Cuban American Television Presenter Maria Elvira Salazar presented a special segment dedicated to North Korea on her Prime TV Programme, ME Live transmitted on Mega TV. I have decided to produce this exclusive for the general public.

In the Summer of 2006, North Korea tested its missiles although it did not hit the West Coast of the USA as some people feared. Recently, North Korea announced that they will «fine tune» their missiles with another test. This has left the world scared once again because of this never ending scene of «I will test, I tested» followed by response of fear and shock from the world and then concessions until the next round of blackmail.

I will explain what each country wants:

North Korea since the end of the Cold War has been isolated, more so since Japan and USA have been going after their businesses in Tokyo and other areas of the world. North Korea’s Kim Jong Il wants to maintain North Korea as it is. He is afraid that his regime will fall. Kim Jong Il [in his speeches broadcast on the Voice of Korea] has talked about a Jonestown Type Massacre [Guyana 1978] if his regime falls.

Kim Jong Il has also asked for direct talks with the USA instead of the Six Party Talks offered by China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea. According to the Christian Newspaper «Voice of Martyrs» he has increased the persecutions of Christians and «other undesirables».

North Korea has also courted other businesses such as Fiat [which built a car factory in North Korea] and a British Law Firm into opening up shop in Pyongyang. For Visiting Dignitaries, North Korea even opened a Catholic Church, Protestant Church, and Orthodox Church although Foreign Dignitaries have compared the chorus of each church and they are the same chorus taken from a list of professional singers.

Every day starts in North Korea with the sound of a large whistle at 7:00AM [Wake Up], 12:00PM [Lunch or Break], and 7:00PM [Sleep]. It is a grueling experience especially having to bow down to photos and statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at every turn. Pyongyang at night has a limited night life with the lights going out at 8:00PM [it reminds me of Akron Ohio in the 1970’s].

There has been North Koreans escaping to South Korea via China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. There have been episodes of North Koreans escaping from North Korea and trying to find refuge in South Korean Embassies or in Foreign Schools in Beijing hoping to be transferred to South Korea.

   

South Korea is afraid of the North Korean Nuclear Tests and does not want to be seen provoking North Korea into a Korean War which can be fought with Nuclear Weapons. South Korea is also afraid that the fall of the Communist Regime in North Korea could produce an influx of North Koreans streaming across the Demilitarization Zone into South Korea.South Korea had a Sunshine Policy of Dialog with North Korea hoping for a gradual fall [and that when that gradual fall was to occur] North Korea would be at par with South Korea. Yet there are a growing number of South Koreans who are losing patience with this Sunshine Policy because of Kim Jong Il’s Temper Tantrums. Many South Koreans with the economic means to do so have left for Europe, Australia, and North America.

China has been an ally of North Korea since 1949. North Korea and China at that time signed a Friendship Treaty which allows both countries to come to the aid of each other. The Treaty also allowed China to intervene in North Korea in case the Pyongyang Regime were to fall. China does return any North Korean Refugees it receives to North Korea [another clause in the Friendship Treaty]. China does not want to exert too much pressure because it is also afraid of a collapse of the Communist Regime in North Korea. China is concerned that the Communist Regime Collapse in North Korea could lead to anarchy in North Korea or a reunification with US Troops stationed on the border between Korea and China. China is also concerned about the number of North Koreans who would flee to China in case of such a collapse. Their position has been one of teaching North Korea the basics of Special Economic Zones and Special Autonomous Regions [like the ones being constructed in North Korea along the border with Russia].

Japan is angry at North Korea over the kidnapping of Japanese National by North Korean Spies in Japanese Beaches in the 1970s. Japan is also angry at North Korea because of North Korean Missiles flying over Japanese Territory. Japan has closed almost all of the businesses operated by the North Korean Regime. It has also closed businesses where North Koreans in Japan [or regime supporters] could send money to North Korea [all of this according to NHK World/Radio Japan].

Russia was another supporter of North Korea during the Cold War. [It could be said that North Korea and Vietnam were the few communist countries under the influence of Russia [USSR] and China. North Korea was also a meeting place for any gradual rapprochement between Russia and China].

