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China Central TV takes a look at NK from the Yalu River - (The Border)
by fulltimestudent 5 Replies latest social current
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fulltimestudent
Sorry, I've stuffed up, and I can't seem to edit it:
Let's try this link:
http://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20130414/102632.shtml
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fulltimestudent
OK, that works, but I still can't edit - so I'll post separately.
And Yeah! (grin) the date of the post is 14-94-2013, though the film could have been taken at any point in the past
Not much evidence of military activity - but then this is the border with China, not the border with SK.
Also, I would not think that lower level north Koreans would live along the river bank (in sight of China). Why? - Because its a sensitive area, and I believe that only those who are trusted by the regime would live there. China is in clear sight, and the increasing prosperity in China must be obvious, perhaps raising questions in the minds of close residents.
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dropoffyourkeylee
Interesting, thanks for posting.
A couple of things stike me as informative.
You mean China doesn't know any more than we do on what North Korea is up to? That's scary.
It looks desolate and cold. very uninviting. I don't know much about the climate there, but the place looks depressing.
They have a standing army of 1 million and a reserve of 7 million? Isn't that just about anyone who can walk? If that is so, that is part of the problem, they have spent so much money on their military that they don't have enough fook and basic necessities.
Their propaganda and social control must be something out of Stalin's playbook. I'd like to know how they do it, and compare their rhetoric to the WT society. I'd think you would be surprised by the similarities
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fulltimestudent
Good points, dropoff - I did not mean that China doesn't know what's happening in NK. I commented that I did not think that even China Central TV,
could just hire a boat from the Chinese side of the Yalu River border and go for a trip along the river, without some kind of official permission. In other words,
the TV segment was a kind of what we would call a 'beat-up,' entirely forgivable in the circumstances as most of what we see on western TV about NK is also a 'beat-up,'
if only because there is so little information about NK.
(eg, that there are huge numbers of north Koreans in Gulag-type camps. No-one knows the true number, but based on aerial views of what are presumed to be prison camps,the best estimates seem to be
around the 200,000 level, and that must include convicted criminals. Life in the camps is considered to be scary, but some of that is caused by working conditions and poor diet.)
At the higher level, the Chinese will have a good idea of what is going on at present in NK. I'd be very surprised if they do not. Also, the Chinese of Korean descent along the border will have some idea. I posted the link simply
because it gave an idea of what you could may be able to see, if you bought some good field-glasses and took a trip to China's dong-bei (north-east) area.
If the story was a sort of beat-up, why would China Central TV, run the story? Simply (IMHO) to keep things calm. There are some 3,000,00 Chinese citizens of Korean ethnicity in Chinese cities along the border, plus other Chinese ethnicities.
I don't know the total population of that part of China, but it could easily be around 50,000,000. Imagine what may happen, if in the present 'poker' game, someone miscalculates and a rumour arises that the USA will bomb NK. A lot of people will want to move
away from the border. (The story of what happened to neighbouring Laos during the US-Vietnam war is well-known in China), and with millions clogging rail and road there could be chaos. I could be wrong, but I think that's the point of the way the story
was presented. I do not believe that there is a real threat to Chinese people at present. If action comes, it will be on the South Korean border. And the CCTV story just made the point that life in NK at the moment is not showing evidence of mounting danger.
Onto your point about the climate. It is harsh, and spring comes later in most of that area, hence the brownness of the landscape. The industrial buildings are 'rust-belt' style, likely built with Soviet assistance in the reconstruction following
the Korean war. At which point by the way, all the scholars discussing that time, seem to agree, that NK re-built faster than the South. But that was the high-point, and since there is no private business activity, it all stays the same.
What you see is what China looked like 30+ years ago, and if NK followed the advice the Chinese are giving them, NK could look like modern China, and if you don't know what modern China is like - go to Youtube, and type in the name of
of any large Chinese city, like Beijing, Chongqing, Suzhou, Guangzhou, etc, and see how prosperity has changed them. You could also type in Detroit (grin) and see something like NK.
And you are likely correct about the cost of maintaining the Army, draining all the resources of the state. The huge reserves comes simply from every citizen in good standing being a compulsory reservist. The factories turn out tanks instead of cars - hence no traffic
on the streets and roads.
You are also correct, (IMO) that NK is so similar to the Watchtower organisation. And it goes beyond the rhetoric of being permanently 'on guard' against the groups enemies. Until recently, life in NK, was a bit like life in the first weeks of the Christian
church (after Pentecost). It was described as - having all things in common, and life's needs being doled out - just like life in Bethel. Food and accommodation were supplied (doled out) by the state (church).
If you want to know how they operate, just start exploring. The internet is an excellent resource, but since anyone can say anything (nearly) you have to sort through the chaff to find the wheat. You'll likely come to agree that the truth is
(as always) in the middle. It's worse than the NK authorities claim, but better than what the western media says. If you have some money to travel, take a trip there (when the current situation settles down) A couple of companies run tours.
I'll post about one of those companies next
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fulltimestudent
I made a new thread for the tours.
I've worked out what's wrong withy the formatting here- It's the first post, i think
Anyway, can't fix it now, too late.