Sunday, May 19, 2013

Syria - Assad Still Defiant





اخبار سوريا : بشار الأسد ينفي استخدام قواته للأسلحة الكيميائية ويستبعد الاستقالة

News from Syria:
Bashar al-Assad denies that his forces used chemical weapons and refuses to step down.




نفى الرئيس السوري بشار الأسد أن تكون قواته استخدمت أسلحة كيميائية ضد المقاتلين المعارضين كما استبعد الاستقالة، في حديث لوسيلتي إعلام أرجنتينيتين اليوم.ـ

Today, Syria's president Bashar al-Assad denied that it was his troops who used chemical weapons against opposition fighters [while] refusing to step down in an interview with an Argentinian news [service].

[Source: akhbar.today.com أخبار النهاردة, Egypt, on May 19, 2013]

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Recent visitors to "blueprint news" coming from East- and West-Africa:


As to the origin of the Nairobi request for my blogspot on Syria using chemical weapons, I have some second thoughts. Did this request really come from Kenyan authorities or rather from the nearby Iranian embassy which might use the same internet access.
The below picture is proving that Iran is very much interested in Syria. It shows an article published by Al-Arabiya on April 28, 2013, dealing with a meeting of Iranian president Ahmadi Nejad and Egypt's president Morsy for a discussion of the Syrian crisis.



Saturday, May 18, 2013

Syria - Pro-Assad Hackers Invading Western Media





The Epoch, a pro-Western Chinese news service operating from a U.S. server, has the news of a so-called "Syrian Electronic Army" that invaded Twitter sites of some Western media and organizations. The Syrian hacker troop declares it acts in favor of Syria's president Bashir al-Assad. Yesterday, May 17, The Financial Times FT, London, became their last target when Syrian hackers left a remark on FT web locations saying the "Syrian Electronic Army Was Here". Earlier attacks were directed against the British daily The Guardian on April 24 this year and a BBC weather report where hackers announced some kind of "catastrophe" to hit the people of Israel. Another site attacked was that of Human Rights Watch organization. The French news broadcast of France 24 suffered as well from being invaded by the Syrian Electronic Army.

[Source: The Epoch 大纪元 on May 17, 2013, together with cnBeta.com (中文业界讯站) on May 18, 2013]

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美媒称俄向叙利亚提供导弹是心理挑衅

U.S. media calling Russia's providing guided missiles for Syria a "psychological provocation".


[Source: Russian News Network quoted by Guhantai.com
俄新网 - 古汉台网
on May 17, 2013]

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Increasing Violence in Libya


In recent months, the Libyan town of Benghazi experienced an escalation in violence that is considered due to the absence of sufficient security forces. Libyan army is now going to host a meeting with tribal elders and militia leaders to improve that situation. The most remarkable incidents in a development of deteriorating public security are shown below:


A visitor to "blueprint news" coming from the U.S. Department of State seems to be interested as well in the proceedings of Libya. U.S. concerns about public security in Libya can be understood in the frame of that notorious September 2012 incident when America's ambassador to Libya was killed in a willful attack launched against the U.S. consulate in Benghazi:



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One single visitor from Tahiti is interested in spreading Islamic rage. However, the firebrigade is quite near (=> caserne des pompiers):



Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The Art of War


Last UPDATE included on May 15




Headline:
North Korea appointed [Zhang] Jong [Nan] 张正男] to become the new defence minister. Third change of defence minister within one year since Kim Jong Un assumed office.

[Chinese Pinyin syllables are used to replace the unknown Korean syllables in the new defence minister's name.]

[Source: Ifeng Network 凤凰网 on May 13, 2013]

The new defence minister should be in his 50s which is rather young in comparison with his predecessor who is now slightly above 70 years old and kept his office for eight months. The new minister is therefore considered as belonging to the "young generation 年青一代" or the "young and vigorous group 少壮派". After his appointment as a "young general / young militant 小将" in April 2002, he finally became lieutenant general in November 2011.



[Source: New China Network 新华网 on May 14, 2013]

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Sun Zi - The Art of War - Varying the Tactics


Sunzi said:
Generally in war, the commander receives his mandate from the sovereign, assembles his troops and mobilizes the population for war. ..........
.......... There are roads he should not take, armies he should not attack, walled cities he should not assault, territories he should not contest for and commands of the sovereign he should not obey. ..........


