USA Today (July 30)
North American players sometimes get upset when facing criticism. They should “just give thanks that they don’t live in North Korea.” For failing to advance beyond the first round in the World Cup, the North Korean soccer team was humiliated publically for six hours. Their coach has been sent to do construction work and kicked out of the Workers’ Party. USA Today notes the irony. “They make him a blue collar guy, but won’t let him be in the Workers’ Party? Go figure.”
Tags: North Korea, World Cup
Wall Street Journal (June 25)
The stakes are high for the North Korean World Cup team. Their 7-0 defeat by Portugal was shown live on North Korean TV. Dear Leader could not have been pleased. During their next game against Ivory Coast, the team “may literally be playing for their lives.” If they lose, the WSJ believes the coach and players should be offered asylum so they don’t have to return to North Korea and face the awful consequences.
Tags: Asylum, FIFA, North Korea, Soccer, World Cup
The Chosun Ilbo (June 21)
Win or lose, North Korea will gain at least $10 million from FIFA for its World Cup appearance. If the North advances to the next round, the figure will rise. This money is significant to the North. $10 million is equivalent to three-months of wages for the 43,000 North Koreans who work in the Kaesong Industrial Complex.
Tags: FIFA, North Korea, Soccer, World Cup
Time—Asian Edition (June 7)
Despite the tragic sinking of the Cheonan, “the resumption of hostilities is too terrible to contemplate.” The South can only posture and resort to diplomacy and sanctions. “The simple fact is that while the North’s ground forces are no match for those of South Korea or the U.S., Pyongyang has an armory of long-range missiles and artillery that could easily target the South’s largest population centers to cataclysmic effect.”
Tags: Cheonan, North Korea, South Korea
Wall Street Journal (June 3)
An opinion piece declares the sinking of the South Korean naval warship Cheonan qualifies as a war crime and should be prosecuted. “Kim may have exposed himself for the first time to international justice” and deserves to be tried by the International Criminal Court. In 1953, North Korea signed an armistice promising to cease hostilities with South Korea. Since the North did not first warn the South that it would break the peace agreement, the deadly torpedo strike against the Cheonan qualifies as treacherous act meeting the war crime definition.
Tags: Cheonan, Kim Jong Il, North Korea, South Korea, War Crime
Los Angeles Times (May 30)
The World Cup may offer a chance to shame North Korea where soccer is the number one sport. For the first time in 44 years, North Korea has qualified for the World Cup. While FIFA is unlikely to bar North Korea from the games, teams and individual players could use non-compulsory equipment, such as armbands or wristbands, to protest. Non-compulsory equipment could be emblazoned with the number 46, representing the lives of the South Korean sailors killed on the Cheonan.
The World Cup may offer a chance to shame North Korea where soccer is the number one sport. For the first time in 44 years, North Korea has qualified for the World Cup. While FIFA is unlikely to bar North Korea from the games, teams and individual players could use non-compulsory equipment, such as armbands or wristbands, to protest. Non-compulsory equipment could be emblazoned with the number 46, representing the lives of the South Korean sailors killed on the Cheonan.
Tags: FIFA, North Korea, World Cup
The Times—London (May 27)The Times—London (May 27)
North Korea has the makings of a global disaster. North Korea is worse than “hardline Stalinist despotism marked by a bizarre cult of personality.” Much worse. It is the most extreme form of totalitarianism imaginable. It’s even ruled by a dead man: Kim Il Sung remains head of state. There are absolutely no assurances that the North’s leaders are “rational” or “averse to committing suicide.” This places the whole world at risk. China’s leaders need to join other countries in a complete economic blockade of the North.
North Korea has the makings of a global disaster. North Korea is worse than “hardline Stalinist despotism marked by a bizarre cult of personality.” Much worse. It is the most extreme form of totalitarianism imaginable. It’s even ruled by a dead man: Kim Il Sung remains head of state. There are absolutely no assurances that the North’s leaders are “rational” or “averse to committing suicide.” This places the whole world at risk. China’s leaders need to join other countries in a complete economic blockade of the North.
Tags: China, Disaster, Kim Il Sung, North Korea, Risk
Wall Street Journal (May 22)
The U.S. and other allies have worked to engage Kim Jong II, “albeit with decent intervals between his serial outrages.” The unprovoked sinking of the South Korean warship reveals “how little interest Kim has in any kind of peace.” Going forward, the allies should recognize that North Korea will cheat on any agreement. Instead of negotiating and engaging, North Korea should be cut off, isolated and officially recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism. This rogue state status should not change until the regime collapses. “North Korea won’t change until Kim dies or his regime falls. The goal of the West should be to increase pressure on the North toward the latter goal.”
The U.S. and other allies have worked to engage Kim Jong II, “albeit with decent intervals between his serial outrages.” The unprovoked sinking of the South Korean warship reveals “how little interest Kim has in any kind of peace.” Going forward, the allies should recognize that North Korea will cheat on any agreement. Instead of negotiating and engaging, North Korea should be cut off, isolated and officially recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism. This rogue state status should not change until the regime collapses. “North Korea won’t change until Kim dies or his regime falls. The goal of the West should be to increase pressure on the North toward the latter goal.”
Tags: Kim Jong II, North Korea, South Korea, U.S.
The Times (May 21)
North Korea is “evil.” The Times condemns the “gangster regime” for sinking the South Korean navy ship, the Cheonan, and the deaths of 46 sailors. “The unprovoked firing of a torpedo in South Korean waters was an act of aggression that fits a pattern of state terrorism and fanatical xenophobia.” The Times calls for “strong, wide and unified” international condemnation. Moreover, there should be no negotiating with North Korea as “the violence and duplicity of the North Korean regime are notorious,” making negotiation “worse than useless.”
North Korea is “evil.” The Times condemns the “gangster regime” for sinking the South Korean navy ship, the Cheonan, and the deaths of 46 sailors. “The unprovoked firing of a torpedo in South Korean waters was an act of aggression that fits a pattern of state terrorism and fanatical xenophobia.” The Times calls for “strong, wide and unified” international condemnation. Moreover, there should be no negotiating with North Korea as “the violence and duplicity of the North Korean regime are notorious,” making negotiation “worse than useless.”
Tags: Cheonan, North Korea, South Korea
Forbes (May 17) Forbes (May 17)
The sinking of South Korea’s Cheonan naval vessel killing 46 sailors was “the entirely predictable outcome of an abrupt shift in North-South relations.” Since election, South Korean President Lee has reversed agreements reached by his predecessor Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong II. A cycle of claims and counterclaims ensued, with each country blaming the other for violating its maritime zone. On November 10, Kim Jong-II visited a naval base and called for heroes “for do-or-die squads at sea.” The editorial suggests that “the only way to fix things is to try negotiating.” Threats and punishments are unlikely to work. North Korea will simply take bigger risks.
The sinking of South Korea’s Cheonan naval vessel killing 46 sailors was “the entirely predictable outcome of an abrupt shift in North-South relations.” Since election, South Korean President Lee has reversed agreements reached by his predecessor Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong II. A cycle of claims and counterclaims ensued, with each country blaming the other for violating its maritime zone. On November 10, Kim Jong-II visited a naval base and called for heroes “for do-or-die squads at sea.” The editorial suggests that “the only way to fix things is to try negotiating.” Threats and punishments are unlikely to work. North Korea will simply take bigger risks.
Tags: Cheonan, Kim Jong Il, North Korea, South Korea
