South Korean official denied access to DMZ

I view this as an unwise move by Gen. Brunson the USFK/CFC/UNC commander. I hope it's just a stupid mistake and not a poorly judged policy move. The current South Korean administration is trying to reduce tensions with North Korea and increase stability on the peninsula. I remember when former president Moon Jae-in's cooperative initiatives with North Korea were resented and blocked by the US.

Right on! "ROK unification minister criticizes [US-run] UN Command for denying national security official access to DMZ. He called it 'ridiculous' that South Korean officials face restrictions when trying to access areas that are under its sovereignty." https://t.co/YBuZDEClH3

— Tim Shorrock (@TimothyS) December 4, 2025

After I saw this post by Aqua that this movie was banned in South Korea years after it was produced in 2000, I found it online and watched last Sunday. The Joint Security Area set box office records when it first came out in South Korea. I can see why. Great script and acting. An amazing creative work. Yes, North Koreans and South Koreans, are still Koreans.

The Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations (2008–2017) blacklisted 14 films.

Park Chan-wook’s Joint Security Area (JSA, 2000) was among them, accused of depicting North Korean soldiers as comrades and allegedly fostering left-wing sentiment.pic.twitter.com/v6EcTFzOpZ https://t.co/7kShQTpZ5j

— aqua (@aqua52043525) December 2, 2025

I mentioned the one year anniversary of the coup attempt yesterday.

“These protests taught me that revolutions are not led by heroes, but by ordinary people.”https://t.co/JfYQsJdCzv

— The Hankyoreh (@TheHankyoreh) December 4, 2025

This was a demonstration to commemorate the event in which the people prevented a military coup d'etat and return to dictatorship in South Korea. Thanking haneulnim that the pro-Yoon conspirators didn't succeed provoking the armed confrontation with North Korea for which they had planned. Frankly it was the North that acted with restraint, while the Yoon administration engaged in provocative actions. But that goes against the English language media script.

I hope Trump is going to make some grandstand appearance at the DMZ or elsewhere with Kim next spring when he's in Asia. If he sets the stage for reduction of tensions, and improved relations, then have at it. Or would it all be just for show again? There are a number of practical issues that need to be worked on between North and South Korea, and hopefully the US will stop playing its obstructionist role.

This is unreal. The new Japanese PM just told an audience of Saudi investors, quoting from a manga:

"Just shut your mouths and invest everything in me!!!"

Even worse, in said manga - "Attack on Titan" - the character saying that line (Eren Yeager: https://t.co/cDwt26n7Xz) ends… pic.twitter.com/J9bhTOlczj

— Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand) December 3, 2025

Another Takaichi gaffe.

"The 2 Asian neighbors have been locked in an escalating dispute since Beijing harshly criticized Takaichi's answers to questions in parliament on Nov. 7 suggesting that a military attack on Taiwan could trigger a response involving Japan's [SDF]."https://t.co/U8oH2tiNJY

— Jon Reinsch (@JonReinsch) December 3, 2025

The LDP/Ishin plan to cut 45 seats in Japan's House of Representatives may worsen the problem of some low population prefectures being more represented than urban areas.
Due to this vote disparity (一票の格差) some rural voters have 2X the voting power of city voters. https://t.co/fTCYlkehxp pic.twitter.com/SLQDZYgo1a

— Jeffrey J. Hall (@mrjeffu) December 3, 2025

Amazing Teresa Teng performance of Come back to Busan Port. A Chinese performer, singing a Korean song, (performed by Jo Yong-pil) in Japanese I think. I believe I heard a few phrases in Korean; I wonder if there are any other languages in there. The lyrics have been changed to reflect longing not for a missed brother, but a missed lover, it seems. I know there are different versions of the song. Jo Yong-pil was sued for copyright infringement. Originally, the song was called ( 돌아와요 충무항에 ) Come back to Choong-mu Port, not too far from Busan. In the original original subject to the plagiarism suit, it was "dear" and not "brother" that was missed.