But no movie, only talk.. Show us the movie, or it didn't happen :-)
Does anyone who's more proficient in Korean language find any mention of the to-be-launched "satellite"? I'd assume that this would be huge in the DPRK news.
Orascom Telecom Holding has rolled out 3G in Pyongyang. Orascom is located in Egypt, and is a direct competitor to Vodafone Egypt. Orascom also has arranged a deal to rollout a network in Iraq. The Party states that this will enforce the friendly relationship between DPRK and Egypt.
Interestingly, Vodafone seems to be interested in buying Mobilink, which is a Pakistani Opco, owned by Orascom.
Geez, it's all spaghetti.
Ever since I visited Pyong-yang in 2001 I am following the news
about this intruiging country. I've bought books, bookmarked websites and keep
taps on everything north korea.
"The
aquariums of Pyongyang" is a book by Chol-Hwan Kan and Pierre Rigoulot and
tells the story of living inside a north korea prison camp. It's a terrifying
view on subjects you never read about in the mainstream news.
Today I
came across and article in the washington
post about another escapee "Shin Dong-hyuk" who is currently living in South
Korea. He also wrote a book "Escape to the Outside World" which I'm certainly
going to buy. His mother was killed before his own eyes because she tried to
plan an escape from Camp No. 14. Before the execution he was tortured with fire
to make him confess that he was in that conspiracy to escape as
well.
However, he finally escaped and got into china and finally was able
to tell his story.
That is something I never understand about these
stories. The escapes always seem so easy, so simple, it makes me wonder why
there aren't much more escapees and maybe even if the stories told are even
true. For instance:
"When they were collecting wood in a mountainous corner
of the camp on Jan. 2, 2005, the two ran to an electrified barbed-wire fence.
His friend got hung up and died in the fence; Shin stepped on his body and
managed to get through."
Ok, so his friend got fried on the wire.. But he
should still be under high voltage power.. Except if the wires shorted out and
power was lost. How else could he walk over him without being electrocuted
himself?
Anyway, I see no reason to not believe Shin's story, he has
enough scars to show his history. But maybe, _maybe_ there's a force within DPRK
that secretly works against the leadership and helps people escape to tell
stories and thus bringing more discredit to the North Korean government, hoping
that eventually it will collapse or be forced to step down.. The escapes just
seem to stupid to not be directed somehow... Or maybe it's just plain luck and
that's why there are just a few..