Hwang Jang Yop kicks ASS

Here's the link. Choice juiciness:

WASHINGTON—Hwang Jang Yop, the highest-ranking North Korean official to defect to South Korea, met members of the US Congress on Thursday and warned against putting too much faith in the promises of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

“I don’t think that any promise made by Kim Jong Il is of any significance,” Hwang told reporters when asked whether Pyongyang would be prepared to give up its nuclear weapons programs in exchange for US security guarantees.

(Lisez le reste.)

Fuckin' A. Agreements? No agreements. Just up the pressure, pretend to make efforts at diplomacy, stay stupid-looking and unpredictable, and worry this goddamn regime to an early grave. It's either that or go balls-out and attack, an alternative I don't favor (when I'm rational).

In the meantime, I agree with others' suggestions about stating clearly that we will hold NK exclusively responsible for any terrorist attack against US interests or on US soil that involves (or even MAY involve) NK-made technology, up to and including nuclear weapons. Hold their whole fucking country hostage. But get agreement to this from other East Asian powers. I suspect Japan would approve. South Korea would have a cow, but if the "SK is becoming a Second France" meme holds water, then I think we can safely ignore their irrelevant petulance. If SK wants to see itself as helpless, perhaps we should oblige. Before we finally whisk our troops off the peninsula, of course.

If it sounds like I'm moving away from my position in July re: including/privileging SK in NK/SK matters, it's mainly thanks to increased awareness of current events courtesy the other Koreabloggers. Sympathy is seeping away fast. SK desperately needs to have its training wheels removed.
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