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N Korea seeks $75 trillion in compensation

Cash-strapped North Korea has demanded the United States pay almost $US65 trillion ($75 trillion) in compensation for six decades of hostility.

The official North Korean news agency, KCNA, says the cost of the damage done by the US since the peninsula was divided in 1945 is estimated at $US64.96 trillion.

The compensation call comes on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the start of the 1950-1953 Korean War.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/24/2936414.htm?section=justin



Mwahahahaha. I kind of expected it to say 'N Korea demands $75 trillion and the technology of papyrus.'

You gotta love those wacky Koreans...

The US should send 75 trillion doll-hairs and see if the North Koreans get the joke.

$75 Trillion? You could BUY the whole country, lock stock and barrel, for a fraction of that amount.

The problem is if the US does send them the money Kim Jong will only go and blow it on cuban heeled shoes and panthers...

Don't talk rubbish, he'll use it to upgrade his film collection to Blu-ray.

What you say?



NO!

Damn YOU and your stupid head America!

I would have sold all that I own (which admitedly is not all that much) to have been a fly on the wall when "the precious leader" saw that film for the first time

Seventy five teradollars. $75,000,000,000,000. Does that kind of money exist?

Did Kim have his pinkie to the corner of his mouth when he made this demand?

this is so "Austin Powers" its not even funny....

I wonder if he will let us pay it off in installments or does he want it all at once.

Its only fair. If we had let them conquer South Korea everything would be like paradise.

What exactly is keep us from just pushing the red button on these guys again? We are at war after all.

No way will America pay. It's not in their nature. They'll just laugh at Korea. Then invade them

The US should send an invoice for all the military spending required to to keep an eye on NK.

I saw a doco on a aircraft carrier that has to patrol the waters around there. Looked expensive.

We don't negotiate with terrorists!!



ok, I can't keep a straight face... kkkkk.

You see, the thing with the Norks is that they are petulant children. If you don't give them enough attention, they cry.

agnosto wrote:We don't negotiate with terrorists!!



ok, I can't keep a straight face... kkkkk.

You see, the thing with the Norks is that they are petulant children. If you don't give them enough attention, they cry.

Actually they are after less attention from the US, but thats a long term goal.

This move isnt as stupid as it looks. What the North Koreans are saying is, 'this is how much US agression is costing us' a point of view which will draw some sympathy from China. It places the US as the agressor, which isnt exactly unfair in a long term perspective as the various sanctions used against them hit hard even as they hit quiet. It also focuses anger internally at the US, which helps the government get over their ills.

Orlanth wrote:

Actually they are after less attention from the US, but thats a long term goal.

This move isnt as stupid as it looks. What the North Koreans are saying is, 'this is how much US agression is costing us' a point of view which will draw some sympathy from China. It places the US as the agressor, which isnt exactly unfair in a long term perspective as the various sanctions used against them hit hard even as they hit quiet. It also focuses anger internally at the US, which helps the government get over their ills.

As to being after less attention; they have always been trying to negotiate direct diplomatic ties with the U.S.

I don't know how demanding more money than actually exists on the planet will do anything except make everyone laugh at them more than they already do. All sanctions have been U.N. approved so I fail to see how the US could be singled out as an agressor...especially since the Korean War was a U.N. action but just like these days, the US supplied most of the troops. I agree that they are attempting to focus internal anger on an outside source because just like people who are generational welfare receivers, it's always another person's fault when life doesn't go your way.

The thing with N. Korea is that they only exist at the sufferance of China and if China ever withdraws that support, they'll collapse quickly. China won't disavow them; however, because the refugee problem of a failed Nork state would be horrendous.

Edit:
Korea also makes regular demands for cash from other countries.
Swaziland:
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/03/22/2010032200297.html

South Korea:
http://www.issuepost.com/news/story/19498.html

Sometimes they just demand food:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/IF02Dg01.html

Yeah, they're so downtrodden.

I have to third the Austin powers comments. That is the first thing I thought of when I read that blurb.

And I pictured the slow responsive laughter too. Mwaha.......Mwahaha......MWahahahaha........MWahahahahahahahah........Mwahahahahahahahahahahaha

GG

75 Trillion dollars. Send them Bill Gates!

And yes, Austin Powers is good, very good.

agnosto wrote:
As to being after less attention; they have always been trying to negotiate direct diplomatic ties with the U.S.

Yes, that grants them less attention. The more people in the loop the higher the profile.

agnosto wrote:
I don't know how demanding more money than actually exists on the planet will do anything except make everyone laugh at them more than they already do.

