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© Thomson Reuters 2022.N Korea deploys national medical teams to battle intestinal epidemic
By Josh Smith SEOUL©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
13 Comments
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Nemo
Um, I’m sorry but I do not believe anyone is required to engage in trade with anyone by law.
We have a choice of whom we deal with and we choose not to deal with a regime that plans to use weapons of mass destruction (in addition to nukes, the North has advanced chemical weapons and a biological weapons program.)
As for prohibition on trade by third parties, the sanctions were authorized by the UN because the North has broken the agreed upon rules of international behavior time and time again. The North developed nuclear weapons in violation of the NPT, to which it was a party. It developed a uranium enrichment program in violation of the 94 accords. It violates UN resolutions (to which it is a member state and bound to obey) on ballistic missile testing. These are the facts and they are not in doubt
The North could get the sanctions lifted at any time by returning to the nonproliferation treaty and opening to IAEA inspection and monitoring (as S. Africa did in the past) BUT IT CHOOSES NOT TO.
This isn’t Western imperialism. It’s Kim’s sociopathy. He is ultimately responsible for the welfare of his people. He would prefer to let his own people die before he behaves like a responsible actor.
OssanAmerica
So when are they going to start firing missiles at this intestinal epidemic? I really can't think of anything else they're good at doing.
virusrex
Both diseases common causes for epidemics in places with deficient sanitation or humanitarian crisis, both applying to North Korea. Without strong support from the government this can have tragic consequences very quickly and even spread outside of the country.
Laguna
Funny thing about that, William. The northern part of the peninsula, being far more rich in minerals and coal than the south, was long its economic center, up to and through its colonialization by Japan. Its economic and population superiority over the south is what allowed it to mow through the peninsula to Pusan like a hot knife through butter until the US made it a priority.
Times have certainly changed. Causes exist for this.
Nemo
This is most likely a function of malnutrition, a nonexistent public health system and a public works system that cannot provide clean parasite-free water.
Of course the North has more than enough hard currency to purchase any food deficits on the open market, fund its public health system and rebuild its public works. It chooses not to. Instead, it funds missiles and nuclear weapons.
So, no help for Kim. And I know that the poor souls unfortunate enough to be born there don’t have a choice in their leadership and are pawns, but first things first: stop threatening to blow us up, abide by UN resolutions and the deals you signed and we will talk.
Until then, no help for Kim.
Nemo
It to mention counterfeiting, (both currency and medicines) cyber theft, insurance fraud and drug smuggling all as instruments of state policy.
Not to mention kidnapping and the occasional bombing when they don’t get what they want.
No, the North is more than deserving of the sanctions imposed upon it.
Nope, no help for Kim.
Desert Tortoise
I guess the thousands of brand new front line T-34 tanks and MiG-15s provided by the Soviets, along with WWII combat veteran Soviet pilots to fly them combined with the US having only 500 advisors in South Korea and a South Korea that had no combat air force or heavy armor had nothing to do with the North's initial victories.
Desert Tortoise
Consider that DPRK is generally unable to produce enough fertilizer for its needs and farmers resort to using human waste to fertilize crops. Yummy, huh. That can be a significant disease vector.
konjo4u
Priorities. "Kim Jong-un Net Worth is $5 billion."
virusrex
But necessary to be considered.
What do you imagine? scholarships? it should be obvious, generalizations can be completely valid when they are true.
painkiller
Yes, this is nothing new.
What kind of strong support? What kind of tragic consequences? A very broad overgeneralization.
William Bjornson
SANCTIONS! Starvation by any other name. They don't hurt governments, they hurt PEOPLE. And Americans couldn't care less...if only the Bukhan saram would be REASONABLE and cravenly surrender their sovereignty to the U.S. like their neighbors and receive the BENEFITS of being U.S. PUPPETS. One of the smallest, least powerful countries in Asia, but also one of the most independent and tough minded, ENDURES, and even in its agony still gives the U.S. the universal sign of disdain. Bukhan has offered on numerous occasions to trade its Nuclear potential for sanction relief but the U.S. lies and claims otherwise much as the U.S. ignored Japan's offers of surrender for months so it could TEST its new weapons on living Human beings and STILL lies about THAT. If the people of the U.S. could truly see themselves in the mirror of truth, the country would dissolve in horror of itself. But pathological bullies cannot tolerate 'disobedience', especially by the small and weak...