Serious Business on the Border

Note: I planned to illustrate this post with a photo of the China/North Korean border at Dandong, but Chinese censorship means I'm still accessing my blog through a proxy, where some of the options have disappeared.

When I lived on the North Korean border I was never worried about the possibility of being kidnapped. The quiet barren wasteland over the river just didn't seem threatening. We all knew that armed guards sometimes lurked in the long grass, but we saw them as part of the vague thrill that came from living on the border of the hermit state. When we went to 'one-step crossing' and waded through the shallow water to touch DPRK soil, there was a small sense of apprehension, but it was never based on reality. After all, we were citizens of the free world and that kept us safe, right?
But this week two American reporters were caught by North Korean guards and sentenced to 12 years hard labour, in a gulag with horrific conditions. They were reporting from the Chinese border city of Yanji, which is further north than Dandong, and were apparently trespassing on North Korean territory when they were picked up. However, this can't be confirmed, and surprisingly no-one trusts the word of North Korea. They may have even been blatantly kidnapped from Chinese soil...After a matter of days, they were put on trial, found guilty of 'grave crimes' and sentenced almost immediately. I have never seen a court move so fast! If only we could convict rapists and child molesters within that short space of time. Of course it just shows that the North Korean 'justice system' is an absolute farce. Speculation about North Korea's motivation is rife. This new aggression could be an attempt to assert authority in the face of the new Obama administration, or a way to blackmail the US into giving diplomatic and monetary favours. North Korea's recent behaviour, since Kim Jong Il suffered a stroke last summer, has been increasingly erratic. His sons are jostling for position as his successor, the youngest one is currently favourite. Kim's government has tested another nuke, closed a major joint-owned South Korean production facility and now pulled this out of the hat to shock the world. They have become more aggressive, seem unconcerned about appeasing anyone and have refused to participate in the six-party talks aimed at peacefully resolving the nuclear testing issue and improving North Korea's relationship with the outside world. It's difficult to guess the next twist in their unpredictable behaviour, seemingly designed to shock everyone and alienate themselves still further. The US have already mentioned putting North Korea back on the blacklist of terrorist-sponsoring nations and tightening existing sanctions. I can't imagine the effect this must be having on the North Korean citizens, who live in bad enough conditions already. Having potential foreign aid cut off because of reckless government jockeying is the last thing they need.