Global Voices Online » South Korea

China and North Korea: Kim is like Chairman Mao?

Winglok Hung — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:05:05 +0000

On 4 July, the United States’ National Day, North Korea has launched seven missiles tests again and some of them were medium-range rockets that pose threat to Japan and South Korea. While Kim Jong Il has been portrayed as a crazy and authoritarian figure, Chinese netizens are eager to compare him with Chairman Mao.

An article titled “Kim Jong Il is just like Chairman Mao!” received a lot of attention in the Qiangguo Forum, a website run by state-owned the People’s Daily. In the article, chibilanting associates Kim Jong Il with Chairman Mao when dealing with military threats. As chibilanting argues,

我们看看毛主席的时代。新中国刚一解放，美国就联合诸国侵略朝鲜。我们保家卫国，支援朝鲜，我们打了过去，美国还是在自己没有胜利的协议书上签了字。印度占我领土，我们打了过去，剑指新德里。苏联占我珍宝岛，我们打了过去，珍宝岛还在我们手中。

Let's examine Mao's era: the United States joined force with other countries to invade North Korea soon after China has been liberalized. We defended our country and supported North Korea. We survived through the war and the U.S was forced to sign the peace agreement without victory. India occupied our territories, we targeted at New Delhi and survived through the war. The Soviet Union invaded our Zhenbao Island, we fought and now Zhenbao Island is in our hands.

朝鲜射出了卫星，美日韩没敢拦截，成了这一世纪的笑柄！紧接着，朝鲜又进行了核试验。联合国出了个什么几号决议，朝鲜的立场更加强硬。自称可以根据联合国决议可以检查朝鲜“江南号”货船的美国，动用了第七舰队，可是最后还是没敢拦截检查！朝鲜人在挨饿！这也许是真的。但是，金正日没输给奥巴马、李明博、麻生！正像中国的毛主席，没有输给世界一样！金正日就像毛主席！

When North Korea launched the satellite, USA, Japan and South Korea dare not intercept. It is such a joke! North Korea then launched a series of nuclear tests and the United Nations proposed several resolutions, but North Korean became ever stronger in its stand. The United States claimed that they could check upon North Korea's Cargos under the United Nations' resolution, eventually its Seventh Fleet did not make any interception. North Koreans might be starving, but Kim Jong Il did not lose to Obama, Lee Myung-bak and Aso. Just like China’s Chair Mao, who did not lose to the world! Kim Jong Il is like Chairman Mao!

A lot of comments followed, 221.205.34 said,

金正日只不过是毛主席的一名学生罢了!!!

Kim Jong Il is only one of the Chair Mao’s students!!!

Another netizen, Caiyunchangzai also agreed,

金正正在学习毛泽东精神，正在学习和运用毛泽东思想！

Kim is learning Mao’s spirit and his beliefs!

Gaoshanmei said,

不要说，金正日的硬骨头的确像毛主席！我们如果有这样像毛主席的领导，人民会感到多么幸福啊！

Needless to say, Kim’s bones are as strong as Mao’s. If our leaders resembled Mao, people will be very fortunate!

222.50.82 also said,

和老毛不是一个级别的，不过骨气倒不错，至少比我们的政府强

He (Kim) cannot compete with old Mao, but his bones (characters) are stronger than our government.

Another Chinese blogger, Enjoy Drawing, also compares Kim with Mao in his comment on Kim's portrait,

当年毛主席说：“枪杆子里面出政权！”现在时代进步了，应该说：“核导弹可以保政权！”

Chairman Mao has once said, “regime vests in gun”. Now the world has advanced and it should become “regime vests in nuclear bomb!”

The blogger explains why Kim was portrayed in an upright position:

他也很明白，他和萨达姆不一样，萨达姆在中东是孤家寡人，孤军奋战。而朝鲜身后—站着一个比上世纪抗美援朝时更加强大的中国！

He understands that he is different from Saddam Hussein, Saddam was alone fighting. While behind North Korea, stands a strong China, which is much stronger than the time when it fought against the United State during the Korea War in the last century.

Green Dam and its kinds

Oiwan Lam — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:30:58 +0000

Angry Chinese blogger explained the problem of Green Dam and reviewed similar censorship software and policy adopted by democratic countries.