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"Let him die another day !"


Headline:
South Korean media exposing the inside of a North Korean military factory. A North Korean is said to have taken some [video he sold for money].

… 画面还曝光,在军工厂内一艘气垫船正在等待修理。这款气垫船和朝鲜军队在登陆演习中使用的气垫船相同。 …

... The picture is exposing as well a hovercraft in the military factory, just awaiting repair. This kind of hovercraft is identical to those used in North Korean troop landing exercises. ...


[Source: Ifeng Network 凤凰网 on May 14, 2013]

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Further news on May 14:

美国朝鲜问题特使下周出访亚洲

Headline:
A U.S. special envoy for the North Korean question will leave for a visit to Asia in the second half of the week.

The envoy is expected to visit South Korea, Japan and China for talks on the North Korean issue.

[Source: New China Network 新华网 on May 14, 2013]




A visitor to "blueprint news" coming from Shanghai, China:



Sunday, May 12, 2013

Korea - Opposing Naval Forces




日本防卫相称提升美军在东亚存在感能威慑朝鲜

Japan's defence minister says promotion of U.S. troops in East Asia is sensed capable to deter North Korea.


On the occasion of U.S. aircraft carrier Nimitz reaching the coast of South Korea for joint U.S. - South Korean naval exercises, the Japanese minister of defence made his declaration in favor of U.S. troops in East Asia.

In the frame of these exercises, the U.S. aircraft carrier battle group will be using a seaborne aviation wing (CVW) and a seaborne combat group (CSG). [Flagship USS Nimitz] is accompanied by USS Princeton [CLV-23, a light aircraft carrier] and other ship(s) equipped with the AEGIS combat system [a sophisticated early-warning system] while the South Korean side has deployed its 7.600 ton AEGIS-equipped destroyer "Sejongdaewang" together with another 5.500 ton destroyer. Both, U.S. and South Korean AEGIS ships will be primarily engaged in missile survey and anti-submarine exercises.

参与本次演习的美国航母战斗群还有航母航空联队(CVW)、航母打击群(CSG)、宙斯盾舰、“普林斯顿号”导弹巡洋舰等。韩国方面动员了“世宗大王号”宙斯盾驱逐舰(7600吨级)和忠武公李舜臣级驱逐舰(5500吨级)等。韩美宙斯盾舰主要进行导弹探测和反潜艇作战方面的演习。

[Source: China News Network 中国新闻网 on May 12, 2013]

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Here now a graphic presentation of all kinds of North Korean navy units and that should be complete according to a Canadian source. Unfortunately, their own website is practically impossible to load while using a slow internet connection. This is due to incredibly huge graphic files which I "melted down" to some 100-200 kb GIF files in order to facilitate their distribution:



Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Kim Jong Un Reached His Limit


Last UPDATE: May 10




更新版-东北亚情势:
中国银行关闭朝鲜外贸银行账户


Renewed page: North East Asian situation:
Bank of China closed North Korea's foreign trade accounts.


The above message has just been published by Reuters Press Agency on its Chinese news site. Obviously they had to change their main headline perhaps because of a fresh news trend. The original information seems to have come from the Chinese edition of Wallstreet Journal (picture below) published some hours earlier. That website was infected with a virus and could not be downloaded immediately. If severe loading problems of the Reuters site were related to a virus attack as well could not be verified. Regarding the message itself, it must be pointed out that the Bank of China finally took action as had already been demanded by the U.S. and their allies.

[Source: Reuters Press Agency, Chinese news site, on May 8, 2013]



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Missile Test Cancelled


综合外国媒体5月7日报道,韩国和美国情报机构称朝鲜已从发射场撤走“舞水端”导弹,这或许意味着朝方解除了此前的“一号作战执勤状态”。

A comprehensive foreign media report from May 7 informs: South Korean and U.S. intelligence organizations are saying that North Korea already withdrew a Musudan [brand] guided missile from its launchpad. This might signify that the North abandoned an earlier "state of attending military operations".


