| THE NORTH KOREA REPORT: APRIL 29, 2002 NEWS MORE NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES TRY DEFECT VIA WESTERN EMBASSIES IN BEIJING Two North Koreans in Communist China � which sends any escapee it finds back to the Stalinist regime � defected to South Korea via the American Embassy in Beijing (BBC, Los Angeles Times). A third North Korean who got into the German Embassy is also likely headed for South Korea. Communist China�s forced repatriations have now led to almost 30 of escapees using Western embassies to get to the South. FAMILY REUNIONS TAKE PLACE IN THE NORTH Meanwhile, about 100 families met long-lost relatives in �reunion� meetings, which brought together families separated for over fifty years (CNN, Los Angeles Times). Not only was the Stalinist regime completely unapologetic for trapping so many people in its dictatorship for so long, but it insisted on having the meeting in the North due to �fears of its (North Koreans) seeing prosperous South Korea.� NORTH KOREA WANTS CLINTON TO MEDIATE DISPUTE WITH THE U.S. North Korea �is reported to have invited former US President Bill Clinton to play a mediating role between Washington and Pyongyang� (BBC). The Stalinist regime clearly preferred Clinton to President Bush, even though Bush � for all the harsh rhetoric � has not changed any policies from his predecessor. NORTH KOREAN DEFENSE MINISTER CALLS ARMY "IMPREGNABLE FORTRESS" North Korean Defense Minister Kim Il-chol called the 1.2 million strong army of the Stalinist Regime an "impregnable fortress" capable of delivering "merciless blows" to anyone who would challenge it (CNN). While the truth behind that is debatable, the Communists have spent lavishly on the military while the rest of the North continues to suffer under a horrendous - and largely Communist-made - famine. TALKS WITH JAPAN ON JAPANESE KINDAPPED BY THE NORTH BEGINS Talks began between North Korea and Japan centering around allegations, some confirmed by defecting North Koreans (CNN), that the Stalinist regime kidnapped in the 1970s �to train them as spies, or teach North Korean agents the Japanese language and customs� (BBC). The North, of course, has denied that any kidnappings took place. COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS WASHINGTON POST EDITORIALIST PRAISES �BIG STICK� ON NORTH KOREA Fred Hiatt, of the Washington Post, praised what he called President Bush�s �big stick� in dealing with North Korea. Sadly, he was not quite willing to recommend what the people of North Korea � to say nothing of the rest of the world � really need: an end to the Stalinist regime. IS NORTH KOREA OPENING UP, OR JUST OPENING OUTSIDERS� �PURSE STRINGS�? Barbara Demick, of the Los Angeles Times, examines the recent diplomatic overtures by North Korea, or to be more accurate, by others to the North. Is the Stalinist regime opening up to the world? Demick notes that many thought so two years ago. Then the Bush Administration brought up some uncomfortable subjects: the North�s missile sales to terrorists, development of nuclear weapons, etc. Stop the Nuclear Power Deal: The United States is building two nuclear power plants in North Korea while the Stalinist regime refuses to let us inspect their nuclear weapons program to verify they have halted it as required in the deal. Tell the President to end the deal. Sign the Boycott Petition: In reaction to the 2008 Olympic Games being awarded to Beijing, the China e-Lobby has begun a petition for an American boycott of those games. As Communist China�s allies and customers enter the cross-hairs, check out the latest on �Communist China and the Terrorist War,� either directly or via our main page. There�s still time to contact the President and tell him not to appoint pro-PRC Doug Paal as de facto ambassador to Taiwan. See Follow-Up for more on Paal. Feel free to forward this to anyone you think might be interested in receiving it. Anyone who wishes to join can send his/her name and e-mail address to [email protected]. Please feel free to send any news on Communist China you happen to find to the same address. |