Google Bamboozled by North Korea?
I don’t question that Google’s Schmidt means well. But if he wants to better acquaint himself with North Korea’s plans for social media, then North Korea is probably not the best place to be asking questions. There is more illuminating information to be gleaned from such items as news reports (easily found on google) on North Korea’s cyber attacks on South Korean and U.S. web sites — including attacks on U.S. government sites. Or from testimony of experts such as the commander of U.S. forces in South Korea, General James Thurman, who testified just last year to the House Armed Services Committee, as reported by Bloomberg Businessweek, that “North Korea employs sophisticated computer hackers trained to launch cyber infiltration and cyber attacks.”
Or, consider the congressional testimony last march of North Korea expert Col. David Maxwell (Ret.), of Georgetown University, who explained, based on observations of North Korea’s current behavior, that if North Korea attacks South Korea, the North can be expected to make “extensive use of cyber capabilities,” not only against South Korea, but “globally targeted.” That would likely include not only cyber attacks on South Korean military networks, but an exploitation of “the full range of cyber capabilities to include social media to support their propaganda efforts.” Maxwell elaborated: “They will not only introduce false information (to include photos and video) to the internet, they will provide information to international news organizations to affect public opinion in [South Korea] and around the world.”
Such are the ways of the North Korean regime now hosting Google’s Schmidt, who reportedly wants to learn about North Korea’s social media. The real issue here is, what are North Korea’s rulers hoping to gain from Google? If Schmidt really wants to test their intentions firsthand, he could always propose offering unfettered internet and gmail access to the political prisoners of North Korea’s Stalinesque gulag — and see how that idea plays in today’s technology loving Pyongyang. Though, in the unlikely event he tries that, he’d better be ready to find himself on the receiving end of Richardson’s next trip to try to ransom yet another American held hostage by the shakedown experts of North Korea.
Hoping that liberal one-statist-to-another magic works with North Korea like it does with islamists, probably.
I’ll bet that every word, every sound, every gesture, that Eric Schmidt has made while he was there, even when he was using the crapper, was recorded and is the subject of intense scrutiny. He might learn a thing or two about privacy and not being evil. He has visited the innermost circle of Hell.
Google is interested in being the first in the door – and money. After dealing with China, Google has a pretty good system of how to operate in oppressive regiemes. They know there is an upper class in NK that wants access to the outside world (if to escape when the sh*t finally hits the fan) and they have money to pay for it. A few filters and limits is just the cost of doing business.
That’s right, follow the money. Will Goggle write of millions in revenue just because a customer is a tyrant starving his own citizens? Of course not.
Whether as long time self-proclaimed Nork goo-roo, as 2 term governor of New Mexico or as losing out on joining Barack’s cabinet due to some shaky money dealings during his tenure as governor, Bill Richardson is an idiot.
In the news recently are intimations that Mrs. Un has had a baby girl AND Mr. Un has been making nice noises towards South Korea.
So the boy child ruler has been painted as “softening”.
When it comes to at hornswoggling American dreamers, don’t forget Christopher Hill who was hornswoggled by NK promises into releasing a whole wad of frozen North Korean cash.
North Korea? What, did the contract with Zimbabwe fall through?
I could see Goggle’s founder, still being young and idealistic, hoping for a positive revolution in Egypt; but Schmidt is an experienced top level executive. What future market does he see in such a poor, inward looking country? The only reason NoKo hasn’t collapsed is that no one wants to pick up the pieces.
Where is the English Language version of the new site, or is there one yet?
The English version is often good for a laugh … and I don’t see any of the stories you’re referring to on the old site.
D
[Ed. - You're right, I'm not sure why, but the link to the English language web site now defaults to Korean. I've added another link to the post, which should get the English language version: http://www.kcna.kp/kcna.user.home.retrieveHomeInfoList.kcmsf?lang=eng . If that doesn't work, next thing is to hunt on google for kcna.kp ]
LOL. Mr. Eric Schmidt wants to learn more about NK’s social media ? Kim Jong Un’s people barely have sufficient rice and clothing–the VAST majority don’t (Can’t) own computers or cell phones. I’d love to see Google’s expected NK ROI statement based on such a population. The last thing N. Koreans care about is “social media.” These people are slaves and suddently KJU wants to bring them into the 21st century and link them so they can communicate about all the good he’s doing ? This clown fears a revolution–he’s seen the Arab Spring and understands the back channel communications underlying it (cf Twitter).
You’d think that the head of Google would have Googled NK before setting up a trip based on such a stupid agenda. And since I do not believe Mssr Scmhidt is stupid, I’m left to ponder, like the author, exactly WHAT does the NK leadership hope to gain from Google ? Wheat, rice, nuclear fuel rods, missle delivery systems–what ? Wait. Those already come from Pakistan, ME countries or China.
Reunification is the only way to improve the NK’s lot in life. But at what expense to SK ? W/E German reunification managed to largely undo most of Russia’s socialist influence, as they had accomplished what NO one else in the world could do…create a lazy German.
April is coming.