Why Both Kim Jong-il and Regular Troops No Show on That Day(discontent among poorly-fed troops)

Chosun Ilbo ^ | 09/12/08 | Kang Chol-hwan

[TigerLikesRooster]

/begin my excerpts

Why Both Kim Jong-il and Regular Troops No Show on That Day

Military parade done by 'reserve unit' Worker-Peasant Red Militia on the anniversary. Why?

Kang Chol-hwan

N. Korea held a celebration for the 60th anniversary of N. Korea's founding on Sept. 9, but Kim Jong-il, the guest of honor, was nowhere to be seen. It is customary to have massive military parade by regular troops in the morning. However, they had late-afternoon parade by Worker-Peasant Red Militia and Red Youth Militia along with Pyongyang citizens, revealing that Kim Jong-il's health problem is real.

N. Korea has been preparing for the massive military parade since April this year. Cadets from various military academies under Defense Ministry and those selected from each corps, numbering tens of thousands in total, were called up. A N. Korean official on a recent visit to China said, "The authorities did not sent any soldiers home even during the rice planting period. They kept on practicing, and prodding civilians to support them."

In the past, soldiers participating in the parade were given best food and showered with gifts, enjoying top-notch treatments. Joining the parade was thought to be the highest honor for a soldier.

However, this time around, food situation was so bad that they could barely feed corns to the soldiers who were called up. The discontent among soldiers was about to explode. We cannot rule out the possibility that Security Command, the military security agency, internally made a decision to cancel the parade .

Disturbing rumors are spreading among the military that 'No. 2 Warehouse', the storage for military food stock, would run out late this year, and troops could be starved to death, which are rattling troops.

A recent N. Korean escapee, a former military person, said, "In Hwang-hae Province, the breadbasket which provides military food stock, crops were ruined last year due to flood. On top of that, international grain price soared and China closed down grain export to N. Korea this spring, which dealt a critical blow."

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[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[Steel Wolf]

It's definitely time to play, "Let's Make A Deal" with whoever is running the show in North Korea.

If Kim Jong Il really is incapacitated or dead, the DPRK is only going to coast so far until the wheels fall off. Now is the time to reach out and make inroads with whoever still answering the phone up there. Absolutely nothing good can come from stepping back and 'waiting for this to work itself out'.

[TigerLikesRooster]

I suspect they are working on it, but how well they are doing it, I am not sure.

Hu Jintao visited S. Korea one day after the Olympic closing ceremony. Officially, he came in such a hurry because his schedule was booked and that is the only time he can spare. Even then, some folks wondered why he came in such a hurry. Now that S. Korea and China had known about Kim's problem at the time, the summit is about more than usual topics, such as "strategic partnership" and free trade agreement.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Correction: Even then, some folks could not take it at face value and wondered why he came in such a hurry. Now that we are aware S. Korea and China had known about Kim's problem at the time,

[Anti-Bubba182]

"...China closed down grain export to N. Korea this spring, ..."

Hmmmmm! The Chinese had to know what that would do. Maybe they are throwing the North Koreans under the train?

[TigerLikesRooster]

They have been slowly squeezing N. Korea in order to keep them in line. Kim Jong-il have not budged, though. Until now.

[Rockingham]

How do we know that “whoever answers the phone” can deliver on a deal? The ground may be dissolving under their feet. If we try too eagerly to make a deal, there will be a succession of partners who falter as events consume them.

[Anti-Bubba182]

If the Army mutinies it is over for Kim Jong-il. Maybe he is too ill to care, but I worry what would happen to their Nuclear weapons or materials.

[lt.america]

Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that the South Koreans are ready to get pregnant with reunification. There is a public and private policy to all this. If North Korea is somehow reunified with the South ala Germany, you suddenly have a 40-50% unemployment rate and a country beset with education and medical issues. There is a phased approach that could be taken, but it will basically take an entire generation to get them back online. Very interesting for armchair foreign policy types like myself.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Yes, it will be one government with two economic zones. S. Korea would let N. Korea develop at their own pace, not bring it up to current S. Korea overnight.

This is what S. Korea wants. However, China may have different idea.

[lt.america]

“China may have different idea”

And therein lies the rub.

[ryan71]

No doubt. Al Qaeda is probably more interested in this than the US or China.

Nukes for sale? Could make N Koreans generals rich.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Or Iran.....

[John Robie]

Hopefully the US will not give the regime aid that will allow them to remain in power. We should put some pressure on the regime. It looks like they may be on the verge of losing power.

[Dr. Ursus]

If the troops mutiny<,they can get his stash of Chivas and
porn!

[Dumpster Baby]

I wonder what will become of all these generals staggering around under the weight of all their "combat decorations"? I wonder if they would ever dare to walk the same streets as they people they've suppressed.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Hennessey cognac is his favorite.

[Dr. Ursus]

Sorry!

[Sal]

Maybe the starving soldiers should take a general home for dinner. (No, not that. Just to show him how it is.)