31T06:17:00.000-08:00

Part of a recurring series.

DPRK watchers conclude that they have found evidence of the elevation of Kim Jong Un to the same status of his father.

Behold the furry hat!

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's son and heir Jong-un is already being treated with the same level of protocol as his father.

A senior South Korean government official last Friday said Kim Jong-un seems to have moved up to the same rank as his father. "The most conspicuous sign is that Kim Jong-un has started wearing a top-quality furry hat that only Kim Jong-il has been wearing so far," the official added.

UPDATE: Jonathan Dresner, always reliable for thoughtful and erudite commentary, notes that in this case the P'yôngyang-ologists are "likely to be right." Indeed, they may very well be. But even so, it is an interesting commentary that something which is so mundane and common in the West (at least in the cold parts) could be recognized as a sign of power and authority in the DPRK. I wonder whether prepared-for-the-cold foreign visitors are required to hand over their furry hats if they too closely resemble those of the Kims?

CHINESE VERSION OF "GROUND ZERO MOSQUE" CONTROVERSY?

2011-01-27T09:39:00.000-08:00

Not exactly, but some of the similarities are striking:

Confucian followers are fighting against a government-sanctioned plan to build a 41-meter-high Gothic-style church with seating for 3000 worshippers in Qufu, Shandong – the birthplace of Confucius – arguing that it threatens Confucianism’s status in China. A petition calling for a halt to the project posted on the Confucian website Chinarujiao.net received 572 signatures and support from 77 Confucian groups. “If a super-large Confucian temple were built in Jerusalem, Mecca or the Vatican, pitting itself against existing religious buildings there, how would the local people feel about it?” said the petition, which has been widely circulated online.

OUCH

2011-01-25T13:19:00.000-08:00

Russell Jacoby's review of Erik Olin Wright's Envisioning Real Utopias.

I have often noted that academia often appears to adhere to a code of civility in reviewing colleagues' books: politely point out a error of fact here, a disagreement there, but don't savage a colleagues' book because you might be next. Dr. Jacoby doesn't feel compelled to honor this unwritten code:

In a blurb, Michael Burawoy, a previous president of the American Sociological Association and a prominent leftist sociologist, calls the book “encyclopedic” in its breadth and “daunting” in its ambition. He states, “Only a thinker of Wright’s genius could sustain such a badly needed political imagination without losing analytical clarity and precision.” With the correction that Wright is no genius and that the book is suffocatingly narrow in scope, impossibly cramped in imagination, and irreparably muddy in execution, the blurb is accurate.

While I can't speak to the veracity of this scathing critique, a part of me finds it rather refreshing (if somewhat frightening).

"APPEASEMENT, YOUR HOUR HAS COME"

2011-01-24T17:36:00.001-08:00

So says Ambrose Evans-Pritchard (could a more British-sounding name be imagined?).

He invokes the historical precedent of pre-WWI Europe:

Is China now where Germany was in 1900? Possibly. There are certainly hints of menace from some quarters in Beijing. Defence minister Liang Guanglie said over New Year that China’s armed forces are “pushing forward preparations for military conflict in every strategic direction”.

Professor Huang Jing from Singapore’s Lee Kwan Yew School and a former adviser to China’s Army, said Beijing is losing its grip on the colonels.
“The young officers are taking control of strategy and it is like young officers in Japan in the 1930s. This is very dangerous. They are on a collision course with a US-dominated system,” he said.

The solution?

The correct statecraft for the West is to treat Beijing politely but firmly as a member of global club, gambling that the Confucian ethic will over time incline China to a quest for global as well as national concord.

Hmmm....

LOVELY

2011-01-11T08:20:00.001-08:00

A column in the Chosun Ilbo calls for South Korea to acquire nuclear weapons:

Only when Seoul develops a nuclear bomb will the way for substantive negotiations between the two Koreas open. Paradoxically, denuclearization is possible on the Korean Peninsula only when both Koreas have nuclear arms, exercise mutual restraint and conduct nuclear disarmament talks. We can no longer entrust our lives and territorial security to the incompetence of world powers that have failed to settle the North Korean nuclear issue for over two decades. We have to take charge, and to do that we need to develop nuclear weapons.

Because of course North Korea won't see any increased threat to its own security or existence by a nuclear-armed South Korea.

HAUNTING

2011-01-04T07:46:00.000-08:00

photos of the ghost town known as Detroit. Compare these images with Seoul or Beijing. Discuss....

