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[ComputerMKII]

North Korea threatens to attack South Korean media
Agence France-Presse
12:10 pm | Monday, June 4th, 2012

SEOUL – North Korea’s military threatened Monday to blow up the Seoul offices of South Korean media outlets following critical coverage of a mass children’s event in Pyongyang.

The military general staff, in an unusually detailed statement on the official news agency, said missile units and other forces had fixed the longitude and latitude coordinates for several firms’ offices in central Seoul.

The statement named the Chosun Ilbo and JoongAng Ilbo newspapers, a TV channel operated by Dong-A Ilbo newspaper, and the KBS, CBS, MBC and SBS television stations.

The North’s military accused conservative South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak of inciting the coverage and called on him to apologize to avert an attack.

“In case dens of monstrous crimes are blown up one after another, the Lee group will be entirely held responsible for this,” it said in what it termed an “open ultimatum”.

The military accused the media outlets of “monstrous mud-slinging” over their coverage of an event which brought 20,000 schoolchildren to Pyongyang to mark the 66th anniversary of the Korean Children’s Union.

Pyongyang’s official Korea Central News Agency reported Saturday that the children pledged their loyalty to new leader Kim Jong-Un.

“The young delegates could not hold back the endless happiness… amid unchanging longing to remember the benevolent image of respected comrade Kim Jong-Un deep in their hearts,” it said.

“Sir Kim Jong-Un, thank you so much for giving us such a great honour,” it quoted a 13-year-old schoolchild as saying.

The North’s military accused the South’s government and media outlets of portraying the event as a propaganda gimmick staged by Pyongyang’s leadership.

It complained that the “Lee group is letting loose a string of vituperations describing all these blessings as ‘charades’.”

Seoul’s unification ministry, which handles cross-border affairs, said Pyongyang’s latest threat was “completely out of line”.

“This… is a significant challenge and provocation to free democracy,” said a ministry spokesman. “We are taking this very seriously and urging the North to stop such threats to our media immediately.”

Jong-Un took over last December from his deceased father and longtime leader Kim Jong-Il, the second power transfer within the Kim dynasty which has ruled the isolated communist state since its founding in 1948.

The new regime has intensified hostile commentary against the South and threatened “sacred war” as it tries to bolster the young Kim’s leadership.

The North’s military in April vowed to turn parts of Seoul into ashes, accusing Lee and several media outlets of defaming its leadership.

Monday’s threat prompted police to deploy officers to guard some media outlets.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/206389/north-korea-threatens-to-attack-south-korean-media

 

[Ashhong]

Am I the only one offended with the "Best Korea" meme? As someone who has relatives stuck in North Korea, I find it pretty offensive and not at all funny.

Carry on.

 

[fanboi]

Am I the only one offended with the "Best Korea" meme? As someone who has relatives stuck in North Korea, I find it pretty offensive and not at all funny.

Carry on.

Lighten up mang!

 

[(._.)]

^ it's the best korea though, and just a joke :\

 

[Jintor]

Bizarre. Well, not bizarre as such, but still.

 

[Tenck]

North Korea’s military threatened Monday to blow up the Seoul offices of South Korean media outlets following critical coverage of a mass children’s event in Pyongyang

If they're so upset by it they should probably control their own problem.

Hope North Korea changes some day. Sounds like a terrible place.

 

[Raistlin]

Think it's about time the Kim dynasty ends

 

[Ashhong]

Lighten up mang!

Easier said then done when I am just reminded of my relatives there. It's not a good place to live, obviously lol. I usually don't say anything but I don't see this thread lasting that long and just felt like ranting a tiny bit

 

[Raistlin]

Am I the only one offended with the "Best Korea" meme? As someone who has relatives stuck in North Korea, I find it pretty offensive and not at all funny.

Carry on.

explain what bothers you with it?

 

[AngryMoth]

Am I the only one offended with the "Best Korea" meme?

No. I don't mind dark humour usually but I find it very distasteful. North Korea is not something to make light of, and it just isn't funny

 

[(._.)]

^ it's the best korea though, and just a joke :\

and a computer thread

 

[fanboi]

Easier said then done when I am just reminded of my relatives there. It's not a good place to live, obviously lol. I usually don't say anything but I don't see this thread lasting that long and just felt like ranting a tiny bit

"If we stop laughing at horrible things, we have given up"
- fanboi

 

[Phonomezer]

South Korea is ready

 

[BocoDragon]

The nature of this strange state is so much like a petulant child.

Am I the only one offended with the "Best Korea" meme? As someone who has relatives stuck in North Korea, I find it pretty offensive and not at all funny.

