Kim Jong Il: tiny tyrant, self-proclaimed internet expert

While a great many individuals have an (understandable) beef with North Korea's polarizing leader, there's a decent chance that even more people would scoff at his latest comment. During summit talks this week with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, Kim Jong Il called himself an "internet expert," after which we assume the entire room erupted with laughter. Granted, the guy must have some sort of outside connection to still receive his tunes and booze once the US got involved, but suggesting that "only the industrial zone" be wired for web access is questionable at best.

[john @ Oct 5th 2007 10:53AM]

Whatever you say, Yoda.

[StrangeBum @ Oct 5th 2007 11:44AM]

He must frequent 4chan..cause god knows that's where the interwebs experts live.

[Hill @ Oct 5th 2007 6:53PM]

hahaha... nothing to say, just wanna laugh.

[Scott G. @ Oct 5th 2007 10:55AM]

He needs to take a walk through their mine field

[Joe Smith @ Oct 5th 2007 10:59AM]

he probabry reads engadget and has a facebook

[kaztm @ Oct 5th 2007 1:23PM]

I hope you are right...

I think he might indeed feel that he is a foremost expert in Internet, because his military and academic hackers have been infiltrating other countries' computer systems...and I hope I'm wrong.

[Satish @ Oct 5th 2007 10:59AM]

does he code HTML/JS/AJAX/CPP/PHP? I need a developer in India..plz send me the resume..

lol :D

[John @ Oct 5th 2007 11:06AM]

code AJAX? I wasn't aware that was its own language now...

[blade417 @ Oct 5th 2007 10:59AM]

Expert at being made fun of on the internet?

[Jack @ Oct 5th 2007 11:03AM]

i dont get it, is this news or propoganda?

[Javi0084 @ Oct 5th 2007 11:15AM]

More like offbeat news so we can have some fun.

[sethx @ Oct 5th 2007 11:04AM]

the man should die. or get killed. period. this is my nostradamus forecast for 2008.

[Boz @ Oct 5th 2007 11:04AM]

One wonders why a tyrant like this hasn't been dealt with by the worlds greatest super power... oh thats right... not much oil in north korea... and i forgot to mention that the said super power is allergic to communism.

But he is funny to laugh at. Lets give him some big shoes and a clown suite.

[Nubaeus @ Oct 5th 2007 11:12AM]

Thanks for preaching politics on a tech blog. Really getting you far. /sarcasm

[Rususeruru @ Oct 5th 2007 11:14AM]

Let's not forget that the same superpower has some serious trade ties to his main backer. And if we lose those trade ties no more cheap electronics!

[Boz @ Oct 5th 2007 11:20AM]

Ah Nubaeus. I see your very well made point. So the rest of the comments which are meant in fun are completely related to technology? Everything is linked... politics has more to do with tech than you think. Especially industrial politics. Think about how easy it would have been for the iPhone to launch in Canada when it launched in the US if it weren't for company politics and differing regulations. Please step down slowly from your high horse.

[Nubaeus @ Oct 5th 2007 11:54AM]

Ah Boz,what I was going for was just a bit of a lack of sincerity. Everywhere else I go I have to hear pepople bitching about Bush, the war, health care, abortion etc. I come to Engadget to read about cool stuff involving technology and some other humerous things. So you can get off your high horse preaching to me about how politics are just as important to technology.

[Chris @ Oct 5th 2007 12:01PM]

@Boz

Oh... I dunno, maybe we have been hesitant because he has has about 10,000 artillery cannons

[Chris @ Oct 5th 2007 12:06PM]

Uggg... comment system.

@Boz

Oh... I dunno, maybe we have been hesitant because he has has about 10,000 artillery cannons less than 50 miles from Seoul.

And before you disparage America's motives, don't forget that north of 50,000 Americans died during the Korean War.

Additionally, try to keep up with the news... there was major N. Korea news this week. Read all about it!

[Josh L @ Oct 5th 2007 1:03PM]

We're a little busy right now, maybe you've noticed? Maybe France or Germany or Russia can pick up the ball on this one.

[David W. @ Oct 5th 2007 1:12PM]

Or it could have something to do with the fact that if we invade North Korea it may very well set of another world war?

[rob @ Oct 5th 2007 11:07AM]

Why should the man not be able to claim that he's an internet expert? Is it something that only fatass Americans can claim?

[Nubaeus @ Oct 5th 2007 11:11AM]

Yes, because most of the people in this country that are experts tend to be fat.

[John @ Oct 5th 2007 12:36PM]

Yeah, it's the fact that he's not american. That's the problem. It's not that he's a a widely despised despot, it's that he's not fat and american. You caught us. Only people in america can know anything about the intertubes. Everyone else thinks that the internet's some big truck.

or, alternatively, you're trying to find something to be offended by. There's really no way to tell...

