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N. Korea Screws Up Threat Vs. South's Media

Threats include media coordinates, but locations all wrong

By Mark Russell,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 5, 2012 6:55 AM CDT

(Newser) – Pity North Korea: Even when, in typical grandiloquent style, it threatens the "fools, idiots, and blockheads" in the South Korean media with "a merciless sacred war," it manages to muck that up, reports the Wall Street Journal. Apparently the North got really peeved at South Korean media's coverage of its Children's Day celebrations (the North's propaganda was compared to the Nazi youth). So the North threatened to blow up several South Korean newspapers and TV stations (not for the first time), offering longitude and latitude coordinates for its targets (for the first time).

The problem? Pretty much all those coordinates were wrong. One newspaper was listed as "37 degrees 56 minutes 83 seconds North Latitude and 126 degrees 97 minutes 65 seconds East Longitude"—of course, there are only 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour, so those numbers made no sense (the same error appeared in the Korean and English versions of the story). Trying to figure out where those coordinates are, as the North Korea Tech blog did, would most likely put you in Gangwon Province, quite a distance east of the target in Seoul. In fact, only one set of coordinates was even close, and even that was a building across the street. To enjoy the full effect of North Korea's flowery rhetoric, check out its original "open ultimatum" at the KCNA website.

A North Korean soldier gives a flower to a child at Taesongsan Pleasure Grounds in Pyongyang, North Korea on Friday June 1, 2012 during festivities to mark International Children's Day.
A North Korean soldier gives a flower to a child at Taesongsan Pleasure Grounds in Pyongyang, North Korea on Friday June 1, 2012 during festivities to mark International Children's Day.   (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)
A child points a toy gun at a painting of a US soldier during a game for children in Kyongsang, North Korea, Friday, June 1, 2012 as the country marked International Children's Day.
A child points a toy gun at a painting of a US soldier during a game for children in Kyongsang, North Korea, Friday, June 1, 2012 as the country marked International Children's Day.   (AP Photo/Kim Kwang Hyon)
This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on May 26, 2012 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) having a photo session with service persons of KPA Unit 6556.
This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on May 26, 2012 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) having a photo session with service persons of KPA Unit 6556.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
colmsmyth
Jun 6, 2012 5:54 PM CDT
What's donkeys
WarmWeatherGuy
Jun 5, 2012 11:10 AM CDT
I am saddened that the error had to be explained. I realize that too many people don't know how many minutes are in a degree and that makes me sad.
Xavier_Thyme
Jun 5, 2012 10:11 AM CDT
"of course, there are only 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour," Looks as if Mark Russell could use a few lessons in geography as well - go sit with KCNA, Mark. When talking about Lat/Long, there are no hours, just degrees, minutes and seconds.  One hour of clock time is equivalent to earth's rotation through 15 degrees of longitude.
 

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