Talk:Ryongchon disaster

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Did the BBC display new satellite pictures of the area? I have yet to see any sat photos that are newer than a year-old pic taken by Digitalglobe on May 13, 2003 [1] [2] (though I'm only looking on the Internet so far). Mulad 19:03, Apr 23, 2004 (UTC)

I believe it was a crop of the second of the images you quote. There certainly didn't look like significant devastation on it, which one would expect from the reported damage. They don't keep it on screen for very long, and certainly don't pick over the details, so I think it's old. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 22:57, 23 Apr 2004 (UTC)

I can't find it now, but on the first BBC Online reports on the disaster they certainly did provide a new satellite image showing a very large black plume over the town. -- ChrisO 00:13, 24 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Could the trains have been carrying Chemical weapons?--131.216.163.87 23:12, 23 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Who knows. Until some reliable person actually goes there it's impossible to know anything for sure. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:15, 23 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Mulad is right, there are no new pictures up to now. See http://www.globalsecurity.org/eye/imint-note-010.htm . We should slow down so things can be sorted out. Awolf002 17:55, 24 Apr 2004 (UTC)

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I made some edits because I noticed someone used the abbreviation "NK" for North Korea, but this got me wondering: is it more proper usage to refer to North Korea as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)? After all, IIRC officially the DPRK claims to be the official government of all Korea, while South Korea (excuse me, the Republic of Korea [ROK] ;-) makes the same claim. Exclusively using the labels "North Korea" & "South Korea" may be considered by some as endorsing an offensive POV. -- llywrch 22:39, 24 Apr 2004 (UTC)

I think "North Korea" and "South Korea" are fine, for this article. We don't say "People's Republic of China" every time we mention that country, not "Taiwan Republic of China" for that. If we didn't cover the matters you describe on the particular pages for those countries, I'd agree that we were expressing a point of view. But here we're using a rather uncontentious shortcut, a policy we seem to share with most (english speaking, at least) media. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 22:44, 24 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Okay. Just for the record, I'm not endorsing this change, & I have no strong opinion either way (although I'm used to referring to East Germany as the DDR [Deutsche Demokratik Republik]). I just want to bring this issue up for consideration, & before some fanatic starts edit wars over the proper style. -- llywrch 22:55, 24 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Nothing will stop the fanatics from ... fanaticising (!) Call NK the DPRK and someone will want it called "communist occupied korea", call SK the ROK and someone will want it called "the right-wing splinter state...". The only way to win is not to play. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 23:10, 24 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Yabbut the hardest trolls not to play with are the ones who start with what appears to be a reasonable request, then gradually draw you in with further requests, until you find yourself enmired in a discussion (for example) whether George W. Bush is best described as "alleged President" or "illegally elected President". Sometimes it's best just to ask a question when the point seems silly, & not when it appears to be a matter of personal honor for several people involved. (And no, I'm not going to opine which is the better description for Bush.) -- llywrch 00:20, 25 Apr 2004 (UTC)

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I know this has no relevance to the article, but it just strikes me as revolting when I think of the North Korean authorities cutting off phone lines to the rest of the world. After treating the world with aggression for so much time, they now want aid from the world, but only in a limited fashion (only letting the Red Cross in, as if the DPRK government is the doing the Red Cross a favour), and they're also cutting off phone lines to stop reporting, but as I said before, they expect aid. if they want to be isolated, they should also refuse aid. Who would want to give them aid after this? But, it seems the rest of the world's tolerance and kindness never ends! 203.109.249.137 12:07, 25 Apr 2004 (UTC)

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I have heard a lot of rumors about chemical weapons, i seen a documentery about North Korea on PBS, and it was suggested that chemical weapons are transported on North Korea's railway system. --Comrade Nick 01:27, 30 Apr 2004 (UTC)

I'm not sure--131.216.163.87 22:38, 30 Apr 2004 (UTC)

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Assaination attempt? It is mentioned on the Kim Jong-il that the disaster could have been an assination attempt, somthing that I believe was menioned as a possibility on BBC a few days later. If anyone has info on this, I do think it should be included. --Jjcarroll 16:57, 15 May 2005 (UTC)