North Korea - "Food for nukes"?

[Captain Obvious]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/29/us-north-korea-suspends-nuclear-activities/?test=latestnews

Thoughts?

[MMC]

As its population suffers widespread malnutrition, North Korea (http://www.foxnews.com/topics/north-korea.htm#r_src=ramp) has agreed to suspend uranium enrichment and put a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests in exchange for 240,000 metric tons of food and the promise for potentially more to come.

U.S. State Department announced Wednesday that after two days of talks in Beijing last week the North has agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Inspectors to verify and monitor the moratorium on uranium enrichment and confirm disablement of its nuclear.....snip~


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/29/us-north-korea-suspends-nuclear-activities/?test=latestnews#ixzz1noQaRRcT

:shocked: Wow.....that is some big news. Huh?

[MMC]

Diane Sawyer was talking about this. Although some are worried that after they recieve shipment of the food. That they will do like last time. I don't know. His kid went to school in Switzerland. Plus he was into the Lakers, Nintendo, and liked to wear casual clothes. He is definately more westernized than his father.

Yet due to his youth. Rival brothers and the big red machine, could cause some pulling of those strings.

[Captain Obvious]

Diane Sawyer was talking about this. Although some are worried that after they recieve shipment of the food. That they will do like last time. I don't know. His kid went to school in Switzerland. Plus he was into the Lakers, Nintendo, and liked to wear casual clothes. He is definately more westernized than his father.

Yet due to his youth. Rival brothers and the big red machine, could cause some pulling of those strings.

Don't kid yourself, his crackpot father was about as "westernized" as whackjob dictators gets - he had a vast collection of American movies, was a huge NBA fan and a couple other things that escape me - big golf player, it is reported that news coverage in NK at the time stated that KJ regularly shot a couple of holes in one every week.

Propaganda is a funny thing.

[Conley]

:laugh: I remember those hole-in-one stories. He was supposedly a huge fan of Jordan too (the basketball player, not the country :grin:).

[Captain Obvious]

Sacha Cohen is a genius:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhAg0COnqds&feature=related

If you ever checked out Cohen's Wiki writeup on the Borat lawsuits, go check it out - it's absolutely priceless.

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


Legal issues Two residents of Glod (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroeni), the Romanian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania) village in which the opening scenes of Borat were filmed, hired attorney Edward Fagan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Fagan) to sue the makers of Borat for $30 million. They alleged that the intent of the film was misrepresented to them, that the poorest members of their village were made to look like "savages", and that they were underpaid, particularly when their minute salaries were compared to the millions earned by the completed movie. During several segments, children were filmed with guns and other weapons and in another scene, an amputee who lost his arm was told to wear a rubber fist sex toy.[63] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen#cite_note-62) The lawsuit was dismissed in New York hearing on the grounds that the allegations were too vague to stand up in court.[64] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen#cite_note-63)
The government of Kazakhstan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazakhstan) threatened Baron Cohen with legal action following the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards ceremony in Lisbon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon), and the authority in charge of the country's country-code top-level domain name removed the website that he had created for his character Borat (previously: http://www.borat.kz) for alleged violation of the law—specifically, registering for the domain under a false name. The New York Times (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times), (among others), has reported that Baron Cohen, (in character as Borat), replied: "I'd like to state that I have no connection with Mr Cohen and fully support my government decision to sue this Jew".[65] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen#cite_note-64) He was, however, defended by Dariga Nazarbayeva (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dariga_Nazarbayeva), a politician and the daughter of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nursultan_Nazarbayev), who stated, "We should not be afraid of humour and we shouldn't try to control everything, I think."[66] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen#cite_note-65) The deputy foreign minister of Kazakhstan later invited Baron Cohen to visit the country, stating that he could learn that "women drive cars, wine is made of grapes, and Jews are free to go to synagogues".[67] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen#cite_note-66) After the worldwide success of the Borat film, the Kazakh government, including the president, altered their stance on Baron Cohen's parody, tacitly recognising the invaluable press the controversy created for their country.[68] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen#cite_note-67)

Baron Cohen encountered another problem around his Borat character. Two of the three University of South Carolina (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_South_Carolina) students who appear in Borat sued the filmmakers, alleging that they were duped into signing release forms while drunk, and that false promises were made that the footage was for a documentary that would never be screened in the US. On 11 December 2006, a Los Angeles judge denied the pair a restraining order to remove them from the film. The lawsuit was dismissed in February 2007.[69] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen#cite_note-68)
On 22 May 2009, a charity worker at a seniors bingo game sued Baron Cohen, claiming an incident shot for Brüno at a charity bingo tournament left her disabled.[70] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen#cite_note-69) However, the worker later retracted her statement, saying the "actor never struck her", but that he "beat her down emotionally to the point she's now confined to a wheelchair".[71] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen#cite_note-70) The scene did not make the final cut for the film. The case was dismissed in late November 2009 on Anti-SLAPP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-SLAPP) grounds with all attorney's fees to be paid by the charity worker. The dismissal was appealed and upheld on 12 September 2011.[72] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen#cite_note-71)
A lawsuit was filed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%BCno#Ayman_Abu_Aita_lawsuit_.26_Al_Aqsa_Mart yrs_Brigades) on 30 April 2010 in the District of Columbia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia) by Palestinian Christian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_Christian) Ayman Abu Aita of Beit Sahour (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beit_Sahour), Bethlehem (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem), West Bank (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bank), against Baron Cohen relating to his interview which was used in Brüno. Aita alleges that he has been defamed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamed) by false accusations that he is a terrorist. Aita included David Letterman in the suit based on comments made during the 7 July 2009 appearance by Baron Cohen on the Late Show with David Letterman.[73] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacha_Baron_Cohen#cite_note-72) On 4 November 2010, the DC Case was dismissed with Aita given 120 days to file in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, or have the case permanently dismissed (see DC Case Docket Sheet (https://www.dccourts.gov/pa/pages/CRTVCaseSummary.jsp?case_id=4691231%20%20%20%20%20 %20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&xsl=)).

