NEWS: Train Explosion in North Korea; 161 Dead & 1300 Injured

To funny that the NK people will probable be the last to know.

Fox mentioned something about satellite pictures being the way to confirm this story and learn the details of the crash. Since North Korea isn't talking, looks like spying is the only option.

I personally think it was an attempt on Kim Jong II. By WHO I dont have any idea. But I know alot of people would like to see him removed from power. It could have been the Chinese version of the CIA for all we know. It is a shame at the loss of innocent life though. I feel for those families.

Originally posted by sanctum
''I didn't see a thing"
www.kcna.co.jp...

According to the link posted above, Kim Jong II recently paid an unofficial visit to China. He returned by train.

english.chosun.com...

Does anyone think China tried to take Kim out?

Naturally they would not attept such a thing on their own territory, and it's been said that in the meeting between Kim and China's leaders it was insinuated that China considered North Korea an embarassment.

What if Kim did not take kindly to the recommendations that China offered him?

Would the Chinese attempt to take Kim out rather than have US military actions on the Korean peninsula?

Originally posted by robertfenix
I personally think it was an attempt on Kim Jong II. By WHO I dont have any idea.

If living conditions are as bad as the reports coming from there indicate, I would not be surprised if the people of the NK did it themselves.
But 1 person at the expense of 3000 people?

I lean towards human error and a falling apart infrastructure.

Who knows......

While I could agree that the people of NK (some) could have conspired to kill him in a train accident, I doubt that knowing the ramifications of killing thousands of innocent people that they would have continued to conduct this event. I see it more plausible that the China could have set this up in hopes that the termoil would lead the people of NK to rebel against Kim Jong's hard stance with the rest of the world. I bet we will even see some obscure militia type group try and take credit for the "accident" in hope of capatilizing on the "preceived" fear that someone might be trying to take his life. (Kim Jong).

Up to 3,000 people have been killed or injured in a huge explosion after two fuel trains collided in North Korea

The blast happened at Ryongchon station, 50km north of Pyongyang, South Korea's YTN television said.

The incident reportedly happened nine hours after North Korean leader Kim Jong-il passed through the station on his way home from a visit to Beijing.

Mr Kim had been in China to discuss North Korea's nuclear programme.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the colliding trains were carrying gasoline and gas, and that they crashed at around 1300 local time (0400 GMT).
BBC



[Edited on 22-4-2004 by SE7EN]

I'm interested to see how North Korea's propoganda machine spins this to lean towards US involvment...

Who's to say that Kim Jong-il didn't set this up as an elaborate "assassination" atempt to blame the US and gain sympathy for North Korea. It would go hand in hand with his "The USA is going to invade us" mind set.

Who knows....

Why do I have a bad feeling that 20 years from now we will find out that this was a Bay of Pigs-esque attempt by the CIA to assassinate Kim?

Is it just me or does there seem to be similarites with this and the Iran train explosion a couple of months back?

(should of posted here first instead of WOT. oh well... )

[Edited on 22-4-2004 by kegs]

I guess the news networks didn't feel it was important enough to take over the entire schedule...

ITS not just you.

[Edited on 22-4-2004 by tmi4u63]

I don't think we can really question the fact that there is more to this than two trains colliding.

In such a rigid environment as N. Korea, when their leader is in, or passing through, a localised area within 24 hours, they'd have security stepped high and leave no margins of error.

This can fairly surely be said to be an attempt by the US, China, or N. Korea itself, as already said.

Were the US to do this, then the likeliest possibility is that they saw an alliance ready to form in the event that the US invaded N. Korea, they didn't like this, so they tried (and failed) to take out Kim.

Were China to do it, it would, as said, likely be because N. Korea is failing to meet up to their 'suggestions', and is trying to go its own way. China wouldn't like this.

Were N. Korea itself doing it, the sympathy card could play in as a motive- but this is really incredibly small benefit for such a massive loss of fuel and life.. Is there an element we're missing here?

Also, who is to say it failed? If DPRK's leader was assassinated, you really think they'd tell anyone?

The explosion took place 9 HOURS after Kim's presence. NOT ONE OR TWO. NINE. It's too long to be some sort of assasination atempt except it was EXTREMLY BAD TIMING. Come on people, accidents happen every day - planes, trains, ships, tankers...

How do we know it even failed? The 9 hours thing could be just a coverup because Kim's administration is afraid of what would happen if the public became aware he was killed. I think we should take a wait and see attitude on this one.

Originally posted by Cutwolf
I think we should take a wait and see attitude on this one.

Agreed. There is not enough information to do anything other than speculate.

Regardless, whatever comes next will be interesting.

Virtually all major news services have confirmed that NK has disabled all long distance access out of the country.

Originally posted by Cutwolf
How do we know it even failed? The 9 hours thing could be just a coverup because Kim's administration is afraid of what would happen if the public became aware he was killed. I think we should take a wait and see attitude on this one.

It may be true. We will see.

I guess we can all hope that perhaps he was there at the time, although I have a hard time hoping that anyone - even Kim was killed. I guess the only way we'll know is if the Daffy Duck pay-per-view demand is down.