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okaawhatever

(9,462 posts) Fri Dec 5, 2014, 04:45 PM Dec 2014

North Korea executes 80 people 'for watching foreign films'

Eighty people have been executed by firing squad in North Korea for watching foreign films, according to a newspaper report.
South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported that the co-ordinated public executions took place in seven separate cities earlier this month. In one case, the local authorities rounded up 10,000 people, including children, and forced them to watch, it reported.

Those put to death were found guilty by the state of minor misdemeanours, including watching videos of South Korean television programs or possessing a Bible.

SNIP

Relatives and friends of the victims were reportedly sent to prison camps, a tactic that North Korea frequently uses to dissuade anyone from breaking the law.

''Reports on public executions across the country would be certain to have a chilling effect on the rest of the people,'' Daniel Pinkston, a North Korea analyst with the International Crisis Group in Seoul, said.

Continued at Link:
http://www.smh.com.au/world/north-korea-executes-80-people-for-watching-foreign-films-20131112-2xee3.html

17 replies

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North Korea executes 80 people 'for watching foreign films' (Original Post) okaawhatever Dec 2014 OP

And the source of this weird information is a newspaper in its sworn mortal enemy nation? Hmmm... Fred Sanders Dec 2014 #1

Kim Jong-un, like Fidel Castro, eats babies. Mika Dec 2014 #2

So Amnesty International are right-wing liars? True Blue Door Dec 2014 #8

Knee jerk much? Mika Dec 2014 #9

I'm glad you find the nightmares of millions of people entertaining. True Blue Door Dec 2014 #11

Now there's a fine example of the pot calling the snowdrift black. Donald Ian Rankin Dec 2014 #15

There are many here who defend, even champion Putin, Venezuela and other socialist and former okaawhatever Dec 2014 #12

Fidel has gotten a little to old to eat babies...but Kim on the other hand.. EX500rider Dec 2014 #14

Hannah? Is that you? nt Dreamer Tatum Dec 2014 #3

That name rings a Bell Brother Buzz Dec 2014 #13

The article hints that this may be in response to a coup attempt from last November. They cite a okaawhatever Dec 2014 #4

A slight difference from mass executions for watching a movie. Fred Sanders Dec 2014 #5

The people were charged with misdemeanors. Whether they participated in or supported the coup is okaawhatever Dec 2014 #6

If I'd been born in North Korea I like to think I'd be one to walk away, even to near-certain death. hunter Dec 2014 #7

Whether absolutely true in terms of numbers or not hifiguy Dec 2014 #10

This report is over a year old jmowreader Dec 2014 #16

I bet their execution involved packs of hungry dogs. n/t cherokeeprogressive Dec 2014 #17

Fred Sanders

(23,946 posts)

1. And the source of this weird information is a newspaper in its sworn mortal enemy nation? Hmmm...

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 04:49 PM

Dec 2014

Big grains of salt with this, large accusations require large evidence.

Mika

(17,751 posts)

2. Kim Jong-un, like Fidel Castro, eats babies.

Reply to Fred Sanders (Reply #1)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 04:53 PM

Dec 2014

So they say.

True Blue Door

(2,969 posts)

8. So Amnesty International are right-wing liars?

Reply to Mika (Reply #2)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 05:20 PM

Dec 2014

Who the fuck is this flood of posters defending brutal dictators?

In another thread I had to wipe the shit off my shoe of some asshole saying Castro's Cuba is a free democracy.

Mika

(17,751 posts)

9. Knee jerk much?

Reply to True Blue Door (Reply #8)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 05:29 PM

Dec 2014

True Blue Door

(2,969 posts)

11. I'm glad you find the nightmares of millions of people entertaining.

Reply to Mika (Reply #9)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 05:32 PM

Dec 2014

Donald Ian Rankin

(13,598 posts)

15. Now there's a fine example of the pot calling the snowdrift black.

Reply to Mika (Reply #9)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 07:13 PM

Dec 2014

You leap into a kneejerk defence of arguably the most brutal dictatorship in the world without a single shred of evidence - not even attempting to rebut, just to deflect and misdirect - and then you have the gall to accuse someone who calls you on it for kneejerking?

For shame.

Yes, occasionally false accusations get made and believed. But, equally, a lot of true ones get made and disregarded, or never come to light.

okaawhatever

(9,462 posts)

12. There are many here who defend, even champion Putin, Venezuela and other socialist and former

Reply to True Blue Door (Reply #8)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 05:43 PM

Dec 2014

communist countries. I too find it completely incomprehensible.