    

Russia has warned Kim Jong Il many times on the issue of Nuclear Weapons. [Kim Jong Il once visited Russia using the Train Service from Pyongyang to Moscow since Kim Jong Il is not keen on airplanes]. Russia [like China and South Korea] are worried that a collapse of the Communist Regime in North Korea could lead to anarchy, presence of US Troops on the Russia/Korea Border, and an influx of refugees into Russia.USA [Republican/Democratic Elite] had an opportunity to resolve the North Korean Issue with the Korean War and lost it.

Many People served in the Korea Theater only to see their goals plastered by the Republican/Democratic/Communist Elite of the Cold War. Now this Republican/Democratic Elite wants North Korea to participate in Six Party Talks instead of talking directly with Pyongyang. The Republicans/Democratic Governing Elite of USA wanted a six party talk instead of direct talks with Pyongyang taking into accounts problems at home [such as support for Castro/Chavez by Washington, the Foley Sex Scandal, and more skeletons coming out of the cesspool and toilet that has become Washington]. The Republicans and Democrats cannot solve a problem that they created partly because of restraint, and corruption.

So they send the problem to China, Russia, Japan, and South Korea in the same way Pontius Pilate washed his hands of Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion.North Korea has been facing even tougher sanctions from Australia, Japan, and the USA including the selling of Luxury Goods to North Korea.

Regardless, Kim Jong Il has some cards in his hands. There is a British Law Firm called Hay, Kalb, and Associates in Pyongyang [haykalb.com] which deals with Investments in North Korea. Kim Jong Il is also selling his products of CDs, DVDs, Stamps, Coins of North Korea in his website which accepts VISA, Master Card, and Pay Pal. There is also the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang who has been cooperating with Kim Jong Il. Wanshida Trading Company in Dandong China has connections in North Korea.

Kim Jong Il also has a bank account in Macau which was frozen by the USA until it abandoned its nuclear activity. Although it has been rumoured that Kim Jong Il is looking elsewhere.

Attempts to contact Hay,Kalb Associates, the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang, and the Wanshida Trading Company have been unsuccessful.

       

While Kim Jong Il has not talked about a successor, it will either be a member of his family with China pulling the levers. Here are possible scenarios.

Kim Jong Nam: While Kim Jong Nam is out of favour with Kim Jong Il, he has the support of China. Kim Jong Nam was once arrested in Japan and deported for using a false passport from the Dominican Republic. Kim Jong Nam stated that he wanted to visit “Tokyo Disneyland”. Kim Jong Nam sent him to exile in the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Macao. There is a possibility with the death of Kim Jong Il [assuming that the North Korean Regime does not collapse], that China may suggest Kim Jong Nam as a replacement for Kim Jong Il.

Maybe Kim Jong Il may have as a successor his son Kim Jong Chul. It must be remembered that Kim Jong Il once said the following about Kim Jong Chul: «He is no good because he is like a little girl.». It would be interesting if a power struggle between the two Kims were to ensue.

Regardless, do not look for democracy or political openings even though both have seen the world [with one of the Kims sent to a Boarding School in Switzerland].

North Korea is condemned to a dynastic government unless something extraordinary happens. Remember that North Korea is fed a daily ration from two hours of Television and Radio with receptors manufactured, sealed, and registered in government owned factories. [There have been reports of people smuggling VCRs and Video cassettes as China replaces them with DVDs but even then it is out of reach from ordinary North Koreans].

I finish this essay with a film from a North Korean Television Program. I will give the official version then I will give my version.North Korean TV: [Female Singer interpreting pop style music in G Major]»When Kim Jong Il was born, the Mountains Parted, The Clouds opened and he came down from Heaven. When he shouts, storms happen…..» and there is Kim Jong Il riding a horse like a cowboy.Alvarez-Galloso: «When Kim Jong Il was born, the mountains farted, the clouds opened and he was spit out of heaven. When he shouts, farts and burps always happening» Film finishes with Kim Jong Il burping, farting, and riding a horse that defecates continuously.Another one is that every time Bush or Clinton farts, they look for Weapons of Mass Destruction.