North Korea Endorses ‘Wise Politician’ Donald Trump
Published in La Vanguardia
(Spain) on 1 June 2016
by Félix Flores (link to original)
“Noble Philosopher Donald Trump praised as sharp-eyed mountain eagle, sent by heaven to strike down villains and evildoers from high above” — the phrase comes from a false North Korean news service that taunts and ridicules the regime on a daily basis. But the other North Korean news service, the real one, has said something similar: Trump is a “wise politician” and a “far-sighted” presidential candidate. Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, is “dull.”
For the first time, North Korea has dared to do what the United States so often does: intervene in the electoral campaign of another country.
Surprising? Not completely. People like Trump, Putin, or the top brass of North Korea share a mentality that unites business and authoritarianism (or totalitarianism, while we’re at it), given which, it is scarcely curious that in Pyongyang, the plain-speaking Trump is better understood than a candidate all wrapped up in email issues.
Among Trump’s “many positive aspects” is the fact that he confirmed that he “will not get involved in the war between the South and the North,” and — note the care with which the matter is expressed — “isn’t this fortunate from North Korea’s perspective?”
The editorial is signed by one Han Yong Mook, who is identified as a Chinese-North Korean academic. But the fact that there is absolutely no freedom of the press in North Korea insinuates the article represents the official stance. Although, on the other hand, it retains plausible deniability …
Experts in North Korea consulted by the BBC believe the commentary is a sort of trial balloon released by Pyongyang. In other words, if Trump has stated that allies of the United States in the region must pay more toward the costs of the U.S. military presence in the region, that suits North Korea very well. The Washington Post reminded its readers that in a meeting the candidate held with its editorial team, he said the defense of South Korea was too expensive, and in an interview with The New York Times, he said he would pull U.S. troops out of that country if elected.
It is clear as can be be. “The day when [this] becomes real would be the day of Korean Unification,” states the North Korean article.
In one of his moments of bravado, Trump pronounced himself prepared to speak directly with Kim Jong Un about North Korea’s nuclear program. In turn, the North Korean ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva told Reuters that was nonsense, recalls the BBC.
We will need to be attentive to the immediate future of Ambassador So Se Pyong because now, the idea seems perfectly marvelous to the regime, according to the inflammatory article: “The president that U.S. citizens must vote for is not that dull Hillary — who claimed to adapt the Iranian model to resolve nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula — but Trump, who spoke of holding direct conversation with North Korea.”
Looking at the case from the other side, from that of public opinion in the United States, one must consider that since 2012, North Korea has been consolidating itself as an enemy nation, to the point that a Gallup poll taken in February showed that North Americans are more afraid of Kim Jong Un than of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the caliph of the Islamic State group. When the poll was taken, all the primary candidates were talking about North Korea. But Trump maintains the big problem is really China. How long will the North Korean romance with Donald Trump last? It will likely be brief, for all such idylls are capricious, but we will miss the scene of the orange-faced magnate shaking the hand of an always smiling Kim Jon Un, two intellectually violent spoiled brats bringing a little more absurdity into this world.
For the first time, North Korea has dared to do what the United States so often does: intervene in the electoral campaign of another country.
Surprising? Not completely. People like Trump, Putin, or the top brass of North Korea share a mentality that unites business and authoritarianism (or totalitarianism, while we’re at it), given which, it is scarcely curious that in Pyongyang, the plain-speaking Trump is better understood than a candidate all wrapped up in email issues.
Among Trump’s “many positive aspects” is the fact that he confirmed that he “will not get involved in the war between the South and the North,” and — note the care with which the matter is expressed — “isn’t this fortunate from North Korea’s perspective?”
The editorial is signed by one Han Yong Mook, who is identified as a Chinese-North Korean academic. But the fact that there is absolutely no freedom of the press in North Korea insinuates the article represents the official stance. Although, on the other hand, it retains plausible deniability …
Experts in North Korea consulted by the BBC believe the commentary is a sort of trial balloon released by Pyongyang. In other words, if Trump has stated that allies of the United States in the region must pay more toward the costs of the U.S. military presence in the region, that suits North Korea very well. The Washington Post reminded its readers that in a meeting the candidate held with its editorial team, he said the defense of South Korea was too expensive, and in an interview with The New York Times, he said he would pull U.S. troops out of that country if elected.
It is clear as can be be. “The day when [this] becomes real would be the day of Korean Unification,” states the North Korean article.
In one of his moments of bravado, Trump pronounced himself prepared to speak directly with Kim Jong Un about North Korea’s nuclear program. In turn, the North Korean ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva told Reuters that was nonsense, recalls the BBC.
We will need to be attentive to the immediate future of Ambassador So Se Pyong because now, the idea seems perfectly marvelous to the regime, according to the inflammatory article: “The president that U.S. citizens must vote for is not that dull Hillary — who claimed to adapt the Iranian model to resolve nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula — but Trump, who spoke of holding direct conversation with North Korea.”
Looking at the case from the other side, from that of public opinion in the United States, one must consider that since 2012, North Korea has been consolidating itself as an enemy nation, to the point that a Gallup poll taken in February showed that North Americans are more afraid of Kim Jong Un than of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the caliph of the Islamic State group. When the poll was taken, all the primary candidates were talking about North Korea. But Trump maintains the big problem is really China. How long will the North Korean romance with Donald Trump last? It will likely be brief, for all such idylls are capricious, but we will miss the scene of the orange-faced magnate shaking the hand of an always smiling Kim Jon Un, two intellectually violent spoiled brats bringing a little more absurdity into this world.
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