Kim Jong Un - Now Caring for More Earthly Problems


Above: The picture under today's headline (regarding the withdrawal of a Musudan missile from its launchpad) is showing Kim Jong Un while visiting a national research institute for biological engineering on May 6, 2013.

[Source: New China Network 新华网 on May 8, 2013]

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朴槿惠会美防长 重申共同努力遏制朝鲜导弹威胁

Park (*) meeting with U.S. defence secretary - Reaffirming joint efforts to keep threats from North Korea's guided missiles within limits.
(*) = South Korea's president Mrs. Park 朴槿惠

In the first place the Chinese article gives a summary of recent military preparations and manoeuvres held by the U.S. - South Korean alliance, then describes the North Korean reaction. I suggest you should read that text carefully:

面对美韩系列军演,朝鲜多次进行强烈批评,朝鲜国防委员会更表示,如果美韩停止军演,美国放弃制裁并向朝鲜道歉,朝鲜可以同美韩对话,否则如果韩国一直躲在美国核保护伞下,那么将“必死无疑”。

Facing a U.S. - South Korean series of manoeuvres, North Korea many times advanced vehement criticism. The North Korean National Defense Council even more expressed [their view] that if the U.S. and South Korea stopped their manoeuvres [and] U.S. national defence abandoned sanctions while simultaneously apologizing to North Korea, North Korea could enter into talks with the U.S. and South Korea. Otherwise, if South Korea is all along hiding under America's "umbrella of nuclear protection", there will be "death without any doubt".

5月7日朝鲜人民军又称,如果美韩军队对朝鲜进行挑衅性炮击,朝鲜军队将马上还击,如果遭到回击,所有部署在西南前线地区的朝鲜人民军火箭部队将即刻行动,把韩国的邻近岛屿变成“火海”。

On May 7, the North Korean People's Army [added]: If U.S. - South Korean troops begin a provocative shelling, the North Korean army will immediately strike as well. If suffering from a counterattack, everything available to the rocket unit(s) of North Korea's People's Army in the south-western front regions will be deployed in an immediate operation, such turning South Korea's neighbouring islands into a "sea of flames".


[Source: China News Network 中国新闻网 on May 8, 2013]

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Update on May 10:

朝鲜首次谴责朴槿惠访美 称是韩方“战争前奏曲”

For the first time North Korea condemns Park's U.S. visit
and says this would be South Korea's "prelude to war".




[Source: CRI online 国际在线 on May 10, 2013]





A splendid mixture of localized visitors to "blueprint news"
searching my archives on a weekend:



Friday, May 03, 2013

Korea - A Rather Slow Countdown


UPDATE added on May 4/5/6


美国首发朝鲜军力报告 称朝鲜构成最严峻威胁

Headline: For the first time, the U.S. issued a report on North Korea's military strength, saying that North Korea is posing a most severe threat.

中新社华盛顿5月2日电 (记者 德永健)五角大楼2日首次发布朝鲜军力报告,称朝鲜意图攻击韩国,寻求发展核武和远程弹道导弹,并无视联合国安理会决议进行武器扩散,目前依然对美国国家安全构成最严峻威胁。

Cable from New China Agency by De Yong Jian, Washington, on May 2:
For the first time, the Pentagon issued a report on North Korea's military strength, saying that it is North Korea's intention to attack the South. Seeking to develop nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles while ignoring resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and [even] conducting the proliferation of weaponry, [North Korea] is still posing a most severe threat to America's national safety by now.



Above: Public presentation of a short-range earth-air guided missile system by North Korea's Central TV on April 6, 2013.

[Source: China News Network 中国新闻网 on May 3, 2013]

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North Korea's missile program - State of the art


All of the rockets on this picture have already been tested. The two-stage missile that should reach targets some 6.700 km away was reported to present some difficulties to the North Korean technicians. However, a three-stage modification of that missile is known to be under development and might once reach targets 8.000-12.000 km away, such threatening U.S. mainland.

[Source: New China Network 新华网 on May 3, 2013]

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Update for May 4, 2013:


美国发布朝鲜军力报告:正寻求核打击美国本土

A U.S. published report on N Korea's military strength:
Just striving for a nuclear attack on U.S. mainland.



