A performance asessment of #NorthKorea's #Musudan ballistic #missile, by Ralph Savelsberg and James Kiessling: https://t.co/pIJyC0O6pf pic.twitter.com/90baM4Bmlw
— 38 North (@38NorthNK) December 20, 2016
South Korean and U.S. soldiers form an emblem of U.S. military base Camp Casey in Dongducheon, 40 kilometers north of Seoul, on Dec. 21, 2016, as they prepare for the camp’s centennial anniversary next year. The camp turns 100 years old in October 2017. (Photo provided by the Korea-U.S. Combined Division) (Yonhap)
This audiotape may be from 1999, but it shows the dynamics of the relationship between Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil seventeen years ago was one where Park was taking orders from Choi. The question now is if that dynamic has changed after all these years or was Park still taking orders from Choi?:
Choi Soon-Sil is seen bossing and ordering Park Geun-Hye around in a newly-surfaced audio tape. News outlet are focusing on a taped conversation from 1999 to understand the dynamic between Park and Choi. In the tape, Park and Choi discuss building a memorial and museum for Park’s father, Park Chung-Hee. They discuss building one near Gumi, the strongman’s birthplace in the province about 2 hours north-east of Busan, South Korea’s second largest city.
There are 3 other persons who are part of the conversation, including the vice chairman of the Hannarah Party. Choi is seen leading the conversation, interrupting Park several times, even telling her what to do and what to eat. She often talks to Park in “banmal,” the language used when talking to subordinates or children. [All News Korea]
You can read the rest at the link.
It appears South Korea’s efforts to jam North Korea’s AM radio propaganda broadcasts has been successful:
Echo of Unification (통일의메아리방송), a North Korean radio station that broadcasts propaganda towards South Korea, dropped all mediumwave (AM band) broadcasting on December 21.
The move seemingly confirms the futility of the broadcasts, which consumed large amounts of electricity but were blocked by powerful South Korean government jamming transmitters, but the station isn’t giving up. In their place, it has brought on air additional shortwave and FM transmitters.
It’s all part of a game that’s been going on for decades. North and South Korea both broadcast propaganda at each other while trying to stop their own citizens from hearing the other’s broadcast. Similar battles used to be played out across borders around the world but have largely moved to the internet and social media. The lack of internet in North Korea and South Korean censorship mean radio still plays a part on the Korean peninsula. [North Korea Tech]
You can read more at the link.
Via All News Korea, comes something about Chung Yoo-ra the daughter of the woman behind the ROK Presidential scandal, she is a single mother:
Well, Chung’s passport has now been canceled and South Korea’s special prosecutor is requesting that Germany freeze assets belonging to the Choi family. They are specifically asking that Germany extradite her to South Korea or to arrest and deport her, as her passport is no longer valid. However, it is not known where exactly Chung is, although it is suspected she is with the baby she gave birth to in 2015 (the father of the child, who has since broken up with Chung, has returned to South Korea and was interviewed by authorities). Indeed, the special prosecution asked that Chung attend a parliamentary hearing last week. She was nowhere to be found and even Choi’s lawyer , Lee Kyung-Jae, didn’t know where she was: “I don’t know when she will return. She has the freedom to make a choice [whether to attend the hearing or not].” By virtue of her no show, she is now accused of another serious charge, obstruction of justice. [All News Korea]
You can read more at the link.
Protestors in Seoul show their Xmas wish: the president's resignation. pic.twitter.com/PfDBbzI9iZ
— Alastair Gale (@AlastairGale) December 24, 2016
These photos from the North’s daily Rodong Sinmun on Dec. 20, 2016, show the country’s top leader Kim Jong-un watching the Masik Pass Ski Contest 2016. Teams from each province and the military competed in the contest in slalom, ski jump, giant slalom and downhill, according to the report. (Yonhap)
I hope everyone and their families have a great Christmas holiday this year. Please leave anything you want to discuss in the comments section. Also what better way to celebrate Christmas then by re-reading Chickenhead’s hilarious Twas the Night Before Christmas on the DMZ which is a true holiday classic.
Singing carols, dressed as santa: Thousands of South Koreans spending Christmas Eve in #Seoul protesting/partying in the streets. pic.twitter.com/w8V0leXt25
— Jean H. Lee (@newsjean) December 24, 2016
Mountain climbers in Santa Claus outfits climb Mt. Bukhan in Seoul on Sunday. [Chosun Ilbo]
