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A RUSTY CARGO SHIP festooned with welcome banners today arrived at North Korea’s Diamond Mountain resort – marking the launch of new tours from China, which snub Seoul and aim to replace suspended South Korean trips.
For a decade, the two Koreas jointly operated a golf resort ringed by Mount Kumgang’s seaside vistas and jagged peaks just north of their border, but Seoul halted the reconciliation project in 2008 after a North Korean guard shot and killed a South Korean tourist.
With relations at a low point, the two sides have been unable to agree on terms for restarting the project. Instead, the cash-strapped North has now turned to China, seizing South Korea’s assets at the site known familiarly abroad as Diamond Mountain and evicting its workers over Seoul’s objections.
Now, North Korea is opening the site to other investors and welcoming tourists of all nationalities who will meet in the Chinese city of Yanji, drive three hours by road to the North Korean port city of Rason, and then go by cruise down the east coast by ship to Kumgang.
“We have opened the door, and it’s open to the whole world,” said Park Chol Su, vice-chairman of the Taepung International Investment Group, a North Korean government agency set up to attract foreign investment.
He said large-scale infrastructure projects were a priority and that discussions were under way with a few potential investors, though he wouldn’t give specifics.
Seoul officials say they’ll try to get foreign governments to boycott the plans, and it remains unclear how many non-Korean tourists will make their way to a resort that primarily drew nostalgic South Koreans.
The cruise would ferry tourists from Rason – a special, separately-administered economic zone in North Korea’s far northeast, a few hours’ drive from the Chinese city of Yanji – to Mount Kumgang, near the Demilitarised Zone dividing the Koreas.
The maiden voyage — a trial run — arrived today, carrying dozens of Chinese travel agents, international media and North Korean officials.
About 500 North Koreans lined up with military precision at the Rason port for a red carpet send-off yesterday, waving small flags and plastic flowers while revolutionary marches such as “Marshal Rides a White Horse” blared over the loudspeakers. Streamers swirled and balloons spiraled skyward.
The Mangyongbong, a refurbished Japanese-built cargo ship with rusty portholes and musty cabins, was used for the 21-hour overnight cruise tracing the length of North Korea’s east coast.
Some passengers slept on wooden bunkbeds while others were assigned mattresses on the floor. Simple meals were served cafeteria-style on metal trays.
A plaque on board commemorated a 1972 tour of the boat by North Korea’s founder, the late president Kim Il-sung, and bright red posters emblazoned with his sayings decorated the walls.
Park promised a “more luxurious” ship capable of carrying up to 900 passengers, perhaps next year. He said the goal is to bring as many as 4,000 visitors a day from Rason to Mount Kumgang during the peak summer season, up from some 500 per week now.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said tourism officials had held a banquet for the tourists who arrived at Diamond Mountain on Tuesday.
North Korea remains far off the beaten track for tourists — especially those from the US and South Korea, whose nations fought against North Korea and China during the 1950-53 Korean War. But Hwang said Rason is open to all tourists.
“People from any country — Jamaica, Japan, Singapore, people from various countries — can come to Rason and don’t require a visa,” said Rason’s vice mayor, Hwang Chol Nam. “That’s the reality.”
But other restrictions remain. Hwang said visitors must book with approved travel agents and remain in their guides’ company throughout. Mobile phones must be left behind in China.
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Ask the bar man. I’m sure he’ll remember such an important date for the country.
Sharon I’d say the barman got a brown envelope to develop a case of memory loss.
Someone has to be honest in that place
I really feel they’re all corrupt watching out for gains to themselves & covering their own backs….
Lillian
Would you like to withdraw your outrageous slander that the Barman on duty on the night of the Bank Guarantee is corrupt and received monies to remain silent on the identities of those visitors in the Bar on that occasion?
Dont forget to ask those dogs on the street , I hear they know everything
Good man Rick, defend the barman.
I presume that Lillian is right about everyone else then.
Rick this is my own opinion & a lot seem to agree so how can you say I’m the only person being “slanderous “…unless you personally know what really happened on that night .
Lillian
I’m delighted to know that you have your own opinion but I’m afraid that a fan club doesn’t minimise the damages that could be awarded against you in Court for traducing the reputation of an individual in such a public forum as the Journal. The rock throwers behind you are merely keystroke supporters Lillian and they won’t fund either your legal costs or penalties. I’d be slower with the slurs in future.
Rick you should run for election.
@Rick…go crawl back up Endas @rse you painful little man!
Hello Frank
I see the vulgarity continues to let you down . Funny thing about education……it’s impossible to hide and the opposite is also so very true. I note you still remain a tax evader and you have the impertinence to attack me!
