[KS] Rare and excellent footage of North Korean loggers in Russia on BBC TV Newsnight

[Afostercarter at aol.com]

Dear all,
 
Huge thanks to Michael Rank for flagging this up.
I hope he won't mind it being broadcast more  widely.
Everyone concerned with Korea should watch this.
 
This is a fascinating and revealing report. It's the  first film
I've ever seen of North Korean logging camps in  Siberia.
And who knew that a British firm was profiting from  them?
 
Newsnight is a daily programme, so best be quick as I 
don't think it stays up online indefintely. But as of  now
you can watch it in full at _http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/newsnight_ 
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/newsnight) 
This item starts about 27 minutes in, so just move the cursor  to the right.
(Wince as Kirsty Wark mispronounces Kim Jong-il,
but after that it only gets better.)
 
There's also a short video clip, for now, on Newsnight's front  page
at _http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/default.stm_ 
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/default.stm) 
and a presumably permanent summary article about it 
(which also includes the video clip) at
_http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/8221164.stm_ 
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/8221164.stm) 
 
Simon Ostrovsky is an excellent investigative  journalist.
Google will lead you to other examples of his work,  for
instance in Uzbekistan and even Kalmykia:
_http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/7068096.stm_ 
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/7068096.stm) 
_http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/international_politics/insid
e%20europes%20buddhist%20nation/894772_ 
(http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/international_politics/inside%20europes%20buddhist%20nation/8947
72) 
 
Importantly, when he gets North Koreans to speak on  camera,
he is careful to disguise and protect them.  Unlike, it would seem, 
the gushing and much gushed-over Mss Ling and  Lee:
_http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-korea-underground23-200
9aug23,0,2753762.story_ 
(http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-korea-underground23-2009aug23,0,2753762.story) 
 
Highly recommended. Many thanks again to
Michael Rank for spotting this.
 
 
 
Aidan Foster-Carter 
Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Sociology  & Modern Korea, Leeds 
University, UK   
Flat 1, 40 Magdalen Road,  Exeter, Devon, EX2 4TE, England, UK 
T: (+44, no 0)    07970 741307 (mobile);   01392 257753       Skype: 
Aidan.Foster.Carter 
E: _afostercarter at aol.com_ (mailto:afostercarter at aol.com) ,   
_afostercarter at yahoo.com_ (mailto:afostercarter at yahoo.com)               W: 
_www.aidanfc.net_ (http://www.aidanfc.net/)  


______________
 
In a message dated 8/26/2009 20:42:29 GMT Daylight Time, rank at MAILBOX.CO.UK 
 writes:
 

At the  last moment I have just spotted that Newsnight tonight (Wed) 
will have  "an extraordinary film which reveals the partnership between 
a  company run by British businessmen and the secretive and  repressive 
regime of North Korea, operating in a remote Russian  forest."

Michael Rank




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