Here is news you will not see making leading headlines anytime soon:

The Pennsauken man who shot and wounded a member of the U.S. Air Force before killing himself left suicide notes that indicated he was “angry at the government and wanted to make a statement” on Independence Day, one of the man’s relatives said yesterday.

Matthew J. Marren, 22, of Walnut Avenue, drove to a home on Windsor Lane rented by Senior Airman Jonathan Schrieken, 22, at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Marren got of this vehicle, found Schrieken outside the house, shot him once in the chest with a small-caliber firearm, then turned the gun on himself, said Burlington County First Assistant Prosecutor Ray Milavsky.

[…]

Marren’s aunt, Terina Henderson of Trion, Ga., said she spoke to Marren’s mother yesterday who told her Marren left two notes, one in his home and one in his car, indicating he was upset with the government.

She said she did not know the exact wording in the notes, but said Marren was “mad at the government and wanted to make a statement … that’s why he did what he did on the Fourth of July.”

You can read more about this airman’s condition in the update here.

To paraphrase this great posting, just imagine instead of airman in this article you slipped in the word homosexual or abortion doctor?  Could you imagine the headlines that would make compared to this anti-war loon trying to murder a member of the US military? 

I have expressed this over and over again that the biggest anti-Americans are not Koreans, are not the French, and the other usual suspects, but in fact American themselves.  I have seen some wacky distasteful things from the anti-US movement in Korea for example, but nothing that compares to the anti-American lunacy I have seen personally in America and this is just another example. 

The International Herald Tribune’s Choe Sang-hun writes a chilling account of life in a North Korean prison camp from a NK defector:

Shin, now 24, was a political prisoner by birth. From the day he was born in 1982 in Camp No. 14 in Kaechon until he escaped in 2005, Shin had known no other life. Guards beat children, tortured grandparents and, in cases like Shin’s, executed family members. But Shin said it did not occur to him to hate the authorities. He assumed everyone lived this way.

He had never heard of Pyongyang, the capital city 90 kilometers, or 55 miles, to the south, or even of Kim Jong Il, the North Korean leader.

"I didn’t know about America, or China or the fact that the Korean Peninsula was divided and there was a place called South Korea," he said. "I thought it was natural that I was in the camp because of my ancestors’ crime, though I never even wondered what that crime was. I never thought it was unfair."

Make sure you read the entire article because life in Camp 14 is extremely chilling stuff and should make you feel sick to your stomach that such evil exists in this world.  Thanks to Choe Sang-hun for putting a face to such evil that many would prefer to pretend doesn’t exist. 

To further put a face on evil I have decided to an OFK like job and see if I can locate Camp No. 14 on Google Earth.  Here is where the city of Kaechon is located:

Kaechon is in fact located just south of North Korea’s nuclear facility in Yongbyon.  If you zoom in on Kaechon you can see just to the south of the city what appears to be a possible prison camp:

As you can see the northern portion of the camp does not have a detailed view yet from Google Earth, but the southern portion does.  Here is a close up look at the southern portion of the camp:

There is a number of long barracks buildings along with some possible farming fields and possible mining activity:

The area with detailed imagery does appear to be totally surrounded with fencing of some kind.  Could it be Camp No. 14?  I can’t say for sure, but looking around the area I cannot find any other large fenced in compounds in the area besides this North Korean Air Force Base to the north of Kaechon:

Maybe some of you readers can find other possibilities for Camp No. 14, but even looking at the civilian areas around Kaechon they do not look much better than the possible prison camp.  Overall, what a bleak and horrible place. 

HT: Marmot

Really nothing to juicy in this Yonhap interview of the Korean USFK media relations officer known as the "Godfather" until the subject turned to the 2002 Armored Vehicle accident:

He presented as an example the two South Korean schoolgirls crushed by a U.S. armored vehicle in 2002.

"Local media didn’t pay attention to the U.S. soldiers’ sorrow and mourning for the tragic incident, while focusing on the public uproar over the U.S. troops," he said. "Sometimes, I think Korean people view USFK-related incidents too emotionally."

If only more people in the Korean government and media would speak up like this and stand up to the anti-US hate groups that often spread disinformation and out right lies to the Korean public. 