LATEST IN P'YÔNGYANGOLOGY

2010-12-09T08:04:00.000-08:00

We have become accustomed to North Korea watchers reaching conclusions based on cryptic official statements, who is sitting next to whom at the latest government meeting, grainy satellite photos etc.

Here's a new source (at least for me): Middle school bathroom graffiti

The lyrics of a children’s song satirizing Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Eun have been found in a classroom and the restroom at Osandeok Senior Middle School.”

The children’s song is a well-known one in South Korea called “Three Bears.”

The re-written lyrics of the song, NKIS claims, are as follows: “Three bears in a house, pocketing everything; grandpa bear, papa bear and baby bear. Grandpa Bear is fat, Papa Bear is fat, too, and Baby Bear is a doofus.”

Even though when singing the song the Kim family members are not named, a short glance reveals the song’s satirical nature, leading the authorities to reportedly treat it as a reactionary element and investigate its origin.

Make of this what you will.

UPDATE: here is another example of P'yôngyangology but done much more carefully and with a cautious warning in the conclusion:

I suggest we use this example both as an etude in the anecdote-based Pyongyangology, and as a warning of how easy it can be to derive far-reaching conclusions from questionable evidence. Do we need culture-specific expertise? Obviously, we do. Otherwise, we risk basing policy decisions on a hoax.

Kim Jong Un in Europe? Perhaps not.

KIM JONG IL LOOKING AT THINGS

2010-12-03T15:15:00.001-08:00

He's quite good at that.

I doubt this collection of photos is comprehensive. But it does include one of my favorites which I noted earlier here.

UPDATE: the website needs to add this one: found (at least for now) here.

AN EYE FOR AN EYE?

2010-12-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

ROK leaders have adopted an increasingly bellicose stance toward North Korean attacks and provocations:

South Korea would carry out immediate airstrikes on North Korea in the event of further aggression from its neighbour, the man appointed Seoul's new defence minister said Friday.

The military would 'soundly strike back to ensure that the enemy could no longer provoke us', Kim Kwan Jin said at his confirmation hearing in parliament, adding that such strikes would 'definitely' include airstrikes.

I agree with many who have become frustrated if not fed up with the DPRK and its confidence that it can provoke with impunity. This is particularly the case when lives are lost.

And yet I can't help but think that it would be better to not just strike back "soundly" but also strike back smartly (if that's a word). Are we so narrow-minded that the only conceivable retaliation to a military strike is a military strike? Rather than giving the military-first regime what it wants/needs, why not hit it where it really hurts?

The two areas that the DPRK has appeared to react most angrily and stridently about (and in ways that appear to be out of proportion to the apparent harm done) are when the outside world imposes banking sanctions which makes it difficult for the regime to get cash (think Banco Delta Asia; a huge fuss was made by P'yôngyang over what was really not that much money) or when outsiders engage in propaganda warfare. So why not promise (and then deliver) on a full-scale propaganda barrage (loudspeakers, balloons, radio broadcasts, DVDs) that will follow any DPRK hostile act? Bradley Martin thinks this is a great idea.

A stepped-up campaign of providing accurate news about their own country and the rest of the world to a people who are no longer hermetically sealed off from such news could over time threaten the regime’s domestic control.

Think of some recent North Korean policy decisions and how easy it would be to dissect them in unbiased fashion and show the leaders up for the self-seeking incompetents that they are.
Members of the North Korean public would hardly be able to get enough news and analysis regarding, for example, the ongoing effort by the authorities to cut off the legs of the spontaneously developed market economy, which is many people’s only means of avoiding starvation following the failure of the state-run economy.

Such propaganda attacks would have the added benefit of potentially dividing North Korean society rather than uniting it as bombing would almost surely do.

Why not give this a try? What am I missing here?

UPDATE: Great minds think alike part II: Tom Conyer calls for "new thinking" on North Korea. Among this new thinking is this:

"Thinking asymmetrically, the South needs to attack the North in the two areas where it is most vulnerable - international finance and the truth about its rulers. South Korea, Japan and the U.S. should further shut down North Korea’s overseas assets and financial channels. Even food aid needs to be placed entirely on China’s doorstep. The South should release at sea propaganda balloon barrages aimed at Pyongyang."