Only fools laugh, you are looking at this with an overly western mindset. You are also mistaken if you think the Koreans or Chinese care if you laugh. North Korea sets its own standard for truth, its a steady political standpoint for a totalitarian regime. Externally its better to say 'you must pay that', rather that 'this is how much you are costing us'. The latter is the same as the former, but the latter can be easily ignored internally and externally the former is also more assertive and apportions blame once payment is denied. North Korea doesnt expect a cent from the US, thats not the point of the demand. Anyone who thinks the North Koreans made this startment with any expectation to be paid anything is mistaken.
Also look at the rtiming. Obama has been crowing 'compensation' regarding the Gulf oil spill. So its an excellent time to make similar sounding demands.

agnosto wrote:
All sanctions have been U.N. approved so I fail to see how the US could be singled out as an agressor...

This adds to the ideology that the UN is a US lapdog, the Iraq war highlights this point, and the obstacles to any resolution against Israel.

agnosto wrote:
The thing with N. Korea is that they only exist at the sufferance of China and if China ever withdraws that support, they'll collapse quickly.

This is true, but could also be said for a number of regimes across the world. Israel would survive without US help now, but for much of its time it wouldnt. The concept of a client state is not unique to North Korea, this is one reason why this avenue is not approached. It would be too easily debunked as gross hypocrasy.

agnosto wrote:
China won't disavow them; however, because the refugee problem of a failed Nork state would be horrendous.

Not at all, China wouldnt even notice even if all 24 million North Koreans fled across the border. China wont back down on ideological grounds and on the grounds of power politics. A united Korea would be an anti-chinese Korea as the South Korean culture would dominate.

Orlanth wrote:Yes, that grants them less attention. The more people in the loop the higher the profile.

I fail to see your point here; if formal, diplomatic ties were ever established, the Norks would be receiving even more attention. No, they just want someone in the international community to take them seriously and if they were closer to the US they wouldn't be the ugly cousin so much anymore.

Orlanth wrote:Only fools laugh, you are looking at this with an overly western mindset. You are also mistaken if you think the Koreans or Chinese care if you laugh. North Korea sets its own standard for truth, its a steady political standpoint for a totalitarian regime. Externally its better to say 'you must pay that', rather that 'this is how much you are costing us'. The latter is the same as the former, but the latter can be easily ignored internally and externally the former is also more assertive and apportions blame once payment is denied. North Korea doesnt expect a cent from the US, thats not the point of the demand. Anyone who thinks the North Koreans made this startment with any expectation to be paid anything is mistaken.
Also look at the rtiming. Obama has been crowing 'compensation' regarding the Gulf oil spill. So its an excellent time to make similar sounding demands.

Nobody cares if I, personally, laugh; however, no intelligent person is going to take an obscene demand seriously. Read my original post for some other Nork demands. N.Korea is always demanding something from some country or other and they are inevitably turned down; heck, a few months ago they were demanding new fighter jets from China. It's similar to the boy that cried wolf. Frankly, I believe the international community just looks at N.Korea as the insane hermit that lives down the street; he chases the kids off his lawn and does a lot of fist shaking but don't take him too seriously.

Orlanth wrote:This adds to the ideology that the UN is a US lapdog, the Iraq war highlights this point, and the obstacles to any resolution against Israel.

That's opinion; you well know that the U.N. often goes against the wishes of the U.S. There is definitely no roughshod happening in the security council, for example.

Orlanth wrote:This is true, but could also be said for a number of regimes across the world. Israel would survive without US help now, but for much of its time it wouldnt. The concept of a client state is not unique to North Korea, this is one reason why this avenue is not approached. It would be too easily debunked as gross hypocrasy.

If China were to turn their back on the Norks, they would be losing about 70% of their trade. For a country that is continually starved (no pun intended) for hard currency that's not a great way to go. Israel is not a great comparison as they are already a comparatively rich country with trade ties to most of the world whereas N.Korea has limited diplomatic ties and even more limited trade ties. In fact, when the south broke their trade ties with them last month, they lost their second biggest trade partner. When the Russians pulled back from N. Korea, they really felt it; in fact it is a major reason their economy tanked even more.

Orlanth wrote:Not at all, China wouldnt even notice even if all 24 million North Koreans fled across the border. China wont back down on ideological grounds and on the grounds of power politics. A united Korea would be an anti-chinese Korea as the South Korean culture would dominate.

You have a partial point here; however, the influx of a huge mass of underfed, panicked people would daunt even China. They have enough trouble feeding themselves without poisoning their own children. Any refugees wouldn't be able to go South immediately due to all the landmines and guns. The DMZ makes for an interesting tour; you should take it if you're ever in Korea.

Want some more info on what happens in wacky-land, check out S. Korean newspapers. I used to like the Korea Times more but the Chosun Ilbo's got some good aticles.
http://english.chosun.com/svc/list.html?catid=12

Thanks for the intelligent conversation by the way.

Seriously, China shuts down the pipeline and NK goes dark. NK done in 24 hours.

