Scent of freedom in North Korea ("The riots are expanding even into North Korea")

[Turborama]

Source: Asia Times

By Sunny Lee |Feb 25, 2011

BEIJING - "The riots are expanding even into North Korea. Hundreds of protesters have collided with the authorities," said South Korea's largest-selling Chosun Ilbo newspaper on Thursday, as top news on its website. Now finally, the global cascade of "Jasmine revolutions" in the Middle East and North Africa appears to have entered North Korea.

Chosun posted a North Korea map with large red circles around multiple cities to mark "riot zones", adding more drama to the report.

One of the circles is the town of Sinuiju on the border with China. "Hundreds of people clashed with security forces ... The military was deployed to quell the demonstration, leaving some protesters wounded," said Chosun. While the protest was sparked by a crackdown in a market, it was "an eruption of long pent-up discontent", it said.

South Korea's online newspaper Daily NK reported on Wednesday that North Korea had created a special mobilization force to prevent any demonstrations similar to the recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa.

Read more: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/MB25Dg01.html

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Worldwide indeed.

It can't be stopped.

[Drale]

2. Well when you literally have no food

what is there left to lose?

[David__77]

3. If true, it's extremely significant.

With the regulations on individuals' movements, such activity would mark someone for elimination. There is no leeway for anonymity. If it reached the point of open protest, then the fissures are very serious indeed. That said, I take anything from Choson Ilbo with caution, as it has previously reported many untrue things regarding Kim Jong il's death, etc.

[femrap]

4. I hope this is true....

A Global Revolution against the Corrupt and Corrupted. May this bring an age of Cooperation....for that is the only way we will survive.

[gateley]

5. Yes, and I would hope our country could unite if we decide to take this

coast to coast. I've said we'd end up shooting each other, but I hope I'm woefully wrong.

[femrap]

6. I actually think that

people are realizing that if we don't cooperate, we won't survive. This entire paradigm of competition is dying. At least I hope so.

[center rising]

7. This I never would have believed!!

If their is one country I hope breaks free from the dictators, it's North Korea.

[MilesColtrane]

8. Don't believe it.

Chosun Ilbo is basically a mouthpiece of the South Korean government which has an interest in portraying the DPRK as teetering toward revolution.

As the Asian Times article mentions, it is highly doubtful that your average North Korean citizen knows just what is going on in the Middle East.

If there were any significant protests in the North, they would be ruthlessly and decisively quashed.

DPRK police and soldiers would have no problem massacring their own citizens if the order came from God's own earthly representative (Kim Jong-il)

[NuttyFluffers]

13. This is true. It's an overall ridiculous paper.

screamingly obvious mouthpiece of ROK, and usually very status quo conservative. most young college people laugh at the things being reported from there. ... or at least they did when i talked to them while living there. reading the english version each morning for breakfast was a great way to cynically start my day; great to tickle one's funny bone. i doubt the paper could've changed so much in under 2 years since i left.

[Iterate]

14. Thanks.

I was skeptical, but now I know why I should be. It's always easiest to spread disinformation when the truth is scarce, and that applied to the west as well.

[Turborama]

16. Apparently, their website is the most visited news website by South Koreans.

www.Chosun.com is ranked as the No.1 Korean news website by the Internet survey company www.Rankey.com.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chosun_Ilbo

Maybe Rankey.com is a government arm, too? :shrug:

[NuttyFluffers]

17. and USA Today & People magazine speaks for America?

c'mon, i wouldn't wipe my ass w/ USA Today, let alone tell me complex things from hard to reach locales that require embedded professional journalists. it's a megaphone, not a citable source.

[RZM]

18. I hope it's true, but I'm pretty skeptical

I don't think a lot of credible outside information makes it to the N. Korean populace. I imagine the censors are working hard to make sure nobody there hears that entrenched rulers are getting their walking papers all over the Arab world. And you're right, any hint of dissent is punished immediately. But who knows, maybe something did happen? I would like to think so, anyway.

[Hugabear]

9. Yet here in the US, we're too concerned with the Academy Awards, American Idol, etc

Well, except for the folks up in Wisconsin, that is

[jacquelope]

20. Bread and circuses

This is exactly why China hasn't had a successful revolution. They keep enough of their people entertained and fed that the protests there gained more gawkers than participants.

In America we don't need a violent uprising - we need a coast to coast Government employee and Teamster strike. Nationwide solidarity.

[eridani]

10. I seriously hope that the rest of the world is keeping an eye on those nukes

Other dictators around the world are just oppressive--the ones in NK are batshit crazy as well.

[DeSwiss]

11. This will ring the world.....

...and come full circle.

K&R

[fasttense]

12. This is what happens when governments allow banksters and corporations to impoverish their citizens

It will continue.

[Old Troop]

19. Um, banksters and corporations in North Korea?

[Poll_Blind]

15. Kinda hard to believe that isn't a little truth with a lot of propaganda.

The North Korean regime does not tolerate jack squat, especially not a demonstration. From the video I've seen of inside North Korea, it's not a world where that's even really possible.

One person lifts up a sign to demonstrate and 10 minutes later they're whisked away by security forces and sent to the Hennesy mines forever. Any dissent is viewed as a direct threat, a direct attack on Dear Leader and many North Koreans are severely brainwashed into buying into this cult of personality.

PB