PAEKTUSAN CHONGDAE

2010-12-01T14:27:00.000-08:00

Posted without comment

900 MILLION CONVERSATIONS

2010-11-17T14:58:00.000-08:00

I have noted some aspects of the 2010 Shanghai Expo in the past (here and here). Now that it is over, Frank Lavin has some thoughts and observations. A few snippets include this astounding claim:

With over 73 million attendees, the Shanghai Expo holds the distinction of being not just the largest World’s Fair in history but the largest event in human history, the largest gathering of people in history for any reason.

I suppose this depends in part on what one labels an "event." One could argue that watching the NFL season or the World Cup is an "event" which probably had significantly larger numbers of participants.

There's also this:

For more affluent societies, World’s Fairs might hold less of an appeal. But if you were a Shanghai bus driver, the Expo might be the sum of your exposure to the world. Ever. Indeed, more Chinese attended the World’s Fair this year than actually visited the world. These figures were even more pronounced at the USA Pavilion which hosted over 7 million visitors, over 10 times the number of Chinese who will visit the US this year. Each one of those pavilion visits constitutes a conversation of sort, in which the United States has a few minutes to engage the visitor and explain a little about our country. With over 73 million fairgoers each attending about a dozen pavilions during their visit, this makes for about 900 million total conversations. Simply put, the Shanghai Expo will do more to shape Chinese view of the world than any other mechanism.

Here I think Lavin is on firmer ground.

HO HUM

2010-10-29T13:12:00.000-07:00

North and South Korea exchange shots across the DMZ.

North Korean troops fired shots Friday in the direction of a South Korean military unit across the heavily armed border, prompting return fire, a South Korean military official said.

The clash took place along the demilitarized zone that separates the countries, in remote Gangwon province, northeast of Seoul. No injuries were immediately reported.

One is tempted to dismiss this as simply the latest in a decades-old strong of incidents that never seem to lead to anything more serious.

Of course that is probably what people thought of the cross border encounters and incursions of 1949-50 as well.

"KOREAN WAVE RIPPLE EFFECT"

2010-10-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

Interesting musings on the various places in which Korean pop culture exports have done well here. Some snippets:

Korean TV programmes have been hugely popular in Iran since the 2003 historical drama Dae Jang Geum (or Jewel in the Palace) became a massive hit with audiences there: ‘When it was broadcast in Iran over 50,000 websites in Persian (Farsi) became devoted to the show.’

According to one writer-reporter I contacted this week: ‘Korea is big in Bhutan too...kids dressing up like some Korean pop stars, watching Korean movies...and Korean fashion is big!’

But then there's this head-scratcher:

Professor Jung-Bong Choi of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, summed it up best for me when he suggested that essentially Korean cultural exports are a borderless alternative to US their US counterparts.

‘I define hallyu not as a Korean phenomenon…the ownership of hallyu is not to Korea. It’s the public’s…who have this desire to consume some of the product that’s distinct from the US product or Hollywood product whether that’s drama or whatever—something that is consistent and congruent with their emotions. So I see the power as coming more from the…people’s desire and yearning to see their own stories, to envision their own future through the lens of Korean media and music and whatnot. It’s identity politics.’

That Korean pop culture may be seen and consumed as an alternative to American pop culture (despite the at least superficial similarities in genre, style etc.) works for me. But to label it "borderless" and "not as a Korean phenomenon" flies in the face of how the hallyu has been understood in the ROK itself (not to mention the fact that I suppose some folks in the world might "see their own stories" and "envision their own future" through the lens of American cultural products too; does that make American pop culture borderlesss too?)

JAPAN IN DECLINE?

2010-10-28T13:48:00.001-07:00

A rash of recalls from Japanese automakers of late: Nissan recalls 2.1 million cars; Honda nearly half a million; Toyota, whose recent travails have been well documented, announces another 1.5 million unit recall.

I suppose the consumer should feel gratified that such attention is being paid to auto safety. But whatever happened to the vaunted Japanese quality (or I am mistaking a few anecdotes for a trend)?

DEFENDING THE FINAL SERIAL COMMA

2010-10-28T07:32:00.001-07:00

Here. Makes sense to me.

NEW SLOGAN FOR CHEVY

2010-10-26T21:05:00.001-07:00

This has nothing to do with the usual stuff on this blog.

Mickey Kaus calls for a better new slogan for Chevy than the official "Chevy Runs Deep." Some candidates:

1. Chevy: You Already Bought It!

2. Chevy: Lean Forward

3. Chevy: The next chapter! After 11.

4. Chevy: Like A Rock. Only Cheaper.

5. Chevy: We Killed Saturn. Don't Mess With Us, OK?

Can we do better?

