Article

2014-05-19 China-Japan-Koreas

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Squinty 2014-05-19 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 From the linked Phyongchon-gate and what it means for North Korean propaganda

Some commentators link this to an attempt by North Korea to contrast its efforts against South Koreas Sewol Ferry Disaster, while others claimed that North Korea couldnt hide the accident from foreigners, and needed to seize the media initiative. Of course, the fact that the accident happened on May 13 (5 days earlier), and is only known to global media through North Koreas announcement, calls into question the latter claim.

Instead, people are missing out on broad shifts in North Korean propaganda over the last 3 years. The propaganda narrative, and this specific Phyongchon-gate article, captures fairly dramatic shifts in the context of State-Grassroots relations in the country. Accidents and mistakes do happen in North Korea, as in any other country, but have traditionally been glossed over in domestic media. In the past, problems highlighted in public media were attributed to foreign causes (e.g. saboteurs, spies and sanctions) or natural disasters (e.g. droughts). Phyongchon-gate reflects a new propaganda style, where the government acknowledges a mistake, have senior-level officials or party cadres assume responsibility, and highlight corrective measures.

This shift started in 2012, when North Korea publicly admitted that its attempted rocket launch in April did not succeed. North Korea mentioned at that time that its scientists were assessing what caused the failure. Kim Jong Un followed up on this narrative when he castigated officials for failing to properly maintain Mangyongdae funfair in May that year, pointing to the funfairs dilapidated state, even pulling weeds from the ground himself. Last month, Kim Jong Un during a military exercise, severely criticized the [artillery] sub-unit for failing to make good combat preparations. It is the public nature of such criticism and the blame attributed to government officials that should draw our attention.

Phyongchon-gate and similar stories reflect a government trying to portray itself as accountable and responsive to its grassroots. The top leadership acknowledges public concerns, and shows that it is standing with the grassroots by holding middle- or senior-level management responsible. This message is not just reactive. It is also proactive. Economic development is an area where the leadership is assuming responsibility for progress, by saying it is possible despite sanctions. In the past, sanctions were blamed for a stalled economy. This style also appears to have filtered down to the grassroots. Younger participants in Choson Exchange's workshops ask us to be more blunt with our advice on economic or business issues, even though they might reject or argue with our criticisms.

Posted by Squinty 2014-05-19 01:58|| 2014-05-19 01:58|| Front Page Top

#2 Perhaps the kid isn't a complete psychopath after all, but learnt something useful about the fragility of the position of kings from his Swiss schooling.

Posted by trailing wife 2014-05-19 06:17|| 2014-05-19 06:17|| Front Page Top

#3 Sonu Hyong Chol said that he was chiefly to blame for the accident as he was in charge of the construction. He expressed heart-felt consolation and sympathy to the victims and the bereaved families and said he was making an apology, his head bent, to other Pyongyang citizens who were greatly shocked by the recent accident.

His head bent, ready for the headman's axe.
(Please don't kill me.)

Posted by Redneck Jim 2014-05-19 07:20|| 2014-05-19 07:20|| Front Page Top

23:57 trailing wife
23:45 trailing wife
23:34 trailing wife
23:30 trailing wife
23:11 trailing wife
22:53 JosephMendiola
22:29 charger
21:53 badanov
21:45 OldSpook
21:24 Herb Bumble4862
21:18 Pappy
21:18 SteveS
21:18 Herb Bumble4862
21:10 SteveS
20:50 Big Boy 4014
20:42 Big Boy 4014
20:33 Big Boy 4014
20:31 Herb Bumble4862
20:30 JosephMendiola
20:05 rammer
19:50 The Voice of Darth Vader
19:50 Secret Asian Man
19:36 Procopius2k
19:13 Squinty