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October 24, 2006

China: For Kim, "Solly" Seems To Be The Hardest Word

So now the Chinese are saying that Lil Kim is not a font of contrition after all:

BEIJING - North Korean leader Kim Jong Il did not apologize for his regime’s nuclear test when a special envoy from China’s president visited Pyongyang last week, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

South Korean news reports said last week that Kim had expressed regret for the Oct. 9 test during a visit by State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, who delivered a personal message and a gift from Chinese President Hu Jintao.

“These reports are certainly not accurate,” ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a regular press briefing. “We haven’t heard any information that Kim Jong Il apologized for the test.”

After the UN's "very angry" letter to Kim has achieved its predicted results of, er, nothing

you can see the Chinese are sweating dumplings over Kim flooding their border with refugees.

In a sign China took Kim’s threat seriously, Liu also warned against expanding the sanctions.

“All parties should not willfully interpret or expand the sanctions,” he said.

China, which has traditionally opposed sanctions and advocated dialogue, supported the U.N. Security Council action against North Korea and condemned the North’s test in unusually forceful language.

But Beijing also fears any sanctions that could squeeze impoverished North Korea so tightly that it collapses, causing instability on its borders and a potential wave of refugees.

So the Chinese are scurrying to build a nice big fence on their border with NoKo. I have to say, though, given what we've heard about the conditions there, what with all the starvation that already exists, how could conditions for the citizens really get any worse? Sure, if the military starts feeling the squeeze then you could see a barracks coup, but the poor people are in such a horrid condition because of this guy. Oops, I mean because of Bushcheneyhalliburton, obviously.

"My gweat pwan is woking bwillyantry!"

Update: It seems Capt. Ed is thinking along these lines as well:

Keep an eye on Pyongyang. The DPRK Army tried twice to remove Kim, and if they get hungry enough, they may try it again.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at October 24, 2006 07:00 AM