Just as a tired little post script……I have forwarded your IP address to Revenue.ie
rick how about going and asking your dear leader to tell the truth for a change , and deal with the issue at hand ,
Enda’s lying thru his brown-one , every knows it ,
now why would you think he might be lying rick ?
Something to hide , no doubt , FG like FF heavily involved no doubt ?
Rick ,, This is IRELAND not AMERICA.. you’ve been watching too much Jerry Springer and Oprah
@Dick MacRory…oh Jesus you didn’t do that did you…I can hardly write these words my hands are trembling so much with terror. I’m not going to belittle you with comments about your intellect or education, but I will say this…if you are more qualified/educated than I am then I will take my hat off to you sir. Cause there aren’t many more educated than myself on this fair Isle. And that’s not a boast, it’s just a fact. Run along now to your bedroom and do whatever it is that you do with that picture of Enda. ;-)
Frank
My first name is actually Tariq . I posit that detail to allow you to respond accurately to my posts if you so wish. If you return to my first post you will note that I took umbrage over Lillian’s accusation of misbehavior against the Bar staff in Leinster House and the likelihood that they or he were bribed to remain silent on the presence of visitors in respect of a particular evening. How you can morph that into an accusation of Enda Kenny adulation and in the same breath boast of your education is simply beyond me.
Your posts seem to always include the sort of vulgarisms and foul language that respectable company would shun but if I’m to take you at your word………your education has risen above your social abilities or sensitivities.
@Tariq…let’s leave it at that then…I’m not Enda mood for arguing with you!
TARIQ !
Turn off the heating.!!
Are you the barman Rick??
Youre certainly a government man/supporter with your threatening comments
So lets remove all the spin and noise here. Why doesn’t the department know. The most senior CS had a duty to record what was said.
Lets ask the banks where their senior people were because a point in time restore of an email system will reveal this.
Rick, Lillian has not mentioned anyone’s name so she’s very unlikely to end up in court…just like the gangsters we are talking about here!
Lillian you are talking to vermin that operates under five maybe six different names and like the government they piss down your backs and tell you its raining .
Ruairi
Interesting accusation against me of behaving in a threatening manner when I simply pointed out to a lady that her comments were quite libelous and exposed her to a potential mountain of hurt if the Barman on duty that night wanted to take the effort. She thought she was perfectly all right because readers green thumbed her!
Perhaps you were referring to my treatment of Frank in terms of his pronounced and deliberate intent to evade the payment if his taxes. It is my understanding that this behaviour imposes a duty on us all to report such matters. Threatening ? No …..civic duty!
Joan
How many Barman were on duty that night?
Can we please getthe discussion back to the article in question. Rick, I couldn’t care less about your issue with the barman. Please stop your spin. It’s so obvious. I’ve come here to read proper discussion.
Any camera recordings of people arriving and leaving? Surely there is a security camera somewhere in there..
usually only for 30-60 days then overwritten
I think digital age or not recordings are usually kept for the 30 day period. I know of a couple of well known irish banks and even their data centers only keep recordings for 30 day rolling period (I know this as someone recently hit my parked car outside a bank and they gave me 30 days before the recordings would be over written)
State buildings, gov/army/garda etc would be very foolish to destroy cctv footage after 60 days, no gov agency in the world would.
Plant a bomb set to go off in 61 days and you’re off scott free.
These recordings are kept for at least 3 years.
The existence of the Anglo tapes would suggest otherwise.
Its not just a case of recording images and keeping them for as long as you want. There is a Data Protection act to deal with this. Normal period for keeping recordings is 30 days but you can keep them longer if you are investigating crime or the images are needed for evidence, but you would have to submit to the . You can also request that the images of yourself be deleted from the system.
Section 2(1)(c)(iv) of the Data Protection Acts states that data “shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for” the purposes for which they were obtained. A data controller needs to be able to justify this retention period. For a normal security system, it would be difficult to justify retention beyond a month, except where the images identify an issue – such as a break-in or theft – and is retained specifically in the context of an investigation of that issue.
Jist to clear it up even if footage is recorded onto a hard disk the furthest back ive come across is one year before overwritten but quality is just awful. The better the camera the shorter the period most overwrite 15 to 30 days.
In the likes of Anglo and the tapes digital voice recording takes up tiny space. A year worth of voice would take up what a days good quality cctv would
Also the Anglo tapes are part of an investigation so the tapes would be held for as long as the investigation is ongoing. They were also held by the Garda and not pulled out of some draw in the Anglo building.
the guards turned it away and were out of shot in the dail bar, .Conor the con up goes on and we the people are treated with contempt
George. For someone who works in this area “supposedly” you seem to know very little about it, and the legal side to collecting and storing information on the public. You have based all your comments on the size of the Hard Drive. !!!!