North Korea makes the best counterfeit $20 in the world. I'm told by a high level bureaucrat in the Treasury Department that the DPKR's 20s are so good the U.S. should actually outsource printing to them. If they want the $75 trillion they can just print it.

olympia wrote:North Korea makes the best counterfeit $20 in the world. I'm told by a high level bureaucrat in the Treasury Department that the DPKR's 20s are so good the U.S. should actually outsource printing to them. If they want the $75 trillion they can just print it.

If they want to cut costs they could just make up a $1.0Bn note and print 75 of them. They could even sell reproduction $1.0Bn notes.

Orlanth wrote:Seventy five teradollars. $75,000,000,000,000. Does that kind of money exist?

That was Mike Tyson's purse for his last fight but he pissed it all away and now he's bankrupt.

olympia wrote:North Korea makes the best counterfeit $20 in the world. I'm told by a high level bureaucrat in the Treasury Department that the DPKR's 20s are so good the U.S. should actually outsource printing to them. If they want the $75 trillion they can just print it.

LOL True-dat.

agnosto wrote:

Orlanth wrote:Yes, that grants them less attention. The more people in the loop the higher the profile.

I fail to see your point here; if formal, diplomatic ties were ever established, the Norks would be receiving even more attention. No, they just want someone in the international community to take them seriously and if they were closer to the US they wouldn't be the ugly cousin so much anymore.

The point is North Korea wants the US to stop making an issue of them. North Korea is here to stay, China is seeing to that, everything else is gravy.
The idea is that once diplomatic relations are formally opened they can ignore each other. Just like US relations with say (taken at random) Tanzania. North Korea is not on the wordl map per se, its a peripheral state which is how it intends to stay.
The fact that there are no relations means they cannot ignore each other, follow the logic to see who it works.

agnosto wrote:N.Korea is always demanding something from some country or other and they are inevitably turned down; heck, a few months ago they were demanding new fighter jets from China. It's similar to the boy that cried wolf. Frankly, I believe the international community just looks at N.Korea as the insane hermit that lives down the street; he chases the kids off his lawn and does a lot of fist shaking but don't take him too seriously.

Dont ask dont get. Some of the requests are met, and you should be a bit fairer in your analysis, they make rdemansds of this US at the moment, for ther reasons given in my last post. Many of the other requests made are perfectly reasonable, developed nations are often willing to hand over some resources to an underdevelopeed nation when ask. Africa asks all the tim, as does South America, a few million here and there, requests are made of G7 and some G20 nartions primarily. Switzerland is a good choice to go cap in hand to as is Sweden.
What North Korea is doing is not unreasonable or exceptional, so dont make it out that it is or read too much into propoganda that implies it as such.
The demand for a crass payment from the US is an exception rather than the rule and is made for a completely different motive.

agnosto wrote:

Orlanth wrote:This adds to the ideology that the UN is a US lapdog, the Iraq war highlights this point, and the obstacles to any resolution against Israel.

That's opinion; you well know that the U.N. often goes against the wishes of the U.S. There is definitely no roughshod happening in the security council, for example.

You completely fail to understand its not a personal opinion, I am reiterating a practiced ideology (point in bold). You dont have me to convince, the message is to the room and comes from North Korea to her apologists.

agnosto wrote:
If China were to turn their back on the Norks, they would be losing about 70% of their trade. For a country that is continually starved (no pun intended) for hard currency that's not a great way to go. Israel is not a great comparison as they are already a comparatively rich country with trade ties to most of the world whereas N.Korea has limited diplomatic ties and even more limited trade ties. In fact, when the south broke their trade ties with them last month, they lost their second biggest trade partner. When the Russians pulled back from N. Korea, they really felt it; in fact it is a major reason their economy tanked even more.

You use the word Nork alot, it helps on serious political threads not to overuse a derogatory term, you might appear a little bigoted if you dont. I dont think you are, but just to be safe it might be an iodea to call them North Koreans every now and then.
Comparisons to Israel are valid, without continual US funding they cannot afford their own military budget let alone the rest of their economy. Israel is perhaps the most overbudgeted country on earth. The difference is cash flow remains good and the US will not stop the cheques from flowing. Israel is also different in that it can stand on its own two feet if needs be, it has way too much high level infrastructure for a country of its size, but is very efficient and competent in terms of logistical management. Israel without US support would be an economic nightmare, but would be able to default on any debts with impunity because its strong internally and a tough nut to crack.

agnosto wrote:
Thanks for the intelligent conversation by the way.

You are welcome.

We're not the ones threatening war every ten minutes and demanding billions.

We're not the ones sinking South Korean ships.

Its like saying grandma is meddling when doesn't let the purse snatcher steal her purse.

We're not the ones threatening war every ten minutes
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