South Korea: Old city is gone

Oiwan Lam — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:40:49 +0000

Matt from Gust of popular feeling showed how a large part of the old Seoul city, Pimatgol/Cheongjin-dong area north of Jongno between Gwanghwamun and Jonggak Station, has been shrouded by steel and blanket fences in preparation for demolition.

South Korea: Citizen declaration

Oiwan Lam — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:42:56 +0000

Cynthia Yoo from Ohmynews International reports on a citizen declaration petition against President Lee Myung-bak's government.

Korea: Kim Jong-il’s Heir

Oiwan Lam — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:37:14 +0000

Beom-seok Sohn from Ohmynews International discusses the potential candidates of North Korea state leader Kim Jong-il's successor.

South Korea: Media bias against English teacher

Oiwan Lam — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:47:28 +0000

Metropolitician wrote in Korean Media Watch on the media bias against foreign English teacher in South Korea.

South Korea: June 10 democracy demand

Oiwan Lam — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:11:03 +0000

Today is the 22nd anniversary of the June 10, 1987 victory over the military dictatorship. Over 1200 professors at six universities have jointly signed a statement concerning the “death of democracy” in Korea under Lee Myung-bak's presidency. (via Judy Han)

North Korea: Two American Journalists Sentenced to Hard Labor

Bhumika Ghimire — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:28:59 +0000

News coming out of Pyongyang is not encouraging. After being accused of illegally crossing the border to North Korea, American Current TV journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee have been sentenced to 12 years of hard labor (according to CNN). Jillian York rounded up blog posts for Global Voices prior to the journalists' sentencing.

The bleak outcome is eliciting strong reactions online from those who support freedom of press and want North Korea to release the two journalists. A Facebook page for Laura and Euna already has more than five thousand members. Today they are asking the public to respect the families privacy at this moment and not to get emotional:

“You will have many emotions racing. Please try to stay clear of anger. Anger is a waste of energy and what North Korea wants of you.We can and will work together and use our minds, to work this through.”

LiberateLaura, a blog authored by Los Angeles entertainment journalist Richard Horgan, describes events happening in North Korea as “worthy of Shakespeare” and questions the decision of the “Hermit Kingdom” to arrest Laura Ling and Euna Lee:

“Unfortunately, into that mad kingdom, just ahead of the chaos, wandered @Current journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee. On Tuesday, March 17th, whether by accident or the trickery of a paid-off Chinese guide, they are alleged to have stepped across an invisible border line at a bridge crossing between China and North Korea. Harsh interrogations and two and a half months of solitary confinement followed, and now, after a brief trial, an absurd sentence of 12 years of hard labor for illegally crossing the border and an unspecified “grave crime.”

The Shakespearean analogy is useful because it allows us, just slightly, to make sense of the unfathomable June 8th Ling-Lee verdict. Kim Jong-il is indeed pushing it to the limit on the diplomatic, nuclear and innocent Americans fronts, all in a bid to reassure the country’s military hard liners that a Kim Jong-un succession will maintain the Amy-first status quo.”

On YouTube, supporters are posting videos calling for the immediate release of Laura and Euna. There are also videos and photos of vigils in South Korea, San Fransisco and elsewhere in the United States.

Here is as public service announcement from Pacific Rim Video and Kelly Hu:

As the public and various organizations promoting free press are coming together to call for Laura and Euna's release, some are now questioning the reactions of United States State Department and former U.S. vice president Al Gore (the founder and chairman of Current TV, which employed Euna and Laura) to the situation.

At Asia Times, Donald Kirk says:

“The North Koreans also get offended every time a top-level American visitor visits the region, and one immediate complication of the trial is that it coincides with a trip to South Korea, China and Japan of a US delegation led by Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg.

Steinberg has not talked publicly about the two women but has made clear in meetings with South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak and other top officials that the US is not willing to negotiate their fate. Could he have had their case in mind when he assured Lee that the US would not offer more aid for North Korea. “

He then proceeds to speculate about Al Gore's involvement in negotiations:

“How about giving them up to a high-level American delegation? Gore comes to mind as the man for the job in view of his control over the network for which the two women were working.

Gore has been strangely silent throughout, all the more reason to think he's waiting to give face to the North Koreans and rescue the two women - a happy ending that may be too much to hope for.”

