Snow in North Korea [Archive]

Ixtab

02-15-2006, 10:17 AM

Children on Snowy Day

http://www.kcckp.net/images/periodic/korea/2006/02/22-1-0.jpg

http://www.kcckp.net/images/periodic/korea/2006/02/22-3-0.jpg

http://www.kcckp.net/images/periodic/korea/2006/02/22-2-0.gif

http://www.kcckp.net/images/periodic/korea/2006/02/22-5-0.jpg

When it snows, children merrily roll snowballs to make snowmen, throw snow lumps at one another, skate and sled on the ice, adding to the scenery in winter.

Korea Times (http://www.kcckp.net/en/periodic/korea/index.php?contents+1276+2006-02+48+13)

Ixtab

02-15-2006, 03:02 PM

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/images/dprk-dmsp-dark.jpg
The North Koreas have had several power outages that lasted several weeks in the last decade, and they have been forced to apply the most rigourous measures of energy conservation. I've also heard about occasional black-out drills, if PBS is a reliable source on anything. Let's hope they develop nuclear energy.

Factors which contributed to the DPRK's energy crisis: the end of socialist market relations (the USSR was number one producer of oil and natural gas, main source of oil & energy for the DPRK in terms far more favourable to the DPRK than those imposed by the anti-communist oil monopolies); US not following through with the 1994 Framework Agreement (and never intended to, as Clinton later admitted). According to the agreement, the DPRK was to be delivered oil and to be given funding and technical assistance for the building of 2 light water reactors as an alternative source of energy to nuclear power plants (graphite reactors) that were then under construction. (Light-water reactors do not produce plutonium as a byproduct and therefore can't be used for nuclear weapons.) The DPRK fully abided by the terms of the agreement (shutting down construction of the nuclear power plants, allowing inspectors, and so forth), and the US broke it. The DPRK now has no other option than to resume its nuclear energy programme, and it was only after the US and Japan announced that they were not going to be shipping oil deliveries to the DPRK that the DPRK resumed that programme. The DPRK has been forced to endure the most rigorous measures of energy conservation. I saw a satellite photograph from the late 1980s of the Korean peninsula, along with another from 1996 and another from 2003; only the last two showed the above. Anyway, the DPRK would gladly give up its nuclear energy programme for peaceful relations with the US.