Carry on.

It's funny because it's actually Worst Korea and we wish your relatives could be out of there immediately

All humor is to ease some form of pain, if you really think about it.

 

[- J - D -]

Don't get mad at the meme, bro. Just laugh and feel slightly embarrassed that a 4chan meme is yet again perpetuated here on gaf.

 

[Centurion]

The military general staff, in an unusually detailed statement on the official news agency, said missile units and other forces had fixed the longitude and latitude coordinates for several firms’ offices in central Seoul.

haha, nice try North Korea. Like you know what longitude and latitude even mean.

I just imagine someone like homer pushing random buttons

 

[Lagspike_exe]

Empty threat #10213.

 

[Hellcrow]

The nature of this strange state is so much like a petulant child.



It's funny because it's actually Worst Korea and we wish your relatives could be out of there immediately

All humor is to ease some form of pain, if you really think about it.

Defending a joke is stupid if someone is offended by it. Just say sorry, think about it before making a similar joke in the future and move on. Helps make the world a better place. No one is blaming the intentions, but I'm always annoyed that at the "lighten up, it is only a joke" phrase people pass around all the time. Completely missing the point.

 

[Socreges]

Defending a joke is stupid if someone is offended by it. Just say sorry, think about it before making a similar joke in the future and move on. Helps make the world a better place. No one is blaming the intentions, but I'm always annoyed that at the "lighten up, it is only a joke" phrase people pass around all the time. Completely missing the point.

What a horrible world that would make if people followed your advice.

North Korea's propaganda has literally presented the country as "Best Korea". People use that mockingly against the administration. So much comedy works in the exact same way amid sensitive circumstances.

 

[- J - D -]

Safe humor is boring. I bet you like to watch Howie Mandel standup.

 

[fanboi]

Defending a joke is stupid if someone is offended by it. Just say sorry, think about it before making a similar joke in the future and move on. Helps make the world a better place. No one is blaming the intentions, but I'm always annoyed that at the "lighten up, it is only a joke" phrase people pass around all the time. Completely missing the point.

There will always be someone who is offended by X joke... should we stop making jokes then?

 

[Ashhong]

explain what bothers you with it?

I thought I did? I have relatives in North Korea, and by jokingly calling it "Best Korea" it makes light of the situation there. It's like GAF (not speaking about you) doesn't understand what's going on there. I still remember when Jong Il died, there were tons and tons of sarcastic jokes saying stuff like "you will be missed" or "RIP". The situation there is really not something to make light of, imo.

Anyway, I didn't want to cause any problems or anything. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't the only one who didn't find it funny. My conscious is at ease, and I can continue browsing GAF

Safe humor is boring. I bet you like to watch Howie Mandel standup.

Howie Mandel does standup? I bet that's terrible.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

Let them. Won't they get their metaphorical face smashed in if they try?

 

[Ignis Fatuus]

I thought I did? I have relatives in North Korea, and by jokingly calling it "Best Korea" it makes light of the situation there.

I've got relatives in Best Korea and I think you need to lighten up. The term is used sarcastically because at some point, conveying the horror and absurdity of the situation in dry terms becomes unsustainable.

 

[BocoDragon]

Defending a joke is stupid if someone is offended by it. Just say sorry, think about it before making a similar joke in the future and move on. Helps make the world a better place. No one is blaming the intentions, but I'm always annoyed that at the "lighten up, it is only a joke" phrase people pass around all the time. Completely missing the point.

Did I say anything like... "lighten up its only a joke"?

No I didn't. I said it's a joke that works because everyone thinks the situation in n. Korea is actually horrible. This joke is heavily sarcastic. We all feel the pain of N. Korea and this joke is actually a part of that.

And yeah... while we're at it, if someone says "lighten up"... yeah, you probably should, or go deal with it.

I'm not the king of the internet who can get rid of this meme, but if I were, I'd be more inclined to respond to Ashong's tone of "this kind of hurts, guys" than your "it's just wrong! apologize immedately!"

 

[GG-Duo]

Am I the only one offended with the "Best Korea" meme? As someone who has relatives stuck in North Korea, I find it pretty offensive and not at all funny.

Carry on.

I'm sorry about your relatives' situation

And yeah... while we're at it, if someone says "lighten up"... yeah, you probably should, or go deal with it.

So you're saying that he can't dictate what jokes you make, but you can dictate how offended he feels?

You don't have to take his advice, but he doesn't have to lighten up.

