North Korea bans tourists from China(lashing out at China over public slamming)

Straits Times ^ | 08/24/04 | N/A

[TigerLikesRooster]

North Korea bans tourists from China

HONG KONG - A scathing article in China slamming North Korea for being an irresponsible and ungrateful troublemaker has led to Pyongyang barring Chinese tourists, Japanese and Hong Kong media have reported.

The article, published in the latest issue of the semi- official bi-monthly Strategy And Management, castigated North Korea, which has few friends, for not showing gratitude for China's support during times of trouble.

Researcher Wang Wen zhong from a Tianjin academy wrote: 'Often, North Korea would disregard friend- ship and show no sense of responsibility when dealing with international issues, and this would drag China willy-nilly into its conflict with the United States.'

According to Japan's Tokyo Shimbun, the article so enraged North Korea that it told China's Liaoning province, which lies across the border, that tourist traffic will be halted temporarily.

North Korea's tourism office cited 'domestic conditions' for such a move.

This is the first time North Korea has unilaterally put a stop to tourists from China since they were allowed to visit in the 1990s, said Hong Kong's The Sun Daily. The newspapers believed it was sparked by the impasse over nuclear talks with the North.

The offending article, which was a sharp contrast to China's stance, slammed the North's backward system and flawed international outlook.

Referring to its supreme leader, the writer said: 'Although North Korea is faced with natural disasters and his people live in wretched conditions, Kim Jong Il has embarked on massive political persecutions to safeguard his family's hereditary rule.'

The writer concluded that China was no longer obliged to back North Korea because at critical moments, Pyongyang had not bothered to support Beijing. 'We, in fact, must be vigilant against any plots which might land us in conflict with the US.'

According to South Korea's Chosun Daily, 'the article is extremely unusual going by the traditional friendship between China and North Korea'.

North Korea yesterday ruled out attending preparatory meetings for six-way talks coming up next month, citing hostile US policy.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman called Mr Bush 'a political imbecile' and 'a tyrant' worse than Adolf Hitler, the official KCNA news agency reported.

[TigerLikesRooster]

N. Korea has little leverage it can use against China. So it settled on a small self-destructive move of banning Chinese tourists. After all, N. Korea needs money more desperately than China.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[IamConservative]

This is akin to a dog biting the hand that feeds it.

With calling Bush and imbecile earlier in the week, they have almost achieved complete isolation.

[dfwgator]

Why would anyone in their right mind want to take a vacation in North Korea in the first place?

[Semi Civil Servant]

Ding Dong II needs to be careful. The Chinese can take out the little weasel at will.

[The Scourge of Yazid]

Believe it or not, there are actually travel packages that advertise this as a prime tourist destination.

In fact, I'm not sure, but I think that the DMZ is actually a bit of hot spot for these things, because of its unique location and natural beauty.

[AmericanInTokyo]

When you have a hankerin' for dog, I guess you gotta' go. (Gourmet tours, donchya know.)

[The Scourge of Yazid]

Guess so!

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping

[nw_arizona_granny]

ping

[Velveeta]

It boggles the mind!

Thanks for the ping.

[Safetgiver]

Ever hear of slumming? This would take that term to new ...Heights.

[snowsislander]

The travel guide Lonely Planet Korea covers both South and North Korea. If I remember correctly, the North Korean section suggests that having a Canadian passport makes it far easier to travel there than an American one. I believe that the recommended route in was via a flight from Beijing, but it has been a long while since I read the book.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Have you read this? It was posted on the "Threat Matrix -
thread #18".

Ruth

I followed your Pravda link and found this story:

ALL TELEPHONES ARE CUT OFF IN NORTH KOREAN CAPITAL
08/26/2004 19:23
Since August 23, no telephone is working in North Korean capital.
There are different reports on the causes of the problems with the
phone lines. On the one hand, the local phone services say that they
are working on fixing the technical problems, and the phone lines will
be functioning properly soon. On the other hand, some agencies refer
to the source in North Korean Ministry of Communications who
allegedly said that the "phone lines cut off is an official measure of
permanent nature".
"This decision was made on the government level", said an
anonymous source. (snip)

http://english.pravda.ru/world/20/91/366/13919_Pyongyang.html


367 posted on 08/26/2004 6:37:10 PM PDT by
liberallyconservative
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[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #14

Yes, I heard that news. I am not sure if these phones are up by now. We will see how it turns out. If this measure is permanent, that indicates that the regime is really in acute crisis mode.