497. North Korea, cont.

(PYONGYANG, North Korea) — North Korea was poised Thursday to send a rocket into space as the nation's young leader ascended to new top political posts strengthening his hold on power. There was no word early Thursday morning on the timing of the launch, which the North has said will take place sometime between Thursday and Monday. The launch, which the North says is for peaceful purposes, has raised international concern. more: http://alturl.com/nbnop

441. Happy New Year, 2012

(tags: Holiday, Political Series, North Korea, New Year, Baby, Kim Jong-un, DPRK, Nuclear, War, NK Flag, Peace, Peace on Earth, 2012, Tank)

440. Kim Jong Un: The Great Successor

Kim Jong-un (Korean: 김정은, IPA: [ɡim dʑʌŋ ɯn]), also known as Kim Jong-eun or Kim Jung-eun, formerly Kim Jong-woon or Kim Jung-woon (born January 8, 1983 or 1984), is the third and youngest son of deceased North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and his consort Ko Young-hee. Since late 2010, Kim Jong-un has been viewed as heir apparent to the leadership of the nation, and following the announcement of his father's death, he was announced as the "Great Successor" by North Korean state television. (read more http://alturl.com/o23mg)

358. Whoville: Kim Jong il - iz da grinch

Whoville, the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the Koreas — The United States and South Korea prepared for war games as South Koreans demanded vengeance over a deadly North Korean artillery bombardment that has raised fears of more clashes between the bitter rivals. (read more: http://alturl.com/gqd43)

(tags: Political Series, North Korea, South Korea, Grinch, The Grinch, Holiday, Christmas, Flag, whoville, Korea, DMZ, Demilitarized Zone, Dear Learder, Kim Jong il, War)

300. Korea Sunshine Policy Implodes

SEOUL -- North Korea announced (on 25 May, 2010) that it is severing all relations with South Korea, heightening the risk of armed conflict and creating perhaps the most serious crisis on the Korean Peninsula in more than two decades.

The announcement, which followed the South's imposition of sanctions on the Pyongyang government for apparently sinking one of its warships, all but crushed the last remaining elements of the North-South "sunshine policy" that emerged in 2000, after the first-ever summit between the two Koreas. That meeting opened trade links between the two countries, enabled the South to send food aid to the North and for several years helped prop up the North's weak economy.  (read more: http://alturl.com/msqr)

(The term sunshine policy originates in The North Wind and the Sun, one of Aesop's fables, wherein the sun and the wind compete to remove a man's coat.)