I love a really good lecture by a professor who is much better educated and more intelligent than I am. It makes such a wonderful change from the barking coming from Washington......This lecture is better the second time around because I picked up on things I missed the first time due to senior mushy brains.
GENEVA, Switzerland, March 8 (UPI) -- The United Nations Human Rights Council is expected to adopt a North Korea human rights resolution targeting the country's treatment of its people. North Korea is charged with violations that include summary executions and the rape and torture of political prisoners. According to defectors, the country is also deploying tens of thousands of forced laborers abroad to earn foreign currency for the regime. The European Union and Japan have prepared a draft resolution, and South Korea is also taking part in the proposal, Yonhap reported. The draft is to be discussed during the 31st regular session of the Human Rights Council, being held until March 24, South
Washington (CNN)The State Department is urging any American thinking of a trip to reclusive North Korea to think again. The agency usually issues travel warnings every six months on a variety of countries, but recent legislation now requires it to issue travel warnings about North Korea every 90 days. The department issued its first travel warning under the new law Friday and doubled down with a four-page statement that makes it clear that Americans travel to North Korea at their own peril. The State Department strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to North Korea, the warning states, before going on to list all the ways it is possible to get into trouble, including "showing disrespect" to the country's current or former leaders, taking unauthorized photographs and shopping at stores not designated for foreigners. ...
The U.S. Department of the Treasury added the young ruler, along with 10 other North Korean individuals and five entities, to the U.S. sanctions list today. "Human rights abuses in the DPRK are among the worst in the world," U.S. Department of State spokesman John Kirby said in a statement today. "The government continues to commit extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrest and detention, forced labor and torture. Many of these abuses are committed in the political prison camps, where an estimated 80,000 to 120,000 individuals are detained, including children and family members of the accused." The department added that this is part of "the most comprehensive U.S. government effort to date" to identify and sanction North Korea's leaders responsible for the widespread abuses -- which they hope will "send a signal to all government officials who might be responsible for human rights abuses." Kim is among 23 total North Korean individuals and entities cited in a report released by the U.S. Department of State today for their role in serious human rights violations, hunting down defectors or censorship in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. U.S. officials gathered the names with the cooperation of other governments, international organizations and civil society groups www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/hrc/coidprk/pages/commissioninquiryonhrindprk.aspx
My opinion- For this third reason, Prof. Cha suggests history, but not from a communism standpoint, as a reason why China sticks it out with NK. I think he underestimates a bit the importance of the the shared communism ideology. How can Chinese leadership avoid the strong historical backing China has had for NK - their brother in communist ideology? The close relationship between Mao and Kim Il Sung? Chinese Army rescuing NK in the war... Even though Chinese leaders since Mao probably won't express it, they all know the Mao style and want to carry the Mao tradition going, even today. Sort of like Putin, trying to take things back to the "old guard" a little bit. China still wears red and knows the NK style.
+Allen Kim I don't agree with you because you don't stand on the standpoint of Chinese . Chinese government is no longer a communism ideology centered leadership. Think about this : when one of your friends wants your money and doesn't want to pay back anyway, do you still want him to be your friend? yes leadership is unshakable , but it is only considered to be demotic policies. foreign policies are different, when what u gain is less than what you lose, nobody wants to do that. Trade between china and sk is far larger than what china gains from nk, the our friendship can fade. However, china will still keep nk alive.I feel ur comments are more ideological than Chinese leaders. they are not longer communists, and they are dealers.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies's Beyond Parallel released new polls that shed light on one of the most obscure areas in global studies - the opinions of ordinary North Korean citizens. North Korea's 25 million citizens live under an oppressive, totalitarian government that freely detains or even puts to death citizens that stray from official messaging in any way. But the small survey, which gives a voice to those living under unimaginable scrutiny, reveals what many in the international community believe to be true - North Koreans are unhappy with their state and risk severe punishments to cope with it in their personal lives. Ultimately, they wound up with a small sample size that nonetheless conveyed a sentiment with near unanimity: North Koreans know that their government does not work, and they criticize it privately at extreme personal peril. ...
The countries seen as most corrupt tend to be in Africa and the Middle East, in societies with weak legal and governmental systems and widespread poverty. For example, Somalia tops this year's list, with North Korea and Afghanistan close behind.