Now even the Chosun Ilbo has picked up on the exploits of the Subway Idiots and is currently the second most viewed story on the site. 

I belive this when I see it:

"I understand that Washington has changed its plans and decided to keep the Eighth U.S. Army on the Korean Peninsula, but will reorganize it as a U.S. ground forces command in Korea around 2012,” when wartime operational control is transferred to Korean forces, a military source said Sunday. That would mean the Eighth is reorganized according to Washington’s need to maintain a self-reliant military command in South Korea once the CFC disappears.

Alegedly this new command is going to be called KORCOM.  I have to wonder who the Chosun’s military source is, some private who heard rumors in the chow hall?  Like I said before I will have to see this to believe it. 

The Koreas
–  Here is some testimony from a Korean-American in "enemy territory".  This woman has serious issues. 
–  It appears there is a good chance the ROK-US FTA is dead and you can read some good reasons why here & here.
–  Will there be a "Body by Kim" book on the way after Kim Jong-il’s successful weight loss program?
–  Transformers are absolutely dominating the Korean box office by garnering 75% of all ticket sales.  Incredible.
–  Speaking of Transformers Gdog has some good things to say about it and corn ice cream.  Yes, corn ice cream.
–  Are you an expat and want to be on TV?  Well click here to find out how.
–  The vedict is Not Guilty.  Congrats.
–  Global Korea – Top Ten Tips
–  Don’t miss Jackass North Korea style.

Japan
–  Despite all the issues between Japan and Korea, more and more Koreans are deciding to visit Japan.
–  Looks like Japan may deploy the SDF to Darfur.  Now if only they would take George Clooney and the rest of Hollywood with them. 
–  Dog weddings the new trend in Japan?
–  I actually stayed in one of things one time and it really wasn’t that bad.

China
–  China covering up bad news about their pollution problems.  Anyone surprised?
–  Dinosaur bone medicine anyone? 
–  This craziness in Taiwan over a handbag has to be seen to be believed.
–  Six Chinese prostitutes were held as hostages in the Pakistan mosque standoff. 

Milblogs
–  You won’t read about the Al Qaida massacre of villagers in Iraq in the MSM any time soon, but Michael Yon continues to provide updates on it here & here.
–  Most inspiring re-enlistment I have ever read.
–  Off duty servicemembers take down Las Vegas casino gunman.

More information about the shoplifting Filipino ambassador has been released and needless to say this whole episode gets more and more interesting with every new release of information:

Kasammako claims to have received direct information from individuals concerned in the incident, including security officers who were on duty at the Post Exchange store at the U.S. Army Yongsan garrison on Nov. 28, the day of the alleged incident.

"The security officers recount that a security camera clearly shows Ambassador Castrence took the stolen items," the statement reads. It goes on to say that the wife of a senior U.S. officer in charge of the commissary facilities confirmed the details of the incident.

According to Mark Padlan, a journalist and Kasammako executive committee member who is currently in Manila, the manager of the PX, knowing that Castrence is a diplomat, approached her in a bid to resolve the matter discreetly so as to avoid any embarrassment.

"In response," the press release said, "Castrence told the manager she wanted to smoke a cigarette first before they talk. In the act of taking and lighting the cigarette out of her bag, she dropped the stolen items and kicked them back inside the PX shop. She then tried to deny any wrongdoing."

The embassy confirmed that the ambassador is a smoker but said these allegations are now "really going over the top."

Ambassador Castrence told The Korea Herald, "I was actually the one who volunteered to let them search my bag." She added that she had bought an ice cream at the counter near the check-out and wanted to go outside and eat it because it was beginning to melt.

It will be interesting to see how this turns out, but never the less, talk about a black eye for the Filipino Embassy in Seoul. 

I blogged before about the politicizing of the body armor issue.  Notice you have heard nothing about this body armor issue any more from anyone.  If you want to know why you might want to watch this report.  HT: MM

Korean performer, Rain has had a disastorous North America concert debut and of course the Party Pooper has got it covered.  You can read more about Rain’s concert problems at Pop Seoul.  HT: Nomad

The Stars & Stripes have an article posted that pretty much covers everything you ever wanted to know about eating dog in Korea.