From LiNKorea

Project: Sunshine
Wanted: Passionate LiNKstars

New Dates! June 5 – June 23rd
LiNK will be executing an exciting awareness initiative in South Korea this summer. We are looking for a delegation of LiNK members from all over the world to participate and join us for those three important weeks. Details will be divulged to only those accepted, and LiNK will seek to find funds to provide financial subsidy of flight expenses. We will seek to find delegation members housing together as well.

If you are interested in participating, please send a resume over to adrian@linkglobal.org, with the subject heading of: “Project Sunshine Application.” All applications are due by midnight, March 15.

Unfortunately, real life is getting in the way this summer so I cannot go. Besides, I’d probably hang out at the Cybercafes all night. Never put a blogger/gamer in front of Korean broadband.

(Via. Flying Yangban)

LiNK at Sookmyung Women’s University
Friday, March 3, 2006

LiNK Executive Director Adrian Hong will be speaking about the North Korean human rights crisis, recent developments in international efforts working for the cause, and how LiNK fits in. Please join us at 5 pm in Room 503 of the Centennial Hall, Sookmyung Women’s University. Those interested in helping LiNK Seoul are especially encouraged to come.

(Note: Now is an awesome time to promote your events here and be read by a couple of people. My E-mail address is to your right).

The heat is on a certain North Korean “export” (Via. The Korea Liberator)

N.K. Counterfeit Bill Accounts Surface in Hong Kong

Bank accounts linked to trade in North Korean counterfeit U.S. bank notes have surfaced for the first time in Hong Kong. U.S. authorities are planning to seize the funds through legal action.

The U.S. is preparing to seize more than US$2.67 million from three frozen bank accounts with Chiyu Banking, a subsidiary of Bank of China Hong Kong. The South China Morning Post reported the funds are believed to be the first known link between a Hong Kong bank and North Korea’s underground trade in “supernotes,” or high-quality fake US$100 bills. The accounts belong to an unemployed mainland Chinese woman named Kwok Hiu Ha.

The U.S. Department of Justice had the money frozen a year ago following undercover work by a private investigator probing a counterfeit cigarette operation. A spokeswoman for the bank said the institution would not comment on individual clients.

The U.S. has been accusing North Korea of conducting illicit financial activities to fund its nuclear arms programs. In September, Washington banned U.S. institutions from doing business with Macau’s Banco Delta Asia, believed to be a front to launder money from North Korea’s drug trafficking and trade of counterfeit goods. This resulted in a deadlock in multilateral negotiations to defuse the nuclear issue.

The latest revelation comes ahead of an upcoming meeting on March 7, when North Korean diplomats are scheduled to meet with U.S. officials who will brief them on why Washington imposed financial sanctions on Pyongyang.

Think of all the crimes and atrocities the North Korea has committed. Think of all the potential excuses to explain these crimes from anyone. Now, think of a good excuse for counterfeiting another countries’ money. One excuse for stealing money could be the Robin Hood argument. But this is not stealing, money this is copying money. If one were to go back in history and explore the crime of counterfeiting, one would find that the punishment for counterfeiting money is usually death.

Death, like for possession in Singapore or getting raped by a man in Pakistan

Throughout history, there is absolutely no justification for counterfeiting. So is North Korea going to get away with something as serious (in nearly all civilized societies) as producing dollars?