It Makes a Difference to the Sheep

DON'T MESS WITH THAT NEWSPAPER! Free North Korea links to a Korea Times article which describes what happened when some South Korean KEDO workers had the teremity to crumple and throw away a copy of the Rodong Sinumn:

In October 1997, relations between the two Koreas ran into a crisis. This crisis was so serious that North Korea temporarily halted the construction of light-water nuclear reactors _ despite the immense importance the project had for the country’s economy. Pyongyang explained this was the only possible answer to the outrageous discovery that was made in the dormitory of the South Korean specialists who were involved in the reactors’ construction.

What actually happened? An issue of the Rodong Sinmun newspaper was found in the waste bin, torn and crumpled! Its first page was damaged! ``So what?’’ might ask a Western or South Korean reader, quite accustomed to the unceremonious treatment of newspapers. Foolish them, for the attitude towards newspapers in the North, and in particular to Rodong Sinmun, is very different. The newspapers’ front pages nearly always bear the sacred portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, and this alone entitles them to special respect and treatment. And, apart from this, Rodong Sinmun is, well, Rodong Sinmun.

This has shades of the North Korean cheerleaders running back to rescue a banner bearing the Dear Leader's visage that was poorly hung.

But they were emotional off the field as well. During the games, the women were shown on television overcome after passing a welcome poster hung by local residents that depicted the North Korean president shaking hands with former South Korean president Kim Dae Jung. The cheerleaders cried hysterically, insisting the poster was haphazardly mounted on street lights and hung too close to the ground. Pouring out of their bus, they ran a quarter of a mile to retrieve it. "How could you treat our dear leader this way?" one sobbed on camera.