Pen/Insular_Notes

Another in my (very) occasional series of posts highlighting the sheer poetic genius of the writers at the North Korean news agency KCNA. Beyond the obvious brilliance of the writing, one can’t help feeling slightly concerned about the attitude of the DPRK authorities toward climate change, not to mention the possible negative effects that the Gen. Sec.’s future birthdays might have on global warming.

Unprecedented Natural Phenomena on Jong Il Peak
Pyongyang, February 12 (KCNA) — The snow in the area of Jong Il Peak began to thaw with the auspicious February 16, the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il just ahead, heralding the approach of spring.

According to the data tabulated in the Paektusan Secret Camp Meteorological Observatory, the temperature in the area from the beginning of February this year is 15 degrees higher than last year to make willow trees in Sobaeksu Valley open catkins on Feb. 11 three days earlier than the previous years.

Five centimeters of snow is thawing every day on an average in the area.

As there is no strong wind and mild climate continues there, it is foreseen that the depth of snow will go down by nearly 60 centimeters in the middle of this month.

An unprecedented phenomenon of moon halo was observed.

At around 18:25 on February 8 the surroundings of the peak became as bright as daytime to make the night view above Kim Jong Il’s birthplace in the Paektusan Secret Camp brilliant.

This was the first of its kind there this year.

Those who witnessed the opening of willow catkins earlier than the previous years and the unprecedented nocturnal view said excitedly that even the nature and the sky unfolded such mysterious ecstasy in celebration of the birthday of Kim Jong Il.

Many countries have a law designed to crush dissent that masquerades as something else. In Korea it is the National Security Law (국가보안법), often mistakenly understood as a law meant to outlaw support for North Korea. In reality, as recent events have shown, it is simply a tool used to attack and witchhunt radical left or even social democratic groups that are seen as a threat to establishment politics, regardless of their attitude toward the DPRK. It strikes me that Thailand’s lèse majesté law is rather similar: a way to attack political opponents and generally create a climate of fear rather than a law protecting the dignity of the royal family.

The latest victim of Thailand’s repressive lèse majesté law is Giles Ji Ungpakorn, who has recently fled Thailand only weeks after an Australian writer was jailed for three years for supposedly insulting the Thai royal family and that bastion of radicalism The Economist was banned from Thailand for the same.

Here’s the Telegraph on Prof Ungpakorn’s flight, and the Guardian, and something on his case in Korean too.

Of course, as far as I’m concerned even if these laws were restricted simply to punishing those who openly supported North Korea or openly defamed the Thai royal family they would still be wrong on the grounds that the right to criticise those in positions of power or authority or to support other political systems (even fundamentally unpleasant ones) is a crucial element of freedom of speech.