Information Warfare: February 8, 2003

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A Japanese newspaper obtained an "internal use only" report distributed among North Korean communist party members warning them of growing Western influences among the population. The North Korean leadership is worried about the loss of faith in the party by the general population. The communists blame this on the growing influence of Western culture. This began in the mid-1990s as North Korea allowed business relationships with South Korean companies. This was done to raise money for the party, as a result of the collapse of the North Korean economy (from mismanagement and the end of Russian subsidies after the collapse of the Soviet Union.) South Koreans have been seeing this growing influence and believe that this will slowly bring about reforms in the north, and eventual reunification. While this form of Information War is openly discussed in the South Korean media, the United States disagrees. The U.S. feels that the hard core communists up north will never allow "creeping capitalism" (as the North Koreans like to call it) to undermine the iron rule of the party. Moreover, the U.S. is most concerned about the possibility of the North Koreans selling nuclear, chemical or biological weapons to someone who might use them on Americans. Thus the United States is running its own Information War campaign on South Koreans to make them appreciate the gravity of American concerns. 

 

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