EX500rider

(10,849 posts)

14. Fidel has gotten a little to old to eat babies...but Kim on the other hand..

Reply to Mika (Reply #2)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 05:53 PM

Dec 2014

American and South Korean analysts are getting a more detailed picture of Kim Jong Un, who came out of nowhere to become the leader up there in 2012. The picture is not good. Kim Jong Un is more ruthless and unpredictable than his father. This is not surprising as he is younger than his father when he took power and his father had a lot more preparation. Kim Jong Un is quick to punish (via labor camp or execution) and for the least infraction (aides using his ashtray or elevator). In this respect he is similar to his grandfather, the founder of the Kim dynasty and a big admirer of infamously murderous and paranoid Russian dictator Josef Stalin. The big fear is that Kim Jon Un might be paranoid and unstable enough to start another war.

In France it was revealed that a North Korean college student in Paris, with ties to “enemies” of Kim Jong Un, escaped an attempt to kidnap him and put him on a plane to North Korea. The incident took place at a Paris airport in early November and the victim is now in hiding. The victim is one of ten North Korean students who came to France in 2012 under an exchange program. France is one of the few European countries to do this sort of thing with North Korea. But the victim is the son of an aide to the disgraced uncle of Kim Jong Un. Late last year all the blood relatives of Jang Sung Taek, the uncle of supreme leader Kim Jong Un, were killed. Jang was denounced in early December and executed on December 12th. After Jang was executed the secret police rounded up Jang’s siblings along with their children and grandchildren and killed them all. Some who resisted orders to leave their homes and accompany the secret police were shot on the spot, in front of witnesses. Those who had married into the family were spared and sent to live with their families. Such mass murder is an ancient custom and was once found all over the world. It persisted longest in East Asia, where has been less frequently used in the last century or so. The purpose was to prevent family members later seeking revenge for the execution of their kinsman. In addition to the family members, the secret police also went after key aides of Jang and sent them to labor camps. Apparently the secret police, or Kim Jong Un himself, decided that the son of an aide, studying in Paris, was a potential threat who must be returned to North Korea for punishment. It is not unusual for dictators to go after real (or imagined) individuals abroad who are deemed to pose a threat. The Soviets did this during the Cold War and Iran has carried out similar operations. North Korea has long sought to assassinate defectors in South Korea and elsewhere but has never been as active in this area as under Kim Jong Un

http://strategypage.com/qnd/korea/articles/20141126.aspx

Dreamer Tatum

(10,926 posts)

3. Hannah? Is that you? nt

Reply to Fred Sanders (Reply #1)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 04:53 PM

Dec 2014

Brother Buzz

(36,445 posts)

13. That name rings a Bell

Reply to Dreamer Tatum (Reply #3)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 05:47 PM

Dec 2014

okaawhatever

(9,462 posts)

4. The article hints that this may be in response to a coup attempt from last November. They cite a

Reply to Fred Sanders (Reply #1)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 04:56 PM

Dec 2014

RAND report a well as intel from So. Korea.

In a new report, the Rand Corporation think-tank claims that Mr Kim survived an assassination attempt and that his personal security has since been stepped up dramatically. The report concurs with South Korean intelligence sources that stated in March that a faction within the North Korean army had been involved in an attempt on Mr Kim's life in November last year.

It was also published in the London Telegraph.

Fred Sanders

(23,946 posts)

5. A slight difference from mass executions for watching a movie.

Reply to okaawhatever (Reply #4)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 04:58 PM

Dec 2014

okaawhatever

(9,462 posts)

6. The people were charged with misdemeanors. Whether they participated in or supported the coup is

Reply to Fred Sanders (Reply #5)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 05:04 PM

Dec 2014

unknown. Some believe it could be Kim Jong Un sending a chilling message to his citizens about who is in control. That is a typical N Korea move, ditto sending their families to camps.

hunter

(38,318 posts)

7. If I'd been born in North Korea I like to think I'd be one to walk away, even to near-certain death.

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 05:16 PM

Dec 2014

But I'd probably be among the invisible people, merely surviving, day by day, waiting for a safer opportunity.

Half my ancestors overtly fled to the Americas anticipating some very bad shit, sometimes just ahead of wars, famine, plagues, and executioners. The others quietly endured until they could slip away in times of confusion.

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)

10. Whether absolutely true in terms of numbers or not

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Fri Dec 5, 2014, 05:31 PM

Dec 2014

the North Koreans are brutal, barbarous motherfuckers, that much is certain.

jmowreader

(50,560 posts)

16. This report is over a year old

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Sat Dec 6, 2014, 06:22 PM

Dec 2014

It's dated November 2013.

Either they quit executing so many people since then, or (more likely) they got better at controlling the flow of information out of the Hermit Kingdom.

cherokeeprogressive

(24,853 posts)

17. I bet their execution involved packs of hungry dogs. n/t

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Sat Dec 6, 2014, 07:07 PM

Dec 2014

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