[Eric @ Oct 5th 2007 1:16PM]

here's an idea, rob:
go fuck yourself

See how that works, and then report back to us all.

[momotarosan @ Oct 5th 2007 11:25AM]

surfing P@rn doesn't make you an internet expert!

[Seung-Hwan @ Oct 5th 2007 11:08AM]

The Great Leader is also a true Renaissance man- an athlete, a fashion designer, an artist, a fighter, an engineer, a chemist, a physicist, a biologist and so on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDBCGNGAypY

[Peter @ Oct 5th 2007 11:26AM]

Isn't he the "Dear Leader"? Dad was the "Great Leader"

[Ken @ Oct 5th 2007 2:15PM]

Nuh uh!!

That was L. Ron Hubbard duh!!!

KJI's cult of personality not as strong as L Ron. L Ron had a pretty boat and big buildings.

[Seung-Hwan @ Oct 5th 2007 11:09AM]

In all seriousness, this man is a lunatic.

[Ian @ Oct 5th 2007 11:14AM]

Pity the same claim cannot be made by ANY of his countrymen.

[Terry Smith @ Oct 5th 2007 12:58PM]

Ah but don't forget the legendary North Korean Hacker's School - their motto - 'Where the William Gibson Novel Protagonists of Tomorrow are being Trained Today!'

Seriously - if this thing exists and it offers fast net access and FOOD, every smart oriental math geek in the country will be pissing through concrete to get in. Some of them will be pathological communists. This could be very bad in the future.

[suv4x4 @ Oct 5th 2007 11:17AM]

I find his ideas fascinating, and would like to subscribe to his newsletter.

[Jack @ Oct 5th 2007 11:20AM]

Kim Jong Il: king of the internet?

[Clayj @ Oct 5th 2007 11:30AM]

Dear Hans Brix: I'm so ronery, so ronery...

[josh @ Oct 5th 2007 11:38AM]

HERROOOO...man I can't take anything this guy says seriously after seeing Team America.

[andyg8180 @ Oct 5th 2007 11:32AM]

RIAA should start a full scale investigation on this "internet expert" instead of that single mom... Bet he's got everything from 2Pac to Bette Midler in his Commie iPod...

[David @ Oct 5th 2007 12:29PM]

At least when he buys the "red" version of the iPod to show support for communism, he'll be giving a little back to humanity.

[yoshi @ Oct 5th 2007 11:33AM]

Al Gore taught him everything he knows....

[LJKelley @ Oct 5th 2007 12:21PM]

First Al Gore never claimed to have 'created' the internet, merely that he introduced legislation that eventually moved the internet from military to civilian.

Second, I'm sure Kim Jong-il sadly is a tech person. It is already confirmed that he loves movies and telivision. It is not that hard to get involved in website creation (there are plenty of guides on the net) and browsing the internet. It is just sad he doesn't allow his people to do the same.

[John @ Oct 5th 2007 12:41PM]

creating websites != internet expertise. knowing how to use the internet and claiming to be an expert is like learning to drive and claiming to be a car expert.

[yoshi @ Oct 5th 2007 2:39PM]

"During my service in the United States Congress I took the initiative in creating the internet. I took the initiative in moving forward a whole range of initiatives that have proven to be important to our country's economic growth and environmental protection, improvements in our educational system."

-- Al Gore.

[melloncollie @ Oct 5th 2007 11:39AM]

Oh shut the hell up.

[MDB @ Oct 5th 2007 12:03PM]

Kim also claimed to have played golf only once, scoring an 18 after all 18 holes.

[apeguero @ Oct 5th 2007 12:09PM]

"LLKoolJIl" FTW...h4x0rs rule!

[gb @ Oct 5th 2007 12:10PM]

Ah, Hans Brixt... What's up buddy?

[gb @ Oct 5th 2007 12:11PM]

"Ah, Hans Brixt... What's up, buddy?"

[Luke @ Oct 5th 2007 12:24PM]

I don't think the chubby writers of a tech website are qualified to pass judgement on someone who, for better or worse, has managed to be in charge of an entire country.

As an interesting aside to some of the 'China' comments above, Enqadget is owned by Time Warner, which was started by Henry Luce, born in China in 1898 to an American missionary.
Small world!

[Ben H @ Oct 5th 2007 12:36PM]

Anyone, regardless of size or job, is allowed to pass judgment on someone who is as stupid as this guy. Check your history, he manages the entire country because ITS A COMMUNIST COUNTRY idiot. The people never asked him to "be in charge of the entire country".

Now, this skinny network security analyst is going to pass judgement. Luke you're a fucking idiot.

[Eric @ Oct 5th 2007 1:20PM]

WTF is with people who think that someone's weight disqualifies their opinion?
"Chubby writers"?

Good thing none of histories greatest thinkers has been a little overweight.