Purely from a health and safety point of view they would have to keep records of whose in the building at any given time for evac purposes. What they do with the records after that is another question. If that’s not the case then it’s an obvious case they are concealing they identity of certain visitors. Frankly the current occupiers have no incentive to change the status quo on this matter.
Ireland acted unilaterally in issuing the Guarantee. It did not seek prior Stare Aid clearance as it was obliged to do. Lagarde, Darling and other Ministers for Finance were dismayed by Ireland’s irresponsible actions.
It was a remarkably foolish action to take. It was based on the assumption of a temporary liquidity crisis.
Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide were not of systemic importance but were included in the Guarantee. Senior and Junior bond holders were included. It was a universal Guarantee.
The cheapest Bank bail out became the most expensive. Private debt was converted unto public debt. The consequence has been massive hardship for the most vulnerable in our society.
The Bank Guarantee decision of he 30th September was the culmination of 8!years of reckless economic mismanagement when the Banks, the Developers and the Politicians feeds greedily off the real economy.
Never did so few exploit so many so severely.
We are left with an unsustainable level of public debt and the Banks baying for the pound of flesh from those who were induced to take out excessive mortgages on grossly over priced homes.
The tax payers and citizens were sold down the river in the interests of the protection of the wealth of the privileged.
Tony, excellent summation. Thank you for your clarity.
Nothing much to be added to that Tony.
I’d forgotten Lenihan’s “This’ll be the cheapest bank bailout in history” comment – wtf would he say about that disastrous decision if he were alive now?
Having said that, I think Lenihan was one of the few FFers who wasn’t part of the corrupt circle, and I think he genuinely believed his comment at the time, after being deceived by Seanie Fitz, Drumm et al.
bullshit mattoid there all rotten to the core and the crew thats in there are just as bad
With no punitive clauses to protect the tax payers. Lenihan was party first just like all his colleagues. The truth has to come out. He made the call against external advice and without discussing with Europe. No wonder they insist we pay.
Bloody sure he was part of all that corruption. He was minister for finance at the time so please don’t be thinking that he was oblivious to what was going on and the levels of debt that the banks were facing. Him and his gangsters in FF were good friends of Drummy, Fitzy, Boucher, Fingers etc. They were all in it together with the other money grabbing government advisors and consultants. May they all rest in torment.
I think its time then to assume Drumm, Fingleton, Neary, Ahern, AIB, BOI were giving expert advice in the Dail bar that night then as well…before Cowen stood up and said ‘OK all in favour of blank cheque raise your hand and will someone get another round of drinks for god sake’
No record of those who attend meetings in a department during a time of crises. Really?
They did what had to be done anyway. Desperate situation required desperate action.
There’s no record that we’ll ever see anyway…
The desperate action being not keeping a record of those meeting in the department Tom Newnewman?
betcha that guy newnewman is a FF pissing down the backs of the people and telling them its raining
Do any of us reading believe this to be the truth….No…this is more lies.
@Lillian, I totally agree. It’s all pure bullshite. For Christ sake, it’s a major government building. They are telling us there is no record of who is in the building at any one time? Seriously! Why don’t we all just head into government buildings, for the craic? Sure they’d never know we were ever inside. Rubbish! These guys are getting more brazen. They are completely shameless and think we’ll believe anything. It’s so insulting! It’s absolutely ridiculous to think a building as well protected as government buildings does not monitor who comes and goes. Also there are no meeting minutes. No minutes! For something so important. The whole thing stinks. They are lying, plain and simple. How can this not be investigated?
They can’t give us the truth about a meeting….and we’re allowing politicians to run a banking enquiry??
Its sickening. To have made the worlds most expensive business blunder on one single night and all the rats are still being allowed to find holes to hide in. They know who was there. For security reasons alone…
Most companies have a record of visitors for evacuation purposes….
Minutes of the meeting etc.
This is all very odd.
Just putting a picture of that traitor Cowan on the article has made my blood boil.
This calls into question the health and safety aspect of visiting these offices. everyone visiting a reception must sign the visitors book. what if a fire broke out? Who would know where the visitors were ?
If a fire breaks out the visitors book is not used to manage the evacuation instead fire wardens sweep each floor room by room making sure everything’s empty. Visitors books are too unreliable eg people not signing out when they leave or not signing in or temporarily stepping out for a smoke Rex.
Coom if they ever find that visitors book half the political classes in this country will end up in jail because cowen will start talking and they do not want that .
Use your imagination and common sense to know who was there.
The Government can’t afford to reveal the identities of all of the visitors because of the outrage the revelations would cause.