 

[Socreges]

I thought I did? I have relatives in North Korea, and by jokingly calling it "Best Korea" it makes light of the situation there. It's like GAF (not speaking about you) doesn't understand what's going on there. I still remember when Jong Il died, there were tons and tons of sarcastic jokes saying stuff like "you will be missed" or "RIP". The situation there is really not something to make light of, imo.

I hope you didn't crack a smile when this guy was all the rage:

I'm sorry it bothers you. But I'm here to warn you: people will continue using unfortunate situations for comedy. The world would be a pretty depressing place otherwise.

 

[Cheerilee]

Am I the only one offended with the "Best Korea" meme? As someone who has relatives stuck in North Korea, I find it pretty offensive and not at all funny.

I thought "Best Korea" was generally making fun of their propaganda (and knowing that the opposite is true). I mean, when you've got 20,000 schoolchildren traveling to the capital to express their love for glorious leader, your country must be pretty awesome.

And their propaganda is probably the most harmless thing you could make fun of (maybe with any country). The "can I eat it?" meme, for example, isn't harmless because their people are starving (which isn't to say that I've never laughed at it).

 

[Socreges]

So you're saying that he can't dictate what jokes you make, but you can dictate how offended he feels?

You don't have to take his advice, but he doesn't have to lighten up.

It's for his own benefit that people would suggest that. He can go on feeling wounded each time. It doesn't affect us.

 

[Ashhong]

I've got relatives in Best Korea and I think you need to lighten up. The term is used sarcastically because at some point, conveying the horror and absurdity of the situation in dry terms becomes unsustainable.

Seriously? Would you tell the family of someone who lost a loved one in the holocaust or any kind of tragedy to lighten up and joke about it? Obviously N Korea isn't on that scale, but the rationale is the same. My relatives will die a sad life there and there's nothing I can do. I think I have been pretty light here. Not like I continuously yelled at people to stop using the meme.

Did I say anything like... "lighten up its only a joke"?

No I didn't. I said it's a joke that works because everyone thinks the situation in n. Korea is actually horrible. This joke is heavily sarcastic. We all feel the pain of N. Korea and this joke is actually a part of that.

I think you give GAF too much credit. I would not be surprised if many posters here did not understand the situation there, and that's what I assume 80% of the time I see this meme. That may just be me though.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. Like I said before, I didn't mean for that post to cause problems. Just wanted to get that off my chest.

 

[BocoDragon]

So you're saying that he can't dictate what jokes you make, but you can dictate how offended he feels?

You don't have to take his advice, but he doesn't have to lighten up.

Do I have to say this again? I never said "lighten up" or anything of the sort. You can read the thread.

But if someone is offended by a joke, that isn't automatically a reason to censor ourselves. Like hello... freedom of speech? Every joke is at someone or something's offense.

But, I thought Ashong's way of stating it was reasonable. I would stop the use of that meme on a person to person level, out of respect.

But when a drive by poster came by and said "Defending a joke is stupid if someone is offended by it!" come on son... ALL jokes offend someone.

I think you give GAF too much credit. I would not be surprised if many posters here did not understand the situation there, and that's what I assume 80% of the time I see this meme. That may just be me though.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. Like I said before, I didn't mean for that post to cause problems. Just wanted to get that off my chest.

Maybe you're right... but I personally thought the use of the "Best Korea" meme was only funny because everyone thinks "Best Korea" is terrible. Otherwise, what's funny?

In any case, I feel unlikely to use that meme from now on. I wasn't a user of it before, but moreso now. You have raised my consciousness.

 

[commedieu]

Seriously? Would you tell the family of someone who lost a loved one in the holocaust or any kind of tragedy to lighten up and joke about it? Obviously N Korea isn't on that scale, but the rationale is the same. My relatives will die a sad life there and there's nothing I can do. I think I have been pretty light here. Not like I continuously yelled at people to stop using the meme.

I think you give GAF too much credit. I would not be surprised if many posters here did not understand the situation there, and that's what I assume 80% of the time I see this meme. That may just be me though.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. Like I said before, I didn't mean for that post to cause problems. Just wanted to get that off my chest.

Ashhong; Hitler is a meme, and come to think of it, Satan is as well. The entire spectrum is covered there. I don't think any regular member on neogaf isn't aware of North Koreas problems. I think you really have to come to terms with the fact that no one is really using it to be offensive. While you still may be offended by it, thats on you. I wont use it if I see ya around a thread, knowing your feelings about it.

