Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
I am hoping they are convincing them to cut the shenanigans.
How many people do they suspect the North has kidnapped over the years?
Who watches the watchmen?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korean_abductions_of_South_Koreans
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korean_abductions_of_Japanese_citizens
These should give an idea on the latest headcount so far.
It's not just South Korea and Japan that North Korea kidnapped from. People have been abducted from places like France, Guinea, Lebanon, Macau, Singapore, etc. A 2011 reportnote states that more than 180,000 foreign nationals were taken away. North Koreans themselves are at risk abroad; in 2014, a son of someone connected to Jang Song-thaek, studying abroad in France, was seized by North Korean agents and almost forcibly returned to North Korea via China, before he escaped at the last minute from the airport, presumably living under French government protection since. And we saw Kim Jong-nam murdered in Malaysia.
And of course you're vulnerable when you actually visit North Korea voluntarily. I remember a bunch of headlines in the past few years alone. The imprisonment of Korean-American missionary Kenneth Bae was big news from 2012 to 2014. Matthew Todd Miller and Jeffrey Edward Fowle were both US citizens jailed in North Korea in 2014 and released later that year. Lim Hyeon-soo, a Korean pastor of Canadian citizenship, was sentenced to life in prison in 2015; he was released last month. The death of Otto Warmbier was the last straw for US tolerating any more North Korea imprisoning US nationals and tourism to that place.
edited 27th Sep '17 11:26:24 PM by Trivialis
Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
Thanks for the info guys.
Good lord, that is almost crazy the number of people they have snatched up. Looks like the bogey man is North Korean.
edited 28th Sep '17 1:19:19 AM by TuefelHundenIV
Who watches the watchmen?
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
Speaking of that, Malaysia has banned Malaysians from traveling to NK until further notice
The decision was made in view of the "escalation of tensions" in the Korean Peninsula and related developments arising from the country's missile tests.
"The travel ban will be reviewed once the situation has returned to normal," Wisma Putra said.
China orders N.K. firms to close down within 120 days
The decision, made public on the website of China's commerce ministry, is seen as part of its efforts to intensify pressure on the reclusive state to give up nuclear weapons. It will also apply to China-North Korea joint ventures, it said.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
(END)
FYI, the official coroner's report has been released in the meantime. The doc found no conclusive evidence that the guy was tortured and outright disproved the parents' claims of facial disfigurement.
I've read about that as well. Ultimately, the coroner said the only major sign was that of brain damage, the body showed no signs of torture but it couldn't be ruled out, and we don't really know what happened due to the reclusive nature of the country.
https://ph.news.yahoo.com/north-korean-rockettes-serve-coca-cola-dubai-030136069.html
Nightlife in Dubai, if you wanna see North Korean women working in a North Korean restaurant.
https://ph.news.yahoo.com/trial-shed-light-kim-jong-nam-airport-assassination-035302173.html
Trial is starting, but some analysts called to analyze the so-called VX used are wondering why it didn't harm anyone else like those who tried to give JN first aid.
Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
My bet is that because it was applied as a contact toxin it left traces on the victims skin and clothing. The assailants put the poison on something first then put it on his face. It would have left traces on his skin. Anyone not knowing the means of his poisoning and touching the material still on him would be contaminated by contact. As long as the assailants didn't directly touch the poison themselves they would have been fine.
Who watches the watchmen?
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
Back then it was reported that one of the assassins did show signs of mild exposure after the assassination, so that almost certainly is the case.
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
More details on the trial. A bit minor, but the defense is still sticking to the "The North Koreans are framing me story".
Full details.
Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
Krieger: Apparently not quite careful enough on their part.
Who watches the watchmen?
Their defense pleaded for the non-guilty verdict. Prosecutors are fighting it and are seeking the death penalty.
Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
China is apparently allowing the debate on breaking ties with North Korea.
Here is a snippet from the article.
While China's official goal is to bring Washington and Pyongyang to the negotiating table, it is also permitting once taboo debate on contingencies in case war breaks out in the isolated nation across its northeast border.
Observers say the public debate might be a tactic to try and coerce Pyongyang into cooling its weapons programme, with its nuclear and missile tests visibly angering Beijing, which has backed tough new United Nations sanctions on the country.
But it may also indicate growing calls to overhaul its relationship with the North, a longterm ally that it defended during the 1950-53 Korean War and has a mutual defence pact with.
The RMP is now in a dead end since they can't get any evidence from any North Koreans who left Malaysia and are relying on the case against the two women.
====
Update on the trial. A pathologist called in to be a witness mentioned that the women were not exposed to VX since if they were, they should have the symptoms associated with it.
edited 3rd Oct '17 1:22:34 AM by Ominae
An anti-transnational crime report mentioned by NHK mentions two North Korean diplomats in South Africa apprehended for smuggling rhino horns and ivory, being implicated in 18 out of 29 cases where DPRK diplomats are involved. Currently cost 100,000 USD in China's black market.
Of course, North Korea's military deployment in Africa also helps...
edited 4th Oct '17 4:39:47 PM by Ominae
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
So NK engages in poaching on top of everything else?
Who apprehended them? This is important.
The report mentions that they just got themselves involved. But I don't think the report did say if they were apprehended since it was vague. If they were apprehended, they most likely use diplomatic rights to get away.
https://ph.news.yahoo.com/chemist-says-vx-byproduct-kim-murder-suspects-shirt-034500717.html
A chemist appointed by the courts to investigate VX traces found some on the shirts used by the suspects.
edited 4th Oct '17 11:43:20 PM by Ominae
North Korea: Kim Jong-un promotes sister Kim Yo-jong to centre of power
Kim Yo-jong has been made an alternate member of the top decision-making body, North Korean state media reported on Sunday. The move indicates that she has replaced their aunt, Kim Kyong-hee, who was a key decision-maker when their father, the former leader Kim Jong-il, was alive.
“It shows that her portfolio and writ is far more substantive than previously believed and it is a further consolidation of the Kim family’s power,” said Michael Madden, a North Korea expert at Johns Hopkins University’s 38 North website.
The personnel changes were announced after a meeting of the country’s central committee of the ruling Workers’ party, during which Kim said his nuclear weapons were a “powerful deterrent” that guaranteed his regime’s sovereignty and helped to counter the “protracted nuclear threats of the US imperialists”.
Kim Jong Sik and Ri Pyong Chol, two of the three men behind Kim’s banned missile programme, were also promoted amid a wider reshuffle and an increasingly tense stand off between Pyongyang and Washington over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
Oh, bother.
So who wants to bet he's going to have her executed sometime in the future when he thinks she is a threat to his power?
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
You don't think the reverse might happen?
Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
Love to see that happen.
Russia has invited a North Korean Foreign Ministry official for talks behind closed doors.
It's known that they'll use the meeting to tell Pyongyang to stop firing ICB Ms and use peace talks instead.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20170927_33/
A South Korean NGO has provided a possible photo of a Japanese woman kidnapped by the Operations Department of the Korean Workers’ Party in the 70s.
edited 27th Sep '17 9:30:43 PM by Ominae