Im guessing Dominos Pizza paid a visit at some stage!!
The people of Ireland were rightly screwed over and the Government has to be careful to avoid angering the people.
The people are passive, docile and servile but, if the full facts were revealed, even the Irish may have a breaking point
I would like to believe you about us having a breaking point, but the only way that we would have an angry nationwide mass protest at the government is if they introduced prohibition for 3 months.
I’d like to believe that we Irish have a breaking point but I doubt it….
I wouldn’t believe that for one second.
It really sounds like a backside covering exercise.
They are not lies as such ,it’s just the way things are done ,no accountability ,similar to things written on paper before elections and that
They are all in this together ,
bet the latest dail bar conversation went something like this
Enda : ok mehole , this is how we’ll play it out , I’ll say there is no record ,
you reply and say there is
Mehole : ok , i think I can remember that , Barman ….2 more scotches here for meself and enda , stick it on the taxpayer’s tab .
Now enda , where were we ,
Enda : Later in the week I will repeat “there is no record kept in my office”
Mehole : cool
Enda : don’t worry mehole , the saps in the country will just become fed up with us tooing and frooing , getting nowehere , then tell move onto the next story.
Enda and mehole ; both bust out laughin ,
Mehole : I’ll text you later enda …….don’t forget , corry at 7.30
They must think were all completely stupid or is it a case that they don’t actually care any more if we believe them ir not
There is records in the Taoiseach’s office but he will not release because it will do damage to him as he said they were shredded, that’s a lie FF have requested all documents be released under FOI but only 30 has out of 143 so the Taoiseach should be truthful on this.
POLITICANS DON’T DO TRUTH ………………FF MEMEBERS OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THIS
Oliver
I thought your Cumain told you to stop Posting on this site as your English is appalling. Your argumentation is also a dead giveaway.
Rick the new site moderator. is it ok if i post on here. promise ill be a good boy and use proper grammmmer
rick’s away to ask enda if he can reply to you
Oliver you don’t need FOI … your current leader & colleagues from previous governments can fully fill you in.
Stop feeding Rick. He’s trying to divert the discussion. Please Rick, stop the spin. I’ve read (unfortunately) all your posts and none are in any way contributing! Stop deflecting the topic by talking rubbish about nothing and attacking posts for lack of grammar and punctuation. Contribute, I mean meaningful. If you just want to flame people I’m sure there are other places more suited. It’s really annoying.
FFS is Kenny that stupid to think we will swallow this?
What he is actually saying that anybody can walk into the Department of the Taoiseach from anywhere within Government buildings, and nobody knows who they are or where they came from.
This now drags the Governments security services into question. After all how can constituents of Septic Phil get dragged into court for egging him, while any Joe Soap can walk right into the Department of the Taoiseach and nobody knows who they are or where they came from?
I for one don’t believe Kenny.
really ?, they are going to get charged for egging him ?. smh
Cameras!
Did you two red thumb one another?
KENNY YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE , YOU WEASEL
Why do people waste time listening to Kenny ?.
I don’t believe a word that comes out of that mans mouth
Can we the people ask for a whistle blower from security there on that night for we pay for honour and truth not cover ups
No surprise there
In there defence they were probably all too pissed drunk to remember sure they probably had a few female td,s on there laps aswell
Lies, lies and more lies!
Where is Edward McSnowden now that we really need him?
So when is the movie out??
it’ll be called
THE LION C__TS
RECORDS we don’t need no stinking records.
Does Brian Cowan not know who came to visit or was he so traumatised at offering the national income he just can’t remember or was the dail bar still open ? questions, questions and it isn’t going away, but sure they’ve all promised to co- operate so……
brian cowen was just daydreaming about pints and buckets of KFC , he’ll remember nothing
A coverup by FF and now by FG and Lab. Not surprising as they all answer to the same masters !
There must be enough security cameras that would have recorded this
This guys must think we are stupid. And do you know what, with the way we sit by and take the corruption that ran this country into the ground by Irish and European political/finanical circles we might well be. This liar and his party of liars stood at our front doors with their 5 point plan and their promise of something better. It sounded good but it was all waffle. Unless this government can create meaningful employment opportunities for a large percentage of the population, I think they should either resign and let someone else in, or I think they should be boycotted completely by all in the next election. Could you imagine another 5 years of this stagnent zero growth Ireland……..?
as if it all matters now the shit hit the fan and we accepted it ,the country is fcked and we as a nation have being too trusting ,with our priests, nuns,bankers ,polliticians ,etc, so unless we speak up as a nation ,then we just suck it up <which seems to be in our d.n.a. and ride the storm…
Why don’t they just ask Brian Cowan who was with him that night.
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