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China-Japan-Koreas
North Korea shuts down industrial park
2013-04-03
Yonhap has another version of the story here.
Posted by:DarthVader

#14  a few million refugees suffering from radiation sickness is yet another.

To a Western country that provides humanitarian assistance to refugees, having too many of them is a problem. The Chinese let them fend for themselves. At worst, they set aside a Superfund site as a mass grave for all the dead refugees. They talk a good game about being worried about refugees, but what they're really worried about is not refugees per se, but the prospect of Kim's collapse. Regardless of all the propaganda out there, it's always the people who feed the government rather than the other way around. As it is, under the current economic system, there aren't enough North Koreans to keep the government fed, which is why the Chinese are sending Kim billions in annual subsidies. Losing a few million productive North Koreans might precipitate the collapse of the regime. It was these massive population movements that precipitated the collapse of the Warsaw Pact, as border controls were lifted.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2013-04-03 19:09  

#13  "It's even possible that North Korean troops will turn their guns on the Chinese."

I'll order more popcorn. :-D
Posted by: Barbara   2013-04-03 18:43  

#12  The paranoid take I've seen is that the Chinese are moving more to restrain US than the Norks.

That's logical rather than paranoid. Any ransom we pay to Kim is a direct subsidy to China. This is why giving Kim any money is a mistake. China will keep Kim standing at any financial cost. If China pushes into North Korea, I expect South Korea will do the same, while demanding that Chinese troops retire to the Yalu River. It's even possible that North Korean troops will turn their guns on the Chinese.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2013-04-03 18:12  

#11  I'd bet junior would at least go at least 18 for 12 from the arc.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2013-04-03 15:58  

#10  But not nearly as funny - or smart.

He never had a break Barb, difficult to tell. He looks like a talent to me.
Posted by: Shipman   2013-04-03 15:40  

#9  The paranoid take I've seen is that the Chinese are moving more to restrain US than the Norks.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2013-04-03 13:13  

#8  "With Little Kim replacing Cleavon Little as Bart."

But not nearly as funny - or smart.
Posted by: Barbara   2013-04-03 13:09  

#7  Unlike the US, the Chinese are very discriminating with regard to people who wish to cross their borders. Attractive, young Nork housemaids are one thing, but hundreds of thousands, or a few million refugees suffering from radiation sickness is yet another.
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-04-03 11:10  

#6  Well, apparently *someone* is listening north of the border

Well, yes. The Chinese have moved additional, additional troops to the border.
Posted by: Pappy   2013-04-03 11:01  

#5  Well, apparently *someone* is listening north of the border. Analysts were running around saying "oh, Kaesong is still open, this is all playacting" in the English press. So, they closed Kaesong. Now they're super cereal. It's a better sign than if they had started out with the industrial park closed, but it's still not great.
Posted by: Mitch H.   2013-04-03 10:28  

#4  Negotiating with a gun to their own head.

With Little Kim replacing Cleavon Little as Bart.
Posted by: Glenmore   2013-04-03 09:56  

#3  Negotiating with a gun to their own head. All a ploy for money and food aid.
Posted by: john frum   2013-04-03 09:42  

#2  Black mail

Pudge is using the same playbook as dear departed Kimmie, make a lot of racket, get provocative, turn on the lights down at the local reactor, and march your tin soilders around next to the DMZ.

The UN, ROK, Japan, China, and the US are supposed to rush in and throw money and food at NORK so they will make nice.

I think we should call his bluff. His army is phoney, they haven't fought a war in a bizzilion years, their leadership is corrupt and how do you get so many medals for doing nothing but march in parades on some one's birthday?
Posted by: Bill Clinton   2013-04-03 09:27  

#1  This is serious. It is one of the few ways the North can get hard currency and is very important. Closing this may mean that they aren't blustering. They are going to war.
Hopefully it is a bluff and they open it in a few days again, but I would have all western units on full alert.
Posted by: DarthVader   2013-04-03 09:10  

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