Slight difference here though, as another member pointed out, is that their delusions about their image, are what they broadcast to the world. Its what feeds the worlds laughable view of the Government. Laughable due to how pathetic it is. No one is laughing at the entire starving population or the around the clock suffering, the two are really unrelated. The world can't do a single thing to help the North Koreans. As the world has proven by not helping anyone in North Korea. Making light of the situation is literally the only thing anyone can do about it.

Its poor taste. But I think being offended by the idea that people are ignorant of North Koreas problems, which are highlighted by their own dubbing of being better than South Korea, is misguided.

No one is joking about the victims of North Korea. No one is joking about Holocaust victims when they make a "Hitler reacts to his banned Xbox360 account" or when SNL makes fun of Saddam, Gadaffi, Kim, Whats his face in Iran, or hell, even Kony.

 

[shaowebb]

Am I the only one offended with the "Best Korea" meme? As someone who has relatives stuck in North Korea, I find it pretty offensive and not at all funny.

Carry on.

My God...you have family stuck in North Korea. I cannot tell you how much this hurts to hear. I've followed the news on Korea for awhile now and the things in the one prison camp escapee's history sent chills through me. I didn't think such levels of inhuman rule were possible until I heard the things people were raised for in North Korean prison camps.

Know that if I had the power to change things I wouldn't hesitate. You have my deepest regrets.

 

[Centurion]

Ashhong, I would wager the majority know how badly oppressed and hungry people in North Korea are. The jokes poke fun at the regime in power, not the country and its people. But at the same time, I feel where your coming from. I guess I'm gonna follow the trend of don't take it too seriously.


also...

South Korea is ready

South Korean women don't have meaty thighs do they?

 

[Zinga]

I hope the treacherous Lee Myung Bak clique pays with their lives for their insult to the dignity of the Korean people. The leadership of the south are the worst kind of villains, selling the dignity of the nation out for a few dollars to imperialists.

 

[BocoDragon]

I think you give GAF too much credit. I would not be surprised if many posters here did not understand the situation there, and that's what I assume 80% of the time I see this meme. That may just be me though.

I just want to say another thing about this statement... maybe you don't notice because you're Korean, so you yourself notice these stories ... but from an objective standpoint: GAF is obsessed with North Korea and its suffering. It's like one of the forum's favorite topics... and the content is usually a long string of sad faces and armchair analysts on what should be done to save them. I really do think GAF generally knows about the suffering.... far more than the average English/western group of people.

 

[Socreges]

I just want to say another thing about this statement... maybe you don't notice because you're Korean so you yourself notice is more often... but from an objective standpoint: GAF is obsessed with North Korea and its suffering. It's like one of the forum's favorite topics... and the content is usually a long string of sad faces and armchair analysts on what should be done to save them. I really do think GAF knows about the suffering.

Yep.

Would also like to agree with the important distinction between 'laughing at ridiculous dictator/regime' and 'sad at suffering of North Koreans'. I'd imagine I've seen most of the available media on what's happening within North Korea. It's fascinating and haunting and depressing. There's no comedy to be had there. The propaganda, though? Kim Jong Il making it look like he's actually doing something productive? Ripe for parody.

 

[BocoDragon]

Yep.

Would also like to agree with the important distinction between 'laughing at ridiculous dictator/regime' and 'sad at suffering of North Koreans'. I'd imagine I've seen most of the available media on what's happening within North Korea. It's fascinating and haunting and depressing. There's no comedy to be had there. The propaganda, though? Kim Jong Il making it look like he's actually doing something productive? Ripe for parody.

yes.

 

[commedieu]

I'm more offended that North Korea thinks it can threaten to blow up anyone over news coverage, or "mud slinging." They are willing to murder in the name of their reputation? Right, its North Korea. But still, its just as disgusting as every other thing they've done. On one hand, I hope S.K tells them to go fuck themselves, but on the other hand, it makes more sense to just apologize. It just infuriates me to know that their apology will be broadcast to show the power of the great leader. Ego's aside though, its the realistic thing to do when you're talking about needless deaths.

The reports say this is rare for them to directly call out an attack like this., but I see "empty threat #213123523."

And after that failed missile test of theirs, its really hard to not smile at the whole latitude and longitude quote.

 

[Socreges]

yes.

Yeah.

The reports say this is rare for them to directly call out an attack like this., but I see "empty threat #213123523."

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[BocoDragon]

Yeah.

ayup.

 

[Uchip]

The adventures of Kim Jong Un

 

[Enco]

Another thread about the shitty country (government) that is North Korea.

I will once again post this article for anyone who doesn't know about the shit that happens there.

Some highlights:

In Camp 14, a prison for the political enemies of North Korea, assemblies of more than two inmates were forbidden, except for executions. Everyone had to attend them.

