The Pot Calling the Kettle Black

by R. Elgin on February 19, 2007

in East and Central Asia, Japan, North Korea

North Korean propaganda once again has outdone itself by criticizing Japan for “a crackdown on expatriate North Koreans amid concerns the group may have a role in the communist state’s nuclear and chemical weapons program”. 

As per the Associated Press news release:

In August, Japanese police arrested a pro-North Korean resident in Japan for allegedly exporting machinery to the North that could be used to make biological weapons. A statement from North Korea’s Foreign Ministry called the actions a ”brutal political suppression” and an ”unpardonable infringement upon the sovereignty of our country and an unprecedented crime against humanity.”

This sort of rot from North Korea is so evil on many levels that it does not bear a decent discussion.  Perhaps Japan should expel all North Koreans and their agents from their country since the Japanese do have the right to preserve their national integrity and defend it from foreign agents.

{ 2 trackbacks }

Are You NKay? | :: Pot. Kettle. Black. :: February :: 2007 North Korean Human Rights Live
February 19, 2007 at 3:57 pm
The Ties That Compensate : Left Flank
February 19, 2007 at 9:12 pm

{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }

1 The_William_G February 19, 2007 at 5:51 pm

Why do people keep getting upset at this sort of thing from them?

2 railwaycharm February 19, 2007 at 10:21 pm

Beats the shit outta me. The Japanese have a pair and are doing their part. I guess they were not too keen on the subway poisoning….

3 Richardson February 19, 2007 at 11:50 pm

If you read KCNA every day there could be a related post just about every day. This is nothing new.

4 Zonath February 20, 2007 at 12:43 am

So why does North Korea have to get this stuff from Japan? After all, isn’t South Korea more than willing to supply the North with it?

5 Sonagi February 20, 2007 at 1:45 am

Slim pickins’ for bloggers during the big holiday, I guess.

6 SomeguyinKorea February 20, 2007 at 8:33 am

The irony is that North Korea is very suspicious of its Japanese immigrants/defectors, so much so that it has created some friction between the North Korean government and Chongryeong, the pro-North Korean association in Japan.

7 michael February 20, 2007 at 8:47 am

“Kim Jong-il bans Japanese cars in North Korea”
http://frankfurt-auto-show.aut.....rth-korea/

You know the South Koreans would love to do the same….

8 SomeguyinKorea February 20, 2007 at 9:37 am

“You know the South Koreans would love to do the same….”

Looking at the number of Hondas and Lexus on Korean roads, I’m not so sure that’s true anymore.

9 michael February 20, 2007 at 9:47 am

You know the South Korean (chaebol and government) would love to do the same….

Aiishh… :|

10 Uri Onara February 21, 2007 at 10:24 pm

I think some of you may have the wrong take on what is going on here in Japan. I am a long-time resident doing PhD fieldwork among the Korean community here. The Jp government is trying to show the public it is taking steps against North Korea because the abduction issue is at the top of PM Abe’s agenda (along with revising the constitution) — but there is little they can do, other than round up leaders in the Chongryun community — on charges that fall far short of espionage (e.g., tax evasion). Don’t let KCNA’s reaction fool you into thinking most of the Zainichi here are spies, even if some are, or that harrassment isn’t real. (By the way, Jan reporting by KCNA on the ant-Chongryun campaign was way up. Why? The DPRK is hurting from financial losses from Zainichi due to Japanese sanctions. But also right-wing and racist attacks on “north” Koreant innocents is sadly up — the true part of KCNA propaganda). Rank and file “pro-North” Koreans have been wavering in commitment for years. Remember: they are “North” Koreans by default, not having been given South Korean citizenship nor wanting to become Japanese (a hard choice). Most were born in Japan (many are 3rd generation) stuck with the “pro-North” label because of their grandparents’ stupid choices. Saying “all” these Koreans born in Japan should be “expelled” is quite misguided and almost as insensitive as Japanese racists saying they should “go home.” Japan IS their home. The 90,000 who loved the DPRK already went there.

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