From Marmot, the number 1 source for news on Korea during a time such as now as the Intra-Korean Summit, comes this creepy tidbit: the ROK Ministry of Finance has created blog skins featuring President Roh and Kim Jong-il for the South Korean versions of blogspot, which have been downloaded by 4,000 bloggers. Here are some examples of this taxpayer-sponsored online art:
Someone who can read Korean please tell me what that goal is the two men are racing towards in the bottom picture. On that note, translations of the entire thing by anybody are most welcome.
Classic Marmot:
[The skins] are the first ever to feature the North Korean leader. No word yet, however, on when the ministry will release its Stalin and Mao skins.
About Curzon
Lord George Nathaniel Curzon (1859 - 1925) entered the British House of Commons as a Conservative MP in 1886, where he served as undersecretary of India and Foreign Affairs. He was appointed Viceroy of India at the turn of the 20th century where he delineated the North West Frontier Province,
ordered a military expedition to Tibet, and unsuccessfully tried to partition the province of Bengal during his six-year tenure. Curzon served as Leader of the House of Lords in Prime Minister Lloyd George's War Cabinet and became Foreign Secretary in January 1919, where his most famous act was
the drawing of the Curzon Line between a new Polish state and Russia. His publications include
Russia in Central Asia (1889) and
Persia and the Persian Question (1892).
In real life, "Curzon" is a US citizen from the East Coast who has been a financial analyst, freelance translator, and university professor; he is currently on assignment in Tokyo.
The short answer to that is no. They couldn’t.
And the goal reads “World Market.” The ball, meanwhile, reads “Market Economy,” while the fan section reads, “Becoming an Economic Great Power.” The sign carried by the balloons reads, “The North-South economy, towards becoming one and toward the future.” BTW, as KJI passes the ball to Roh, Roh says, “Nice pass.”
Heartwarming, isn’t it? The funny thing is, for all the talk of building up the North, even Roh admitted yesterday following the morning meeting that Kim was very skeptical about economic reform and opening up the country, while at the same time upset about the slow pace of the Kaesong Industrial Park complex. Or to put this another way, Pyongyang expects the tribute to keep flowing North, but don’t expect anything in the way of the systemic economic reform necessary to make any kind of aid to the North bear fruit.
Yeah, but what’s the goalie in the black shirt saying? It looks like “Hyee!” (While I can make the sounds of Hangûl, I don’t know what the sounds mean… :-)
The flag on the goal says “world free market”. The ball says “market competition.” The banner in the stands says something to the effect “Economy (star) great country” then under that “achieved.” The conversation is harder, either “I take it, and Kim Jong Il is saying “pass”, or something to that effect. The far goal sign says “South-North economy”. The banner floating on balloons says “The South-North economy goes to the future as one.” The goalie is giving the equivalent of “oh, no!” I suppose it is true, South Korean investment and factories combined with North Korean slave labor is building the future South-North economic model.
Ooops, I have a correction, the ball says “market economy”, not competition. Lee Dae Jin Kyu Soo Nim will be so dissapointed in me. The top picture: Banner in tree says “Kaesong Industrial zone”, far banner I cannot read. The airplane is carrying the same banner as in the soccer match “South-North economy goes to the future as one.” And yes I do believe it is an AN2-Colt preparing to drop nK SOF into the South.
And the last correction, on reflection Robert is correct he does say “nice pass.” Konglish always gets me.
Is the goalie supposed to be Uncle Sam?
KJI certainly looks more energetic and alive on that soccer field than he did trundling down the red carpet with Roh.
the little “~” at the end of “Nice” demotes an end of statement…. Kim Jong Il is saying “Pass!” and Noh is literally saying “nice!” (but I supose It should be translated “sweet!”)
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