Complete arsenal of already existing N Korean rockets (above).
S Korean personnel leaving the Kaesong industrial zone (below).


[Source: SOHU News 搜狐新闻 on May 4, 2013]




3月15日,美国国防部长查克·哈格尔宣布,他已下令军方在美国西海岸新增14个陆基导弹拦截装置,以应对来自朝鲜的导弹威胁。

On March 15, U.S. defense secretary Chuck Hagel declared that he already ordered another 14 land based missile interception devices for the U.S. west coast to respond to any missile threat from North Korea.

[Source: New China Network 新华网 on May 4, 2013]

Editor's Note:
To get the full picture of a slowly but steadily heating conflict, my visitors are advised to refer to my series of subsequent blogspots on the Korean subject beginning in April 2013.

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Update for May 5, 2013:


The following article, published today, May 5, by New China Network has a presentation of the North Korean missile arsenal and analyzes their development of range and capacity during the last decade. Even though that article is based on a Pentagon report already quoted some days before, this has become a fascinating subject for Chinese readers who now want to learn more. All this should be seen in the frame of North Korea's questionable behaviour making any of its further steps quite unpredictable. Therefore, the Korean subject has somehow "muzzeled" all those reports continuously published before by Chinese media on the notorious island dispute between China and Japan, another severe problem in the Far East.

解读朝鲜导弹“飞毛腿”“舞水端”“大浦洞”真正实力

Explaining to the reader North Korea's guided missiles: Scud, Musudan, Taepodong and their true strength.



Above: Discussion of the Musudan rocket [Chin.: Wu Shui Duan 舞水端 "Dancing to the End of the Water"] which is expected to have a range of fire between 3.000 and 4.000 km corresponding to its maximum ballistic height of 3.000 km.


Above: Discussing the Taepodong 2 rocket [Chin.: Da Pu Dong 大浦洞 "Great Rivermouth Penetration"]

The two-stage guided missile should have a range of 6.700 km while a three-stage modification could have a range of up to 12.000 km. The long-range modification, now under development, might therefore reach Hawaii and U.S. mainland (Alaska, California).

The Chinese article discusses earlier missile tests between 1998 and 2012. When North Korea announced the launch of a satellite in August 1998 this was seen by the U.S. as a test for multi-stage rockets. At this time the Taepodong 1 missile was first mentioned and its tests began to terrorize Japanese citizens.


PATRIOT-3 missile defense system deployed in Tokyo
and awaiting another North Korean "missile test".


The U.S. are considering in their report about North Korea's military strength: "North Korea's development of vehicles for spaceflight [is matching with] a development of range for reaching the significance of U.S. long-range guided missiles, such making it possible to cover part of U.S. territory. However, as a result of North Korea not having [learnt to launch] enough carrier rockets that can return to the atmosphere, the Taepodong 2 still doesn't possess the attacking capacity of lifting and carrying a warhead."

[Source: New China Network 新华网 on May 5, 2013]

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Update for May 6, 2013:



Above: Kim Jong Un on May 5, 2013, while visiting a research institute for biological engineering, announces the need to turn North Korea into a people's paradise.

[Source: China Radio International CRI 国际在线 on May 6, 2013]




Remarkable visitors to "blueprint news" coming from Russia and the U.S.A.:



Sunday, April 28, 2013

Korea - The War of Nerves Continues


Last UPDATE: 1st May


韩媒:朝鲜拟在西海岸大规模演习 或将发射导弹

South Korean media: North Korea planning large-scale [military] exercises on its Western sea coast.


According to the South Korean press agency, North Korean plannings comprise joint manoeuvres of the air force and artillery troops on the Yellow Sea coastline in Nampo 南浦 region which is south of Pyongyang 平壤. The extent of that military drill is expected to be rather great.

中新网4月28日电 据韩联社报道,韩国政府一位消息人士28日透露称,有迹象表明朝鲜正在西海岸南浦附近地区准备进行空中战力和炮兵战力联合演习,演习规模可能比较大。

[China News Network 中国新闻网2013年04月28日]

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The day before, April 27, Global Network among other Chinese sources quoted an earlier report from Associated Press:

美联社全面评估朝鲜炮兵战机导弹核武等家底

Headline:
Associated Press [AP] made an overall evaluation of North Korea's [military] resources like artillery, air force, guided missiles and nuclear weapons.


