Kim Jong-Il's iPod, wine orders to get denied by US

If you've ever wondered what happens when you run an entire nation into the ground, bar almost every type of contact with the outside world, launch nuclear bomb tests against the orders of outsiders, and still try to order an iPod, well, now you know. North Korea's highly dodgy Kim Jong-Il will reportedly be "doing without luxuries" such as iPods, jet skis (saywha?), jewelery, designer clothes, and fine wines as the US implements an all-out ban against selling these goods to the power-trippin' leader. The nation's elite often enjoy lavish luxuries of first-world countries while the vast majority of its people are left without bare necessities, and apparently, new sanctions are trying to put an end to it. While this case has certainly been made before, individual countries were previously allowed to "make their own decisions," however the United States has now taken a stand by barring all luxury sales to Mr. Kim and his constituents -- which will probably do nothing outside of producing a sudden swell in iPod knockoff orders to the DPRK, unfortunately.

[Thanks, SRW985]

[Fred @ Jan 28th 2007 10:19PM]

Um, isn't this story like 2 months old?

[Andrew Paul Baisden @ Jan 29th 2007 8:05AM]

yeah the UN placed a sanction on foreign luxery items back in november after NK tested nukes on the china's border. this ban doesn't hurt or help but why not it is a small victory for freedom in NK

[Matthew @ Jan 29th 2007 3:56PM]

Yeah, but jump into the time machine and visit a place where Engadget was on top of the news.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/29/us-to-block-sale-of-major-electronics-to-kim-jong-il/

[dbell @ Jan 28th 2007 10:22PM]

"The nation's elite often enjoy lavish luxuries of first-world countries while the vast majority of its people are left without bare necessities"

Now, I know that the majority of Americans are not without bread and water, but have you seen 'super sweet sixteen' recently? Can we please have a ban on selling luxury cars and $100,000 pieces of jewelry to spoiled record execs' kids?

[drumr @ Jan 28th 2007 10:23PM]

hey here's big news on the psp front... http://www.psp-hacks.com/2007/01/28/303-downgrader-released

the downgrader for every psp firmware has been released... big news... psp users can run homebrew now... please have it as an article

[Ryan @ Jan 28th 2007 10:29PM]

Ummm, If he can get nuclear grade plutonium while under sanctions, I'm sure he can get an iPod or expensive wine. These sanctions are pointless!

[Ein @ Jan 28th 2007 10:31PM]

If they can get hold of materials and technologies to make the bomb. A little iPod would be trivial.

[Deezee @ Jan 28th 2007 10:31PM]

If he was smart he'd give away free mp3 players to his people. And fill them with even more government propaganda. It would be a fresh and new way of receiving their daily brainwashings.

[Carlos @ Jan 29th 2007 12:42PM]

Great! "We don't have any food, but I have an Mp3 player!"

[TotalCommunist43 @ Mar 4th 2007 2:55PM]

That is the greatest plan ever. I support that.

[o rly @ Jan 28th 2007 10:35PM]

Why would he care for an iPod when Korea has some of the best DAP's & PMP's ever made? Now you know he really is crazy.

[Reginald @ Jan 28th 2007 11:53PM]

Yeah, aren't Samsung and LG just right next door?




P.S. I love the photo reference to "Team America - World Police." It's fitting since the US seems to be policing this whole matter.

[Brian @ Jan 28th 2007 10:35PM]

Il + Jobs = nuclear powered iPod
WMDs remastered.

[Scabies @ Jan 28th 2007 10:45PM]

re: orly
umm... the technological innovations and sweet PMPs of which you speak come from the south end of the peninsula. you know, the successful democratic side of the DMZ? Up north they have... umm.. well not much. except for the military, and we arent 100% sure what they have as far as that goes anyways (though we could still take em :D)

[Dragon of the Pants @ Jan 28th 2007 10:49PM]

Yeah, because all fine wine comes from the States...

[ryan @ Jan 28th 2007 10:55PM]

@ Brian,
plus everyone would love them due to their minimalistic design and easy interface!

[tchiseen @ Jan 28th 2007 11:02PM]

i live in AUS, and i'd gladly sell KJI an ipod. reply to this thread Mr. Il , and we'll negotiate one for you, and any other luxury goods you need.

its like the black market, but not.

[John P. @ Jan 28th 2007 11:15PM]

Someone should smuggle in a good barber and maybe those queer eye for the straight guy boys to work on his wardrobe.