Gore would be perfect for the mission. His presence would acknowledge North Korea's need for recognition as a member of the global nuclear club but would not constitute official US recognition of anything.

Not everyone is taking Gore's silence so lightly. John in Condition Yellow takes Gore's lack of involvement less lightly, saying:

I don't expect Mr. Global Warming to just drop what he's doing and go sailing off to north Korea to negotiate the release of two people who work for him. The Nobel Peace Prize winner is far too busy saving the planet. Right? But how long would it take for him to issue a simple statement like, “Hey, Kim Jomg Il! Let my people go, or we will take your carbon credits away.”

But seriously, am I the only one who thinks that even a simple public statement from Mr. Pulitzer, condemning the trial, would at least be the decent thing to do for people who work for him?

Hmmm. Okay, maybe Bill Richardson would be more effective.

But one thing is for certain, as Jo points out in the blog Jo's Department - everyone is wishing for the journalists' safe return:

I hope that they do not endure Pyongyang’s horrific (as described by escapees) prison system and that two journalists could safely return and be reunited to their families soon.

Chinese people's reaction to North Korea missile test

Winglok Hung — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:21:49 +0000

While the international society is working hard to maintain the security and peace on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea has conducted the second nuclear test on 25 May and launched several missile tests the following days. As the Chinese government has been in good relation with North Korea, it would be interesting to see the mainland Chinese people's opinions on the recent North Korea’s military provocation.

Yide, a mainland blogger predicted that China would not show a strong military alliance with North Korea as it did during the Korean war. He listed out three reasons as below:

1）與美國再度軍事對抗不符合大陸的核心利益，大陸早就步入了以經濟建設為中心的軌道，實行的是市場經濟，並實現著與世界經濟之融合。大陸的經濟已與美國的經濟密不可分，兩相依賴；其政治權威之的合法性很大程度上依賴于持續繁榮，而繁榮能否保持則在於能否進入美國市場。

1. Military confrontation with the United States is against Chinese national interests. China has entered into the track of economic centric development and integrated with the global market economy. Economic relation between the US and China is mutually dependent and inseparable; The political legitimacy of the state has been heavily depending on the sustainable prosperity and such prosperity was relied on China's success in entering the U.S market.

2）自中韓建交之後，北韓便認為中國背離了傳統的社會主義軌道，兩國在意識形態領域出現著巨大分歧，諸多大陸資深評論家已對北韓持嚴厲批評的態度。如張璉瑰說：“相對於穩定而言，我更關心的是朝鮮半島的無核化。我們的鄰國進行核子試驗不符合中國的利益。”、張玉山則說：“北韓已成為中國的一大問題。它已成為世界上一個危險的角色。”

2. After the establishment of formal bilateral diplomatic link between South Korea and China, the North Korean government believed that China has been departed from the traditional socialist track. There is a huge difference between the two nations’ ideology and critics from mainland China have made some very harsh criticism on North Korea diplomacy. As Zhang Liangui argued, “Apart from stability issue, I have greater concern over North Korean peninsula's denuclearization. Nuclear test in our neighboring country is definitely in conflict with our national interest”. Zhang Yushan added, “North Korea has become one of the biggest problems for China and it plays a dangerous role in the world.”

3）中韓兩國高層領導多次互訪，並在國際多邊活動中會晤，增進了相互理解和信任，推動了兩國關係的發展。…相比之下，大陸與北韓2008年經濟貿易額僅20多億美元，不足中韓數字的半個零頭。

金正日政權抱著“會哭多鬧得奶吃”的邏輯行事，不顧大陸之感受，逼奧巴馬讓步，這次大約再也不靈。如今的現實是：朝核問題已經成為中國身邊的火藥桶。

3. There have been several senior bilateral and multilateral meetings between China and South Korea to consolidate the mutual understanding and trust. These meetings helped to promote the relation between two countries…..On the contrary, the total amount of foreign trade between China and North Korea is only USD 2 billion, much less than Sino-South Korean trade.

Kim Jong Il is indeed following the logic of “crying over spilled milk” to push the Obama’s administration for more concession regardless of Chinese government's standpoint. However, this tactic can no longer work. Now the fact is: the Korean nuclear problem has become the barrel of gunpowder next to China.