Artillery: The AP evaluation is quoting a South Korean source as saying that North Korea owns 13.000 pieces of artillery. Long range artillery can reach the South Korean capital Seoul which is only about 50 km away from the border. However, according to the South Korean defense minister, five days after war had been started by the North, 70% of artillery deployed by the North to the border region would be "out of function".
韩国方面说,朝鲜拥有1.3万门火炮,其远程火炮射程可覆盖韩国首都首尔(距朝韩边界只有约50公里)。…
…但韩国国防部长估计,如果朝韩开战,那么5天后朝鲜部署在边境地区的火炮中有70%就会“不起作用了”。


Naval forces: According to the South Korean defense ministry, North Korea should possess 70 submarines while South Korea is owning 10.
韩国国防部称,朝鲜拥有70艘潜艇,而韩国仅10艘。

Air force: 820 fighter jets owned by North Korea are being considered by the South as oldfashioned and outdated.
朝鲜拥有820架战斗机,…。韩国认为,朝鲜的大多数飞机都已老旧过时。

Guided missiles and nuclear weapons: According to a U.S. expert, North Korea is most probably unable to target U.S. territory but Pyongyang "could probably" apply short-range nuclear missiles.
美国专家说: … 朝鲜不太可能拥有能打开美国的核导弹,但他说,平壤“有可能”拥有短程核导弹。

Biological and chemical weapons: Pyongyang owns more than 5.000 tons of chemical weapons, the real amount being "subject to guesswork" [source: a foreign institute for strategic research]. However, North Korea has probably made real plannings for its biological and chemical weapons.
… 平壤有多达5000吨化学武器。… 国际战略研究所说,尽管这个数字“在很大程度上是猜测性的”,但朝鲜可能确实拥有生化武器计划。

Editor's Note:
The Chinese headline above is using an interesting expression (家底). What can be simply translated as "resources" has an original meaning of "family property accumulated over a long time". Such we could speak of the "military inventory of the Kim family" !

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朝鲜半岛不确定因素仍存 一盘下不完的棋

An undefined element on the Korean peninsula still exists [like] an undecided game of chess.


That semi-official article refers to the obviously unexpected U.S. - South Korean landing manoeuvre on the Eastern coast of South Korea near Pandong. It is showing the photo of a U.S. main combat tank M1A1.

[New China Network quoting the overseas edition of People's Daily, Beijing, on April 27, 2013 - 新华网/人民日报 - For further information refer as well to an earlier blogspot of mine published the day before.]

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UPDATE for 1st May, 2013.


韩媒:朝鲜早在上世纪70年代就开始为核战争做准备

South Korean media: North Korea has [already] begun nuclear war preparations in the early 1970s.


A diplomatic document from Hungary, registered on February 16, 1976, is showing that North Korea began its nuclear war preparations in the early 1970s. This is one of 125 declassified documents from Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. That center has to track down for research such diplomatic records related to North Korea that came from its former communist allies, the Soviet Union, Romania and Hungary.

Editor's Note: For a better understanding the original Chinese text has been rearranged.

一份标注日期为1976年2月16日的匈牙利外交文件显示,朝鲜早在上世纪70年代就开始为核战争做准备。…
… 在华盛顿的伍德罗•威尔逊中心披露了125份解密文件,这是其中之一。该中心一直在追踪研究苏联、罗马尼亚和匈牙利等朝鲜前共产党盟友有关朝鲜的外交档案。


[New China Network 新华网 2013年05月01日]

Further news received on 1st May are dealing with the declaration of an "economic reform" by North Korea's prime minister [Wuhan Evening News] and a recent report from a South Korean research organization saying that the North is increasing its import of chemical fertilizer for the development of agriculture [Global Network].

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朝鲜战场上中国空军靠什么拿手绝技战胜美军

On the Korean battlefield, China's air force was near to become good at defeating U.S. troops with [its] unique skill.


