The Power of One Poster

“Ready to crush any attack with a single blow!”It’s a bizarre way to prove if the DPRK really did sink the Cheonan, a propaganda poster spotted by a Chinese businessman in the DPRK has become the latest argument for North Korean culpability.

Radio Free Asia based its report on an interview with the businessman, who took the photo of the poster on a recent trip to North Korea. The poster is shown on the RFA Korean Web site. The RFA did not specify the date the photo was taken but, citing unnamed sources, said it was likely the poster was made after the Cheonan sinking to encourage military heroism among North Korean soldiers.

The RFA quoted the Chinese businessman as saying, “Officials in North Korea have claimed that the South Korean government’s accusation of North Korea as the culprit in the Cheonan incident is a false charge, but the propaganda poster showing the breaking of a ship in two pieces seems to conflict with their claim.”

The RFA also cited a North Korean defector who said a rumor circulated within the North Korean military after the Cheonan sinking that “the heroic navy landed a blow.”

Despite an indirect condemnation by the UN Security Council Friday, North Korea is reiterating its claim of innocence. The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday that the country remains resolute in digging out the truth behind the Cheonan incident.

There seems to be a disagreement between commenters milton, Kushibo, and NKEW about whether the ship depicted in the poster could be something similar to the Cheonan.

Of course, Pyongyang doesn’t need to prove it sank the vessel to win the approval of its citizens for a belligerent policy. What is clear is, that Pyongyang is as confused and ham-fisted about a message about the sinking as Seoul was.

In the RFA report, a South Korean military expert explained, “Judging from the shape, it is clear that the warship on the poster is a patrol ship, the same kind of warship as the Cheonan, not a destroyer or a frigate,” and added, “The North Korean authorities seem to have produced the poster to maintain soldier confidence.”

However, a defector from North Hamkyung Province who also spoke to RFA said, “Even though a rumor that our heroic navy had dealt a blow (to the South) circulated within the Chosun People’s Army immediately after the Cheonan incident happened, the authorities insisted it was a fabrication by South Chosun. Therefore, soldiers cannot trust them.”

In late April, a Daily NK source reported that the authorities advertized proudly after the incident that they had taken revenge on the enemy, and that South Korea was living in fear of the North’s military ability.

Now, there’s a reason for unification: we both are stupid!

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Filed under: Korea, Maritime, Military Tagged: cheonan, dprk, north korea, rok, South Korea