Shin and his mother lived in the best prisoner accommodation the camp had to offer. They had their own room, where they slept on a concrete floor, and they shared a kitchen with four other families. Electricity ran for two hours a day. There were no beds, chairs or tables. No running water.

Single men and women slept in dormitories segregated by sex. The eighth rule of Camp 14 said, "Should sexual physical contact occur without prior approval, the perpetrators will be shot immediately."

Eating rats was essential to survival. Their flesh could help prevent pellagra, which was rampant, the result of a lack of protein and niacin in their diet.

One day in June 1989, Shin's teacher, a guard who wore a uniform and a pistol on his hip, sprang a surprise search of the six-year-olds. When it was over, he held five kernels of corn. They all belonged to a slight girl Shin remembers as exceptionally pretty. The teacher ordered the girl to the front of the class and told her to kneel. Swinging his wooden pointer, he struck her on the head again and again. As Shin and his classmates watched in silence, lumps puffed up on her skull, blood leaked from her nose and she toppled over on to the concrete floor. Shin and his classmates carried her home. Later that night, she died.

Shin was nine years old, and he and his classmates were walking towards the train station, where their teacher had sent them to pick up coal. To get there they had to pass below the guards' compound. From above, the guards' children shouted: "Reactionary sons of bitches are coming." Rocks rained down on the prison children. Shin and his classmates shrieked and cowered. A rock struck Shin on the head, knocking him to the ground. When his head cleared, many of his classmates were moaning and bleeding. Moon Sung Sim had been knocked out.

When their teacher discovered his bloodied students sprawled in the road, he became angry. "What are you doing not getting yourselves to work?" he shouted. The students timidly asked what they should do with their classmates who were unconscious. "Put them on your backs and carry them," the teacher instructed.

Source

 

[Ignis Fatuus]

Seriously? Would you tell the family of someone who lost a loved one in the holocaust or any kind of tragedy to lighten up and joke about it? Obviously N Korea isn't on that scale, but the rationale is the same. My relatives will die a sad life there and there's nothing I can do. I think I have been pretty light here. Not like I continuously yelled at people to stop using the meme.

A better analogy would be to something like Hipster Hitler, an absurd caricature of the regime. No one is making fun of holocaust victims by having a laugh at Hitler's expense, and no one is making fun of our relatives by parodying North Korean propaganda. I seriously think you're getting angry about nothing here.

 

[DiscoJer]

South Korean women don't have meaty thighs do they?

They don't seem to have knees, either.

 

[Suairyu]

They don't seem to have knees, either.

Would explain GAF's attraction to them, then.

 

[ChiTownBuffalo]

Am I the only one offended with the "Best Korea" meme? As someone who has relatives stuck in North Korea, I find it pretty offensive and not at all funny.

Carry on.

You know, I'm in the same boat as you as far as a split family. And the Best Korea thing, I use it my everyday life when people ask me the perennially stupid question of which Korea I'm from. I reply "The Best Korea."

It actually bothers me more that every time there are issues on the peninsula, K-Pop gaf uses it as a carte blanche to post stupid photos.

Funny thing is though, I can only stomach those LiNK kids for about 5 minutes.

 

[BocoDragon]

You know, I'm in the same boat as you as far as a split family. And the Best Korea thing, I use it my everyday life when people ask me the perennially stupid question of which Korea I'm from. I reply "The Best Korea."

It actually bothers me more that every time there are issues on the peninsula, K-Pop gaf uses it as a carte blanche to post stupid photos.

Funny thing is though, I can only stomach those LiNK kids for about 5 minutes.

I'm not Korean so sorry for adding my $.02. But I get annoyed by "Starcraft huh huh" every time Korea is mentioned.

 

[ChiTownBuffalo]

I'm not Korean so sorry for adding my $.02. But I get annoyed by "Starcraft huh huh" every time Korea is mentioned.

You know, with regular people I brace myself for the "Which Korea are you from?"

When I'm around nerds, I do the same thing with Starcraft.

But...I dunno that I can get too upset, I've worked in a dry cleaners, a liquor store, have a black belt in Taekwondo and owned two Korean dogs. Not like I'm not fulfilling alot of those stereotypes.

 

[UnluckyKate]

You know, with regular people I brace myself for the "Which Korea are you from?"

When I'm around nerds, I do the same thing with Starcraft.

But...I dunno that I can get too upset, I've worked in a dry cleaners, a liquor store, have a black belt in Taekwondo and owned two Korean dogs. Not like I'm not fulfilling alot of those stereotypes.

What's a korean dog ?