"SURREAL LAND OF THE KIMS"

2010-10-20T07:28:00.000-07:00

A recent example of typical American reporting on North Korea here.

I visited Russia when it was still the Soviet Union. I went to a circus and saw an "Uncle Sam" character chase Russian children around the big top aiming a scaled-down model of a missile at them.

I've been to Cuba, and been whispered to by dissidents about the repressive regime. But if I'm simply applying the weirdness filter, then nothing I've seen anywhere I've ever been - I mean nothing - compares to what I saw in and around Kim Il Sung square last week.

"The weirdness filter": Somehow I have missed the development of this useful and objective tool of analysis.

Some interesting video footage though.

KIM JONG SUK TO GO FROM CHINA TO KOREA

2010-10-19T07:48:00.001-07:00

How is this possible when the mother of Kim Jong Il, the third member of the triumvirate of revolutionary generals, died in 1949? If you can't get the real thing, wax will do.

WHAT IS THIS?

2010-09-30T13:50:00.001-07:00

To denizens of Seoul, this thing that towers above one end of then-Seoul mayor's Lee Myung-bak's Ch'ônggye Stream restoration project is old news. But this past summer was the first time I had seen the thing with my own eyes. As I walked around it I wondered what on earth this had to do with the stream that was old and then new again, with Seoul, or with Korea.

The caption beneath it offered some help:

Hmmmm.... Once I was aware of the Oldenberg connection, I couldn't help but think of this. I wonder if the now wizened old Swede laughed all the way to the bank or if he took/takes this stuff seriously.

"UNUSUAL WEATHER" IN KOREA

2010-09-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Article here.

Korea has seen “unusual” weather, such as heat wave, record rainfall and early frost, in September.

The first frost of the season was spotted on Mt. Seorak in the country's east on Friday, 11 days earlier than last year and amid a series of abnormal weather conditions this month, according to local forecasts.

In an earlier era, this might be taken as a sign of dynastic decline, even a loss of the Mandate of Heaven (hmmm.... I wonder if these weather anomalies have been observed north of the 38th parallel too?). At least there has been no sign of dragons, (pace Tim Brook's excellent new book, The Troubled Empire).... yet.

KOJONG

2010-09-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

While in Korea a week or so ago, I was able to see exhibits on the Great Han Empire Period (1897-1910) at both the National Palace Museum of Korea and at the Kyujanggak.

Of course you can't have an Empire without an Emperor, in this case the Kwangmu (Gwangmu) Emperor, more often known as Kojong. Technically, calling him (as the English-language Wikipedia page does) "Emperor Gojong" is inaccurate as Kojong was his royal title (or reign period) while he was king. He was elevated to Imperial status as the Kwangmu Emperor (광무제) in 1897.

Whatever the case, he is an interesting and complicated historical figure. I like this portrait of him (apologies for the glare coming off the glass) but don't feel as if I really have a sense of what kind of man and/or leader he was. On the one hand, many so-called progressives and reformers put great stock in his ostensible desire for reform and modernization (some Westerners agreed). On the other, there is much in his behavior that displays a cautious if not reactionary streak (suppression of the Independence Club comes to mind).

Good Confucian historiography requires that the moral failings of the last monarchs of a realm are directly responsible for that realm's fall (due to the loss of the Mandate of Heaven). Hence, Kojong/Kwangmu (and his son the hapless Emperor Sunjong) should be blamed for the fall of Korea into Japanese hands. I don't think things are/were quite that simple. I'm not sure whether the most dynamic and righteous leader could have found a path out of colonization.

WHO SANK THE CHEONAN? (II)

2010-09-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

Apparently part of an ongoing series.

As I have noted previously (here and here), there have been some who have disputed the findings of the "official" report that blames the sinking of the ROK naval vessel on a North Korean torpedo. Well, it turns out that, in South Korea at least, such skepticism is widespread:

Only three out of 10 South Koreans trust the findings of an international inquiry into the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan that blamed a North Korean torpedo attack.

According to a survey conducted by Seoul National University's Institute for Peace and Unification Studies, 32.5 percent of respondents were more or less convinced, saying they "completely trust" (6.4 percent) or "tend to trust" (26.1 percent) the findings of the inquiry.

But 35.7 percent of respondents were not convinced, with 10.7 percent saying they "completely distrust" and 25 percent they "tend to distrust" the findings. The remainder said they did not know.

