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China-Japan-Koreas
Bill Richardson: Kim Jong Un a 'victim' of bad publicity
2015-01-04
[POLITICO] North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a "victim" of bad publicity, according to Bill Richardson, the former New Mexico governor and U.N. ambassador.

"He has been the victim, Kim Jong Un, of a lot of bad press, a lot of bad international attention, with the Sony hacking, with [being] taken to the International Criminal Court by some U.N. countries, a number of other very destabilizing moves that he has made, shooting the missiles, nuclear testing," Richardson said on Friday on MSNBC's "News Nation with Tamron Hall."

On New Year's Day, Kim made an uncharacteristic move by calling for a summit to be held between North and South Korea with South Korea"s president, Park Geun-hye. The last such summit between the two countries was held in 2000.

"The tragic division of Korea could no longer be tolerable and acceptable," Kim said, according to a translation by MSNBC.

"Perhaps what he's doing is saying 'Look, I'm going to start the new year with a positive step, a potential summit,'" Richardson said of Kim.

Richardson has worked with North Korea a handful of times over the years. When he was in Congress, he helped negotiate several prisoner releases with North Korea. As governor of New Mexico, he occasionally served as an unofficial back channel to Pyongyang. And in 2013, as a private citizen, he returned to the country with Google Chairman Eric Schmidt on what he characterized as a "humanitarian" mission.

On Friday, Richardson acknowledged that the North Korean leader's actions and statements have been "inconsistent."

"They're so unpredictable you don't know where this guy is coming from," he said.
Which is why we should negotiate with him?
Richardson's comments on Friday came shortly before President Barack Obama signed an executive order authorizing financial sanctions on North Korean government agencies in response to the cyberattack against Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The president"s order marked the administration"s first official action against North Korea since the FBI determined that the North Korean regime was responsible for the hacks.
Any reason, even a phony reason like 'The Interview', is a good reason for sanctions against Pudgy...
Posted by:Fred

#8  Now lobbying for the Nork Tourism Board?
Posted by: Hupineger Glomomp7489   2015-01-04 22:24  

#7  So go to North Korea with a bible in your hand and see how far you get.
Posted by: gorb   2015-01-04 21:18  

#6  "They're so unpredictable you don't know where this guy is coming from," he said.

Administration 'fix-it-man' wearing black hat and matching gloves.



Posted by: Besoeker   2015-01-04 12:49  

#5  remember, Bill was the go-to guy to get Monica out of the White House/public eye. He's used to being a whore
Posted by: Frank G   2015-01-04 11:32  

#4  Richardson and women, Paul? You sure?
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2015-01-04 11:01  

#3  Three words: Honey pot gals.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2015-01-04 10:49  

#2  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a "victim" of bad publicity, according to Bill Richardson, the former New Mexico governor, U.N. ambassador and communist fellow traveler.


Well Bill, up yours.


Posted by: Mad Eye Slose4342   2015-01-04 10:45  

#1  Really, what are we going to do to Pudgy? Have the CIA unplug the chocolate fountain?
Posted by: Steven   2015-01-04 03:55  

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