[New China Network 新华网 2013年04月28日]

In the frame of increasing tensions between North and South Korea, there seems to be an increasing interest among Chinese internet users in historical proceedings of the Korean War. A brandnew article, published today, April 28, by New China Network, is now dealing with one special subject of the Korean War: The so-called MIG Corridor which has been marked on the below map. That was a region where Chinese MIG-15 fighter jets got engaged with U.S. F-86 warplanes.



Editor's Note:
China's military, acting in North Korea under the label of a "Chinese volunteers' army", had to buy those MIG-15 fighters from the Soviet Union where Stalin had granted permission to Korea's communist leader Kim Il Song for an attack on the pro-Western state of South Korea. Such permission, however, should be relying on China's approval. The People's Republic of China then became North Korea's most reliable ally.

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North Korean Society News:

On a banquet for the hungry generals and which was celebrated in commemoration of the People's Army foundation on April 25, some unknown Korean flower had been detected (photo below). Press circles assume she might be the little sister of Kim Jong Un.



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A visitor to "blueprint news" coming from the Vietnamese border to China at Lao Cai:



If he could as he liked, this might be Kim Jong Un's favorite target:



From the World to Your Phone: A visitor from Lagos, Nigeria, was searching for "blue print news headline" on his rather small cellphone display.


Google search result is even indicating
the actual blogspot of "blueprint news".


Saturday, April 27, 2013

Korea - Proceedings at the Japanese Sea




美韩举行大规模军演 朝鲜或择机偷袭对手

U.S.A. and South Korea staged a large-scale military drill [as]
" North Korea is probably choosing an opportunity for some
surprise attack on its opponents ".

4月26日,在韩国港口城市浦项,美国和韩国海军陆战队员参加美韩联合训练。

On April 26, U.S. and South Korean marines joined the U.S. - South Korean combined exercises at the South Korean seaport of Pohang.



South Korean seaport of Pohang 浦项 situated by the Japanese Sea.


[Source: Global Network 环球网—国际新闻 on April 27, 2013]


The North Korean seaport Dancheon has been specially marked as well in the above map because it was recently mentioned by two independent Chinese sources:

- Some Chinese blog from November 2012 is saying that China would like to use Dancheon together with further seaports on the Japanese sea which are already in use at the north-eastern coastline of North Korea. There's a special administrative area including an important seaport at 罗津 (Chin.: Luo Jin) which is north of Chongjin 清津 and near the Russian border. [=> refer to below map].



- Another brandnew article, published yesterday, April 26, by China Radio CRI, is dealing with the same seaport project. Dancheon (Chin.: Duan Chuan) 端川 is considered to become an international seaport for North Korea. With abundant mineral deposits of magnesite and zinc in its neighbourhood, that seaport's construction project was officially completed in May 2012. According to a South Korean business analyst, quoted by CRI, the construction of that port is fitting a unique scheme of North Korea's economic and nuclear development. The port should be used for the export of mineral products that seem to be the main income source of hard currency (or needed goods) for North Korea. Other reports recently mentioned the bridge passage to China at Dandong as an important export hub for North Korean mineral products.


View on Dancheon 端川 seaport.


朝鲜为吸引外资拟将端川港建设为国际贸易港口

North Korea is attracting foreign capital for the construction of Dancheon 端川 seaport that is to become a port for international trade.


[Source: China Radio International CRI 国际在线 on April 26, 2013]

Friday, April 26, 2013

North Korean Contradictions




In the middle of a severe famine that has been unveiled by, both, Chinese and South Korean sources, Pyongyang has just opened a restaurant ship. Its inauguration took place on the foundation day of N Korea's People's Army on April 25 and culminated in a speech held by the N Korean prime minister. The ship should serve 300 dining guests on two levels and is most probably targeting foreign tourists as N Korea is badly in need of hard currency.



[Source: China News Network 中国新闻网 on April 26, 2013]

News on a food shortage that is even affecting units of the People's Army can be found in recent blogspots of mine. Related subjects are: North Korean soldier shot his superior when being caught while eating stolen food. Earlier delivery of cereals on behalf of the United Nations included American wheat for U.S. army purpose. Mongolia, alarmed by the actual North Korean food shortage, is planning a delivery of cereals.