I think I am on safe ground when I opine that this survey tells us more about how most South Koreans view the Lee Myung Bak government (and perhaps governments in general) than it tells about most South Koreans' knowledge of underwater physics, naval weaponry etc.

Still, quite interesting.

"HELICOPTER PARENTS"

2010-09-08T05:59:00.000-07:00

taken to a whole new level in China.

PARADISE!

2010-09-07T12:05:00.001-07:00

Greeting me upon my arrival at Inch’ôn/Incheon International Airport a couple of weeks ago were some huge posters featuring a suave and debonair Pierce Brosnan seeking to lure me to one Paradise Casino. His image, flanked by several attractive women, was part of a similar ad that was on the cover of the latest edition of the Seoul Tourist Map (English edition; apologies for the blurry photo).

Several questions arise:

1) How much Photoshop? I suspect that Mr. Brosnan didn't need to pose with the ladies but rather had his image electronically added to the scene. I wonder whether he even needed to pose holding the Ace of Spades or is this photoshopping magic too?

2) Is Pierce aware that his image is being used in this way? I suspect, given the internationally-oriented nature of the ads, he would have to be. Of course Western celebs in Asian ads is hardly new.

3) Is this ad effective? I don't suppose that many actually believe that if they venture to the Paradise Casino they might find Mr. Brosnan (or Mr. Bond for that matter) at the Blackjack table. So what, then, is the payoff? Brand/name awareness? If so, aren't their cheaper ways to accomplish this?

IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED...

2010-09-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

Keep trying, yes. But, 960 times?
Sounds as if we are in need of updating the old proverb "칠전팔기(七顚八起)"

10 MOST PROSPEROUS COUNTRIES

2010-08-31T06:23:00.000-07:00

in Asia (according to the Legatum Institute). It is interesting to note which nations are on (and not on) this list. I wonder if South Korea would be happy with its ranking?

CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN?

2010-08-18T13:38:00.001-07:00

Kim Jong Il's trademark attire is instantly recognizable. Some see it as sending a signal that Kim is not overly concerned with luxury or appearance. The leader of the people cares more about the people than about looking good.

Some, most notably Brian Myers (here and more recently in his new book), takes it a step further by arguing that Kim's trademark suit is an exercise in gender-bending, making Kim both the Fatherly and Motherly leader of his people.

What, then, are we to make of the allegation that there is more luxury and comfort to Kim's duds than meets the eye?

"In the early 1990s, I was ordered to buy fabric for the dear leader and went to France to buy 60 yards of high-quality, cashmere and silk fabric produced by Scabal of London," he said. "I paid US$300 per yard, which came to $18,000."

About four yards of fabric are needed to make a suit, so the price of the cloth alone for Kim's suit amounted to $1,200."

One should, of course, take this story with several grains of salt--anonymous defector, Chosun Ilbo etc. etc. Still, if true, this puts a somewhat different spin on things, not to mention making those concerned with fashion cringe just a bit: what a waste of fabric!

FUNKY JUCHE

2010-08-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

Two words one wouldn't expect to find in the same sentence. You be the judge:

SELDOM DULL

2010-08-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

in and around North Korea.
--Still no word on the South Korean fishing boat said to have been seized by the DPRK.
--The DPRK fired at least 100 artillery shells into waters near the ROK-DPRK border.
--DPRK media has reported on floods that have devastated homes and farms.

PRAISE

2010-08-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

for Bruce Cumings' new book from a (perhaps) unlikely source: Tyler Cowen (more here).

I haven't read the book yet and will, therefore, reserve final judgment (for whatever that's worth). I will say that, based on the reviews--both positive and negative--it doesn't sound as if Cumings is arguing anything terribly new here. He is just pointing out a number of rather uncomfortable truths about the War, the U.S. involvement in Korea etc. etc.

UPDATE: Review of Cumings book by Andrew Salmon here.

GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES?

2010-08-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

I remember in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 discussing Afghanistan with a learned Washington DC colleague. She expressed her frustration with all the pundits, talking heads and supposed experts on tv who kept repeating the mantra that Afghanistan has never been conquered. She said that she starting counting the times Afghanistan has been conquered and ran out of fingers and toes long before she got to the present-day.

Along those lines, here's an article that declares it is time to "bury the graveyard."

One of those myths, for example, is that Afghanistan is inherently unconquerable thanks to the fierceness of its inhabitants and the formidable nature of its terrain. But this isn't at all borne out by the history. "Until 1840 Afghanistan was better known as a 'highway of conquest' rather than the 'graveyard of empires,'" Barfield points out. "For 2,500 years it was always part of somebody's empire, beginning with the Persian Empire in the fifth century B.C."

