Seriously North Korea?

[Scotty]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/7918468/North-Korean-football-team-shamed-in-six-hour-public-inquiry-over-World-Cup.html



North Korean football team shamed in six-hour public inquiry over World Cup
North Korea's football team has been shamed in a six-hour public inquisition and the team's coach has been accused of "betraying" the reclusive leader's heir apparent following their failure at the World Cup, according to reports.

The entire squad was forced onto a stage at the People's Palace of Culture and subjected to criticism from Pak Myong-chol, the sports minister, as 400 government officials, students and journalists watched.

The players were subjected to a "grand debate" on July 2 because they failed in their "ideological struggle" to succeed in South Africa, Radio Free Asia and South Korean media reported.

The team's coach, Kim Jong-hun, was reportedly forced to become a builder and has been expelled from the Workers' Party of Korea.

The coach was punished for "betraying" Kim Jong-un - one of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il's sons and heir apparent.

The country, in its first World Cup since 1966, lost all three group games – including a 7-0 defeat to Portugal.

The broadcast of live games had been banned to avoid national embarrassment, but after the spirited 2-1 defeat to Brazil, state television made the Portugal game its first live sports broadcast ever.

Following ideological criticism, the players were then allegedly forced to blame the coach for their defeats.

Only two players avoided the inquisition - Japanese-born Jong Tae-se and An Yong-hak, who flew straight to Japan after the tournament.

However, media in South Korea said the players got off lightly by North Korean standards.

"In the past, North Korean athletes and coaches who performed badly were sent to prison camps," a South Korean intelligence source told the Chosun Ilbo newspaper.

Also is everyone named Kim Jong or Jong something over there?

[Shurato2099]

As I understand it Kim is not an uncommon family name. I can't speak to Jong- as part of one's personal name, though.

[capntightpants]

Is there anything good over in North Korea? At all? Why do people even live there?

[Thequeerjock]

Is there anything good over in North Korea? At all? Why do people even live there?

They can't leave. We watched a documentry about it in Brit Lit last year (I know, but it was in reference to 1984), and it's just horrid. The government and the military control everything, and most people don't even talk to foreigners whenever they come in.

They showed video of some of the cities, and they looked like ghost towns.

[Zeu]

If there ever was a country in desperate need of a regime change, NK and Burma top the list.

[capntightpants]

They can't leave. We watched a documentry about it in Brit Lit last year (I know, but it was in reference to 1984), and it's just horrid. The government and the military control everything, and most people don't even talk to foreigners whenever they come in.

They showed video of some of the cities, and they looked like ghost towns.


If there ever was a country in desperate need of a regime change, NK and Burma top the list.

I'm one of those "America shouldn't police the world and step on other countries' toes" kinda people, but man... it's hard to argue my point when thinking of NK.

[zemo]

If there ever was a country in desperate need of a regime change, NK and Burma top the list.

Funny. There are two graphic novels by Guy Delisle called "Pjongyang" and "Chronicles of Burma". Guess what they are about. ;)

I can only tell you the best about them, very nice drawing style, very nice way of telling a tale.

[Thequeerjock]

I'm one of those "America shouldn't police the world and step on other countries' toes" kinda people, but man... it's hard to argue my point when thinking of NK.

It's truly sad, and I just don't see how it can end. They showed one of North Korea's museums, and the women running the tour did nothing but spout complete lies about history that can be disproven by picking up a third grade social studies book.

The scary thing is, I can't tell if they were simply "towing the line", or if they've honestly been conditioned to believe such nonsense.

[Shurato2099]

It's truly sad, and I just don't see how it can end. They showed one of North Koreas museums, and the women running the tour did nothing but spout complete lies about history that can be disproven by picking up a third grade social studies book.

The scary thing is, I can't tell if they were simply "towing the line", or if they've honestly been conditioned to believe such nonsense.

After a while, with no outside information to contradict the party line ... they become one and the same.

[Thequeerjock]

After a while, with no outside information to contradict the party line ... they become one and the same.

Sadly, that's what it seems like. Their economy is in the shitter, and yet the people are perfectly fine with the government blowing money on stuff that is only there to convince the rest of the world that NK isn't a third world country.

[capntightpants]

Sadly, that's what it seems like. Their economy is in the shitter, and yet the people are perfectly fine with the government blowing money on stuff that is only there to convince the rest of the world that NK isn't a third world country.

It's like something out of a sci-fi movie.

[Shurato2099]

Sadly, that's what it seems like. Their economy is in the shitter, and yet the people are perfectly fine with the government blowing money on stuff that is only there to convince the rest of the world that NK isn't a third world country.

This is what happens when the government -really- has complete control over its populace. They control their food, their information, their education and can pretty much run rough-shod over the people as much as they want because of how ground down they are and the only place that most people can escape to on foot (China) typically just throws them back in.

[Ship]

I'm kind of surprised the North Koreans would publicly humiliate the team and admit to humiliating defeat instead of trying to convince everyone that Kim Jong-Il decided to unilateraly change the rules of football (he can do that because he's a deity you see) so the object is now to allow more goals than you score and therefore the North Koreans are in fact the World Cup champs.

[Scotty]

I want to be a Deity.

[Shurato2099]

I want to be a Deity.

The hours are good, the benefits are spectacular but the retirement plan leaves something to be desired ...

[Scotty]

The hours are good, the benefits are spectacular but the retirement plan leaves something to be desired ...

You figured as a Deity you could just change your retirement plan.

[Shurato2099]

You figured as a Deity you could just change your retirement plan.

Yeah, but when you retire you're not a Deity anymore, you see, so things kind of go down hill.

[Thequeerjock]

This is what happens when the government -really- has complete control over its populace. They control their food, their information, their education and can pretty much run rough-shod over the people as much as they want because of how ground down they are and the only place that most people can escape to on foot (China) typically just throws them back in.

Apparently, there are a few people who have successfully made it across the DMZ, but it's very rare.

The worst part is, just to get to South Korea, they usually have to leave a lot of their family members behind in that living hell.

[Scotty]

Yeah, but when you retire you're not a Deity anymore, you see, so things kind of go down hill.

Maybe I can supplement my life with like a Deity library and lecture tours like Presidents do.

[Gail Simone]

It's an evil fucking regime, one of the worst on Earth. All the information in the first issue of my SECRET SIX mini about the prison camps, the Kwan Li So, is true. But it's so much worse, SO MUCH WORSE.

One woman said they kept a box for the corpses of the babies aborted by force, by female prisoners who had been raped by prison officials and guards. The guards get entrance to college for shooting a prisoner trying to escape, so they just grab someone and shoot him and throw him against the barbed wire.

It's a LOT like Pol Pot's regime, where innocent farmers were told they 'weren't worth a bullet' before being bayoneted to death for no reason whatsoever.

[Thequeerjock]

It's an evil fucking regime, one of the worst on Earth. All the information in the first issue of my SECRET SIX mini about the prison camps, the Kwan Li So, is true. But it's so much worse, SO MUCH WORSE.

One woman said they kept a box for the corpses of the babies aborted by force, by female prisoners who had been raped by prison officials and guards. The guards get entrance to college for shooting a prisoner trying to escape, so they just grab someone and shoot him and throw him against the barbed wire.

It's a LOT like Pol Pot's regime, where innocent farmers were told they 'weren't worth a bullet' before being bayoneted to death for no reason whatsoever.

Interesting. Did you hear about some of the atrocities that went on with kidnapping people from neighboring countries and forcing them into a spy academy?