Top North Korean officials make surprise trip to Seoul

[left-of-center2012]

Source: USA TODAY

SEOUL (AP) — North Korea's presumptive No. 2 led members of Pyongyang's inner circle in a rare trip Saturday to South Korea for the close of the Asian Games.

The North Korean delegation to the games in Incheon was led by Hwang Pyong So, the top political officer for the Korean People's Army and considered by outside analysts to be the country's second most important official after supreme leader Kim Jong Un. Hwang is also a vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission led by Kim and a vice marshal of the army.

The visit comes as rumors swirl in the South about the health of Kim, who has made no public appearances since Sept. 3 and skipped a high-profile recent event he usually attends.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/10/03/seoul-n-korea-sends-no-2-in-rare-visit-south/16692279/

[ColesCountyDem]

1. Interesting.... n/t

[davidpdx]

2. I heard about this from my wife

I'm about 5 km from where the games are being held. Glad they are over today as the traffic has been a mess.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. North and South Korea 'agree to talks'

North and South Korea have agreed to resume formal high-level talks that had effectively been suspended since February, reports from South Korea say.

The agreement came during a surprise visit to South Korea by North Korean officials for the closing ceremony of the Asian Games.
...
Both sides were said to have agreed to meet again within the next few weeks.
...
The BBC's Stephen Evans in Seoul says the talks are something of a breakthrough given the level of insult thrown at the South by the North in recent years.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-29489134

[OnlinePoker]

4. Yesterday, there was a report that Kim Jung-un's sister was in charge in the north

Maybe a coup d'etat and a softening of the line with the south? It would be nice for somewhere on earth to have tension de-escalate.

[johnfunk]

5. Here's hoping the belligerent Kim Jong Pugsley is permanently indisposed

Nothing but agita since he tool over for his dad, Li'l Kim.

[AnalystInParadise]

9. or a clever Maskirovka

as we move into winter and the prime war fighting season on the peninsula.

[Strelnikov_]

6. A lot of indications that big changes are imminent

Could this be the end of the dynasty?

Some of the top generals saw how the leadership in China have become wealthy . . . Chinese manufacturing about to be 'off-shored' to North Korea?

[Mister Nightowl]

7. "Uh, yeah, South Korea,

could we maybe borrow a doctor trained after World War Two?"