Of this hardly means that the U.S. efforts in Afghanistan will succeed. But I find it interesting how certain pithy memes become so embedded in our collective consciousness that no facts can dislodge them.

I WRITE LIKE

2010-08-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

according to this undoubtedly 100% accurate website, I write like H.P Lovecraft. Can't say I saw that one coming. After all, the Qing Empire and Cthulhu, share so much in common.

LESSONS OF HISTORY?

2010-07-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

Niall Ferguson thinks he has a couple to share: First is the notion that change, especially decline and collapse can come on suddenly:

Yet what if history is not cyclical and slow-moving but arhythmic, at times almost stationary, but also capable of accelerating suddenly, like a sports car? What if collapse does not arrive over a number of centuries but comes suddenly, like a thief in the night?

Does this fit the case(s) of East Asia? I suppose one could make the argument that the collapse of the Ming was relatively rapid. Ken Swope makes a good case for the argument that the Ming remained a formidable and impressive military power at the end of the 16th century. But should the resultant slide to ruin which took 44 years to reach its end be regarded as "sudden"? Most would argue that the decline of the Qing was at least a multi-decade process. Chosôn Korea? Again, it depends in when one determines signs of decline began.

Lesson #2: the threat of debt:

What are the implications for the US today? The most obvious point is that imperial falls are associated with fiscal crises: sharp imbalances between revenues and expenditures, and the mounting cost of servicing a mountain of public debt.

Think of Spain in the 17th century: already by 1543 nearly two-thirds of ordinary revenue was going on interest on the juros, the loans by which the Habsburg monarchy financed itself.

Or think of France in the 18th century: between 1751 and 1788, the eve of Revolution, interest and amortisation payments rose from just over a quarter of tax revenue to 62 per cent.

Finally, consider Britain in the 20th century. Its real problems came after 1945, when a substantial proportion of its now immense debt burden was in foreign hands. Of the pound stg. 21 billion national debt at the end of the war, about pound stg. 3.4bn was owed to foreign creditors, equivalent to about a third of gross domestic product.

Alarm bells should therefore be ringing very loudly indeed in Washington, as the US contemplates a deficit for 2010 of more than $US1.47 trillion ($1.64 trillion), about 10 per cent of GDP, for the second year running. Since 2001, in the space of just 10 years, the federal debt in public hands has doubled as a share of GDP from 32 per cent to a projected 66 per cent next year. According to the Congressional Budget Office's latest projections, the debt could rise above 90 per cent of GDP by 2020 and reach 146 per cent by 2030 and 344 per cent by 2050.

These sums may sound fantastic. But what is even more terrifying is to consider what ongoing deficit finance could mean for the burden of interest payments as a share of federal revenues.

Did debt bring down Asian regimes? It is apparent that the late Ming, late Qing and late Chosôn all had serious fiscal problems (I don't have a good sense of whether this was the case in Tokugawa Japan). But was debt the disease or merely a symptom of an underlying malaise?

Whatever the case, it is difficult to not look at the U.S.'s present fiscal straits with some alarm (presuming one wishes to see the U.S. remain in existence).

REMEMBERING THE KOREAN WAR

2010-07-19T09:17:00.001-07:00

You may have seen many of these photos already, but worth a look: the always fascinating "Big Picture" feature at Boston.com has a nice collection of Korean War photos.

WISH I WOULD HAVE READ THIS EARLIER

2010-07-15T16:57:00.001-07:00

Just stumbled across a passage from the late-Qing/early Republican thinker Liang Qichao in which Liang seeks to describe what he sees as the "new" imperialism of the West (and Japan):

“’Some use trade to destroy the nation,’ he charged. ‘Some use debts. Some use military training. Some use consultants. Some use (rail)road-building. Some take advantage of factionalism. Some use the excuse of quelling domestic disturbances. Some use the excuse of assisting revolution’”
(Liang Qichao, Mie guo xin fa lun ; 灭国新法论. Cited in Gwen Raymond Guo, “China’s Korea? Chinese views of nation and region.” Ph.D. dissertation, University of Toronto, 2003, 25).

Aside from the last case of "assisting revolution," every other practice on Liang's list of the acts of the "new" imperialists can be seen in the Qing Empire's own relations with Korea in the last half of the 19th century. Would have been nice to use this in my book.