Body
A potentially major driver in North Korean societal change has been the regime’s eroding control over information. South Korea recently upgraded from analog to digital television broadcasts meaning loss of access by residents of North Korea’s Gangwon province. An unnamed source from the province told Daily NK last Sunday, "Those people who used to watch South Korean TV in secret are very disappointed that it has suddenly been shut off. People want to know whether there is another way to get the signal. But even if there is, it's not easy to buy the right equipment."
Obtaining "the right equipment" seems to be a pervasive challenge in North Korea. To wit, Yonhap recently reported that "North Korea has recently faxed letters to several civic groups in the South… The government has confirmed at least five or six local civic groups received faxed letters from the North, he said, adding the communist country is expected to send more down the road…” (emphasis added).
One has to travel to find the right equipment, I suppose. We reported earlier on North Korea-Iran cyber-warfare cooperation. One correspondents in Seoul claims that the North Koreans have sent 90 cyber-warfare specialists to the Middle Eastern country.
Earlier in the week I posted on North Korea's opaque ag reform; I have since been contacted by someone just back from the farms who says that there is no hint of reform in the breadbasket (though the crops look good).
Gangnam Style has launched a million parody videos. I think Steph has posted half of them. But I found one we missed. Last week a South Korean government minister gave me the head’s up on “Eton Style.” Turns out that Aidan Foster-Carter is an Old Etonian. Maybe he can explain that bit involving the guy hiding underneath the bedcovers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FtZkVRkusQ
Last time we checked, the Nigerians and North Koreans were off scamming each other; now a charismatic Nigerian preacher has revealed that he predicted last February’s failed missile launch. Sort of. Like those old IBM NFL-themed commercials: "you make the call":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX70DSptB-k
Maybe the CIA could hire that guy. In the meantime…I want my MTV KBS….