Another Chinese blogger in Shangdong was outraged by North Korea's nuclear test. As she shared in her blog,

正当国际社会最近一在努力争取恢复朝核六方会谈的时候，朝鲜忽然反其道而行之，于5月25 日再次进行地下核试验。到这则新闻时，我真的无语了。无赖！当前的朝鲜局势看上去是稳定的，但朝鲜拥有了核武装之后，其局势或稳定或动荡，最大的承受方就是中国。当然，朝鲜之所以发展核武器，公开目标是指向美国，日本和韩国，但在客观上，她是中国周边地区的新隐患

While the international society has been trying hard to resume the six parties talk, North Korea suddenly moved into the opposite direction and launched the underground nuclear test on 25 May. I was stunned when I read the news. It is a complete rotter! The situation in Korea peninsular has been quite stable in the past few decades. However, once the North Korean owned the nuclear weapons, the regional stability has been upset and China has to bare the consequence. No doubt, the evident target for the development of North Korea nuclear weapons was the United States, Japan and South Korea. But given its geographical position, it is also a potential threat to China.

On the Qiangguo forum, an official website which is run by China’s state owned The People’s Daily, netizens spelled out their anger over the nuclear test in the comment section:

Fengfeng diandian sen wrote,

朝鲜是唯一依靠别国的经济援助试验核武器的国家。也是是唯一在人员密集区进行核爆炸的国家。中国试验地点在新疆罗布泊无人区，而法国是在国外的一个荒岛，由于造成附近土著人患有原子病，要求赔偿的呼声一直缠绕法国政府。而朝鲜试验地点竟在中朝边境地区….

North Korea is the only country which relies on other countries’ economic assistance to develop their nuclear weapons. It is also the only country which launched the test in the densely populated areas. China tested its nuclear in desolated region in Xinjiang and France did the same in a no man island. With all the precaution taken, the French nuclear pollution had affected nearby indigenous groups and the French government has been entangled in indemnification claims and protests. This time, North Korea tested the weapons along the borders of China and North Korea

这种以邻为壑的行为实在令人失望！要知道中国几乎是朝新在世界上仅存的朋友，每年向它无偿提供了大量的石油、粮食。只是靠中国不断的输血朝鲜才能勉强维持至今。但是朝鲜未别国宝贵的援助用于民生，却直接威胁援助国的安全。

Turning its neighbor's land into a battle field is a shameful act. China is the very few friends of North Korea in the international platform and aids it with large amount of oils and food each year. North Korea can only sustain its life with China’s assistance. But now the North Korean government is using other countries civilian assistance to threaten the donor’s security.

Another comment said,

朝鲜核动作，其出发点是要美国的承认，其宿命是核绑架中国

The political gesture of North Korea was to gain American recognition. However, in order to do that, its politics has kidnapped China in term of our national security.

South Korea: Roh Moo-Hyun, 1946-2009

Oiwan Lam — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 07:03:13 +0000

Ask a Korean! wrote a very informative article on former president Roh Moo-Hyun (1946-2009), his life and contribution in Korea history.

Japan and Korea: Nuclear test and missiles

Oiwan Lam — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:32:50 +0000

Are you surprised that North Korea conducted another nuclear test? And fired more short-range missiles into the Sea of Japan? Ampontan made a list of surprises to comment on the new round of North Korea nuclear and missile test.

South Korea: Remembering Roh Moo-hyun

Oiwan Lam — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:10:36 +0000

Cynthia Yoo from Ohmynews International translated a Korean photo essay depicting how Korean people mourn for Roh Moo-hyun.

South Korea: Lee Myung-bak's Political Revenge Killed Roh Moo-hyun

Oiwan Lam — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:27:40 +0000

Oh Yeon-ho from Ohmynews International pointed out that the present president Lee Myung-bak's political revenge has leaded to Roh Moo-hyun's death.

Taiwan: Comparisons of Chen and Roh

David Reid — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:19:39 +0000

Former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyung tragically commited suicide over the weekend. Some have made comparisons between Roh and former Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian who is currently in detention on charges of corruption. The Far-Eastern Sweet Potato asks if both men were subject to character assassination by the judiciary and media.

China: Korea Former President’s Suicide, Chinese Reactions

Oiwan Lam — Mon, 25 May 2009 04:10:55 +0000

Fauna from ChinaSMACK translated Chinese netizens' reactions on the news of Korea former president's Roh Moo Hyun's sudden death.