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Summer is ending and it is time for one last parting look at some of the stories that we have been following.
First, on a serious note, taking pride of place is Greg Scarlatoiu’s remembrance of our friend the late Jae-hoon Ahn published in the periodical Koream.
One can only imagine what Jae would have made of the North Korean elections. Earlier we reproduced some posters and observed that the elections have a social control aspect insofar as one is expected to vote—and absentee ballots are not sent to China. Well, the results are in. According to KCNA, turnout was 99.97% of voters “except those on foreign tours or working in oceans” (sic). So far, so good. But here is the interesting part: Daily NK is reporting on the basis of multiple sources that some of those posters were defaced in Hyesan, in at least one case with the slogan “Supporting Lee Myung Bak.” At this point he may be more popular north of the 38th parallel than south of it...
North Korea has been appealing for aid, including cement. One of the more interesting foreign investments in recent years was the purchase by Orascom Construction of a North Korean cement plant. They subsequently sold their cement unit (including the North Korean facility) to the French firm Lafarge. Admittedly the country has experienced flooding, but I wonder what has happened to the plant—if North Korea is receiving investment from one of the world's leading cement companies, why do they still need cement aid? If anyone knows the answer, well, that’s what the comment function is for…
Earlier this week, a story in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser sports section, “There’s excuses, and then there’s excuses” by the AP’s Tim Dahlberg caught my eye. Apparently the ol’ industrial-strength-musk-oil-treatment-after-being-hit-by-lightning defense didn’t fly with FIFA. They suspended the players for 18 months and barred the North Korean side from the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. No word on the fate of the coaches or their East German advisors.