[Person157 @ Jan 28th 2007 11:22PM]

But now what will he listen to when he's "sooo roonreeey"

[Mike @ Jan 29th 2007 12:07AM]

Us Americans really put the hammer on this guy...a Nerf hammer. This crazy bastard can get hold of anything he damn well pleases, probably even plutonium with a sweet shipping deal off the Amazon Marketplace. Typical American ignorance and naivety.

This reminds me of the book Goodfellas was based on. Where Henry Hill goes to to jail and practically lives like a king.

[Rex @ Jan 29th 2007 12:18AM]

he can always get a Creative

[robothouse @ Jan 29th 2007 12:21AM]

Oldsauce

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/12/01/insidersguidenorthkorea/index.html

[whitey @ Jan 29th 2007 1:31AM]

I bet he's going to be awful ronery without his luxury goods.

[DM @ Jan 29th 2007 1:58AM]

Who knew this dictator was an iPod fanboy?

[Maxx @ Jan 29th 2007 2:21AM]

This will work as well as the 20+ resolutions we passed against Saddam. O thats right. It just made us look like weak fools that don't backup anything we say.

We should take him out or shut the hell up.

[Truth Hurts @ Jan 29th 2007 3:24AM]

Who is really behind the nuclear standoff? I can't help but think China IS really behind the nuclear issue and "ridiculous" rhetorics coming out of NK; China seems to "use" the NK, China's little communist puppet, as (sort of) a defence against the US and the World in a bid to divert attention away from (to save their own face from) the controversy that human right violation takes place "horribly and rampantly" across China and other intense conflicts, like those of Tibet, Inner Mongolia and Taiwan, while taking advantage of economic benefits (i.e. Massive trade surplus with the US by exporting cheap, labour-intensive, low-end products). We fell for their cunning trap foolishly.

Kim from Korea(S. Korea)

[Truth Hurts @ Jan 29th 2007 3:32AM]

Who is really behind the nuclear standoff? I can't help but think China IS really behind the nuclear issue and "ridiculous" rhetorics coming out of NK; China seems to "use" the NK, China's little communist puppet, as (sort of) a defence against the US and the World in a bid to divert attention away from (to save their own face from) the controversy that human right violation takes place "horribly and rampantly" across China and other intense conflicts, like those of Tibet, Inner Mongolia and Taiwan, while taking advantage of economic benefits (i.e. Massive trade surplus with the US by exporting cheap, labour-intensive, low-end products). We fell for their cunning trap foolishly.

Kim from Korea(S. Korea)

[Ryo @ Jan 29th 2007 3:37AM]

"however the United States has now taken a stand by barring all luxury sales to Mr. Kim and his constituents"

LOL.
Before measuring other countries, the USA should first solve their Bush-Problem.

[raneka @ Jan 29th 2007 3:52AM]

Let him eat Zune!

[graham_fair @ Jan 29th 2007 5:11AM]

I find it funny that someone would think that KJI could somehow not get an iPod. He's the supreme ruler, do people think he is powerless due to sanctions? Sanctions are written on paper, they can't stop any of the many different people who could buy an iPod on his behalf.

[Cranky Media Guy @ Jan 29th 2007 5:58AM]

OK, if the current administration thinks that taking luxury goods away from an out-of-control despot will rein him in, perhaps the Democrats in Congress should consider something similar for the Asshole-in-Cheif.

Let's start by drastically cutting the household budget for the White House. Do they really need 24/7 kitchen staff? I say no, so buh-bye 3rd shift chefs. That private movie theater in the White House? So long, projectionist.

[PEZ @ Jan 29th 2007 6:43AM]

Gee, maybe this sanction is to pss of fhte PEOPLE of Korea, so they vote for someone else next election (do they even have elections?)

I am sure a million people bitching about not getting their zune will be more effective than an ipod without korean language support.

Hahahaha

[SporkRocker @ Jan 29th 2007 9:12AM]

He can buy the Zune from Microsoft! It would fit him perfectly.

[Steve @ Jan 29th 2007 10:42AM]

There's always Fleabay

[imabeautifulboy @ Jan 31st 2007 10:31PM]

If the Noth Koreans can go on midnight raiding missions to kidnap South Korean and Japanese citizens, I doubt they will have little trouble getting their hands on a few ipods and jet skis.