2014-01-21 Swiss, free market and NK issues overlap

Yesterday was another one of those funny interesting days in my life. I was so busy with the usual Monday morning catching up before rushing to a noon meeting with Johanna Poole. She is another dynamite unsung heroine for the cause of NK human rights.

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* Then my next appointment showed up--Henrique Schneider, chief economist of the Swiss Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises. We were scheduled to talk about the economy in Switzerland to get ready for a discussion I would be moderating a bit later. He has been to North Korea to deliver lectures on economics, but before yesterday, he had only focused on economic issues when it came to North Korea. Well! Johanna and I fixed that! I got him to commit to raise at least $2,500 to help rescue at least one refugee from North Korea or to support the adjustment of a North Korean refugee here.

[As I have previously written, I am not interested in going to North Korea, I'd prefer to spend time and resources on helping people escape or adjust.]

http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2012/12/137_127749.html

* After that discussion, Henri and I caught up on some things. We have known each other for about three years, but we have mostly emailed. It was a delightful conversation, he had more questions about human rights issue in North Korea and about North Koreans who successfully escape.

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* I then moderated a Freedom Factory Co. Ltd. discussion at which Henri gave a one-hour lecture to several heirs of SMEs in Korea. He discussed the situation in Switzerland with comparisons to Korea. There are some featured speakers who have a prepared presentation that they must get through. And then there are speakers who don't mind being interrupted, welcome questions and challenges. I sensed that with Henri, confirmed it, so that made the session more lively because we peppered him with questions for almost two hours. He said several things about Switzerland that shocked the folks there, but then when he learned about some of Korea's policies, he was in utter disbelief.

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* We then wrapped up the day with another speech by Henri, this time to several professors who teach at Samsung. They were a particularly active group, it was useless for me to try to moderate them. They were as animated as six-year old kids at a candy buffet. So we had another great session, with everyone leaving the session more educated than when they arrived.

Henri comes to Korea about three or four times a year, so we will be holding a larger session for him next time around. I will be sure to remind him about supporting a North Korean refugee's escape or adjustment.

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Common Sense on North Korea (Korea Times, April 2, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. As interesting as Kookmin University professor Andrei Lankov’s writings are, there is nothing quite like attending one of his lectures. He can barely restrain himself behind the podium, often pointing and waving his arms. I also enjoy his unscripted speeches, but his answers in Q&A sessions are like the difference between watching Michael Jordan shoot baskets in warm-ups and an actual game. I have finally discovered the secret behind Lankov’s consistently solid analysis about North Korea: Use common sense. At an Asan Institute conference last summer, he argued that North Korea watchers should try to understand North Korea from its perspective. Don’t most people know that you must understand the mindset of others you are dealing with? Yet, common sense in theory gets ignored politically. From the North Korean perspective, nuclear weapons are the best thing they’ve got going. They will NOT give them up easily, even if President Obama ...

Rich talking back

The rich are talked about very often in negative terms, but how often do the rich respond in kind? Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart, who inherited most of her money but apparently has also done very well with it, recently railed against class warfare and had some advice for the non-rich : "There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire," she writes. "If you're jealous of those with more money, don't just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself - spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working." She complained about politicians raising taxes, regulations that slow investment, and other anti-business policies that harm the poor. "If you want to help the poor and our next generation, make investment, reinvenstment and businesses welcome."

Random photos from today

I went walking around today. Whereas some people like to go walking in the mountains, I enjoy walking around in the city. Well, not D.C. or other cities with many homeless, crazy and/or armed people walking around... * * * Here's where I had lunch today. About $1.90 for a hamburger hamberger. * * * Ha-ha! Bet you never would have guessed that Batman is a drinking place in Korea! * * * Man Clinic? The Koreans walking by seemed to be very curious about why I was taking a photo of a "Man Clinic." They may know something I don't know...Actually, I wasn't curious enough to go in and find out what it was... * * * Right down the street from the Man Clinic...there's a Love Shop! I love the euphemism. "Love Shop" sounds much better than Sex Shop. I'm guessing that if you don't go to the "Love Shop" to buy condoms that you may need to visit the Man Clinic a short time later? * * * Nobo...

To be a good volunteer, use your brain (Korea Times, December 5, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. There is probably an unwritten rule that a celebrity offering to do volunteer work for a good cause should immediately be embraced. Well, that’s not what happened to Jeong So-dam, the glamorous Korean cable TV announcer when our paths crossed on Nov. 29. Ms. Jeong was the MC of an event about American political philosophy hosted by the Association for Economic Evolution. During my speech about American libertarianism since 1940, I discussed my volunteer work for North Korean refugees. After the speech, Jeong approached me, asking how she could help. I gave her the same tough love I give to potential volunteers by asking: “Who are you?” After all, if you are Bill Gates, then open your wallet. If you speak four languages, then help with translation work. So I first stress to potential volunteers: Use your brain. Tell us about your skills and interests so together we can figure out your initial role. Jeong was good-natured about it, rather than c...

Last weekend: Suicide, Kim Young Ha, NK

Credit: Joanne Cho Event 1: Friday night I went to a talk given by Fulbright junior researcher Joanne Cho. She did a great job putting together statistics about some of the most commonly cited reasons that so many Koreans commit suicide. Probably the most provocative tidbit: Cho watched 86 dramas from the spring of 2012 to now, she says that 63 had "scenes depicting or discussing suicide" in a favorable light (as a way to solve problems, that troubled people can be forgiven for their sins and are even seen as sympathetic). Another interesting tidbit: While it is often cited that Korea is number one in the world in suicide (among countries reporting reliable statistics), what I had not realized or had forgotten is that Korean men are number 8 in the world compared to men in other countries with reliable statistics, Korean women are #1 in the world when compared to women in other countries. My questions for the speaker: 1) What was a finding in your research th...

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