For once about North Korea...

[dangermousie]

In the annals of craziness? I bought a wonderful book on art in North Korea while in the British Museum. The art part is interesting enough, but the description of North Korean lifestyle was by far the most interesting part: it sounded completely horrific. Besides the shortages, regimentation etc etc, men are in the army for eight or so years,

Comments

[autumn_yaar]

RE: kidnapping. WTF.

[dangermousie]

Exactly!

[meganbmoore]

That whole post, I had to remind myself that you were talking aboutt he present day, not legends about leaders from a few hundred years ago...

[dangermousie]

I know. The 'art in NK' book actually posited that part of the reason it works is that it is very much in tradition of the Chosun kings: the totalitarianism and the stratification.

[smartylibrarian]

You have to read the graphic novel, "Pyongyang." It's the nonfiction account of a cartoonist's time spent working in North Korea. So crazy!!!!!

[dangermousie]

Neat. Any idea who wrote it?

[smartylibrarian]

Guy Delisle.

He talks about things like driving down these massive highways that are all totally empty.

[dangermousie]

Thanks! I will definitely get a copy!

[weissman]

I wish I could tell you some of the stuff we hear about North Korea. which I can't tell you.

The size of their military (huge), how brainwashed there soldiers and officers are, and how desperatly poor the country is.

IMHO its only a matter of time before the whole thing comes crashing down. The funny thing is China has propped North Korea up for years, not because they agree with Kim Jong-il regime, I think he is actually bad for China's busniess (and china is all about busniess), but because if North Korea goes belly up, China will be faced with a hugh refugee problem.

Bob

[dangermousie]

IMHO its only a matter of time before the whole thing comes crashing down. The funny thing is China has propped North Korea up for years, not because they agree with Kim Jong-il regime, I think he is actually bad for China's busniess (and china is all about busniess), but because if North Korea goes belly up, China will be faced with a hugh refugee problem.

Agreed 100%. Even now they have a number of people desperate enough to cross the border. Of course, on 'Dear Leader's' death the whole place can dissolve into total anarchy too and a civil war. It's horrifying.

[weissman]

I think thats the conservative view

Bob

[grey_fuzzy]

Foretold by a sparrow, eh?

I wonder how that worked.

But seriously, this is intriguing and terrifying at the same time; it definitely makes me want to learn more about North Korea.

[dangermousie]

I know. It's like a twisted novel.