Hunger games

My, my. What people are willing to do when hungry. In a surprise move, coming from a country known for its belligerence towards everyone else, North Korea has agreed to halt all nuclear tests, long-range missile testing and enrichment activities at its nuclear plant, in exchange for food from the US. Yes, the US. Upon seeing the heir of Kim Jong Il, I figured it wasn’t hard to imagine why. Just how ironic does this new leader look to his starving people? His rotund face protruding out of those winter clothing is just priceless! Perhaps he misses those fast food burgers he used to have in college.

But kidding aside, this is a welcome development from North Korea, who the last I heard was issuing warnings to its Southern neighbor regarding pushing through with naval exercises in the area. It seemed at the brink of another “misunderstanding,” one that is usually followed by a conversation of cannon fire! Two hundred forty thousand metric tons of nutritional assistance is the currency of exchange by the US. I just hope they don’t give out those dreadful MREs that their soldiers carry around, or else who knows what will happen! Nutritional assistance could be anything.

But I guess this is how bad it has become in North Korea. What it has done is to expose its weakness, which may turn out to be a good thing. Now the world knows just how badly the North needs food. Which is why the US, through Sec. Hillary Clinton, will closely monitor this new stand by the new leader. They say you shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds you. The thing is, the one eating has nuclear capability. North Korea has also practically admitted that it has a nuclear program used other than energy. Or else it wouldn’t be on the table. They have also agreed to the return of IAEA inspectors to monitor the cessation of activities in its nuclear plant. Amazing! Is this truly North Korea we are hearing about? And that’s not all! Pyongyang has agreed to “take steps to increase people-to-people exchanges, including in the areas of culture, education and sports”! Wow! I guess starting the NBA season was a good decision. Kim Jong Un is an apparent fan of the league. Are we going to see a North Korean player joining the likes of Yao Ming in the future? Who knows? The way this is going, there may actually be a Disneyland in Pyongyang soon!

While this latest North Korean apparent softness on its usually hard line stand is a very welcome gesture, we must still see how their leaders will make good on everything they have laid down. Who knows how the Northern winds will blow once their stomachs are full. How their openness suddenly shuts tight like a Venus fly trap! What happens when the NBA season is over? I hope not. If North Korea, through its new leaders, finally joins the rest of the world, wouldn’t that be the day. Imagine a Korea without the 38th parallel! Without a border full of landmines. Imagine.

Iran would be all alone now.