[waltky]

Russia provides relief for No. Korea food shortages...
http://www.politicalforum.com/images/smilies/confused.gif
Russia sends 2,400 tons of food to North Korea
May 19, 2016 -- Russia has sent North Korea 2,400 tons of food aid at a time when the country is still facing critical food shortages.


The Russian embassy in Pyongyang made the announcement this week that 2,394 tons of flour and other food items have been sent to the North Korean port city of Chongjin, Sputnik news agency reported Thursday. The flour was sent through the United Nations World Food Program and was made possible with a Russian donation, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap. This is the second time in 2016 Russia has delivered a shipment. In March, Moscow provided funds for the delivery of 2,500 tons of flour to North Korea.


http://cdnph.upi.com/sv/b/upi/UPI-9301463672753/2016/1/d724d47f7c9fb03930b9152a2376f6fb/Russia-sends-2400-tons-of-food-to-North-Korea.jpg

The flour is to be used to produce nutritious biscuits and cereals that can be distributed to child daycare centers in North Hamgyong and Kangwon provinces, according to the report. North Korea maintains a state rationing system, but the rations do not provide adequate nutrition. Some sources have said the price of rice in the gray markets, where most ordinary North Koreans procure their food, has risen dramatically, but it wasn't confirmed whether the price increase is the result of economic sanctions that passed in March.

The most vulnerable groups are women and children, according to the World Food Program. One in three North Korean children under age 5 suffer from stunted growth due to malnutrition, and one-third of North Korean women are afflicted by anemia, according to Damian Kean, WFP's regional communications officer for Asia. Last September, the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, D.C., issued a report that stated 1 in 4 North Korean children suffer from acute anemia, and compared to developing countries China and Mongolia, children are three times more likely to be developmentally challenged.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/05/19/Russia-sends-2400-tons-of-food-to-North-Korea/9301463672753/?spt=sec&or=tn

See also:

U.N. commissioner: North Korea will be held responsible for human rights violations
May 18, 2016 | WASHINGTON -- The individual ultimately accountable for North Korea human rights violations will be held responsible, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said Monday.


Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein made the statement at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., in response to a reporter's question regarding the possible referral of Kim Jong Un to the International Criminal Court, Radio Free Asia reported. Al Hussein said that as the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea continues to secure evidence of North Korea violations, ultimately the person responsible would be asked to answer, Yonhap reported.


http://cdnph.upi.com/sv/b/upi/UPI-7481463590068/2016/1/6bcbc973beea60fd302739da40556c87/UN-commissioner-North-Korea-will-be-held-responsible-for-human-rights-violations.jpg

The high commissioner did not make specific references to Kim or any other North Korean politician, but said that the Commission of Inquiry has investigated human rights abuses of North Korean citizens. Al-Hussein said the COI had secured substantial evidence of North Korea's human tragedy, and that North Korea should be referred to the ICC. U.N. investigations show violations have taken place across various categories, including access to food, and freedom of expression and movement.

North Koreans continue to suffer serious human rights abuses, and the United Nations has stated in a report filed with the 70th Session of the U.N. General Assembly that summary executions, abductions, enforced disappearances and human trafficking still take place on a large scale in the country. North Korea is sensitive to international criticism of its human rights record, and earlier in April slammed the United States for releasing a human rights report critical of the regime. North Korea has called U.S. statements on the country's political prison camps, forced labor and summary executions "outright lies," and has said the United States will be face "bone-crushing" consequences.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/05/18/UN-commissioner-North-Korea-will-be-held-responsible-for-human-rights-violations/7481463590068/?spt=sec&or=tn

[Peter1469]

How is the UN going to hold North Korea responsible for anything?

Probably just send him a strongly worded letter.

[donttread]

Diane Sawyer was talking about this. Although some are worried that after they recieve shipment of the food. That they will do like last time. I don't know. His kid went to school in Switzerland. Plus he was into the Lakers, Nintendo, and liked to wear casual clothes. He is definately more westernized than his father.

Yet due to his youth. Rival brothers and the big red machine, could cause some pulling of those strings.

Not very hard to teach a hungry population to hate