The CBC Radio 3 Blog just gave word that North Korea will be holding a rock festival. Check it:
“This is the very first time in history that North Korea allows western musicians in the heart of DPRK territory to play capitalist popular music. There are few restrictions and conditions on participation but any band will be considered even though you are from USA. The lyrics should not contain admirations on war, sex, violence, murder, drug, rape, non-governmental society, imperialism, colonialism, racism, anti-DPRK, and anti-socialism. The concert will be held from May 01 to May 04, 2007 under the management of Voice of Korea. We currently received requests of 41 bands from 19 countries and participations are increasing everyday. ‘ROCK FOR PEACE’ will be the 2007 version of Woodstock rock festival in 1969 but in different location and in different goals.”
Right off the mark, I’d say, I’m not going. Why? Think about it. Where is this money going to go? The next missile man.
A quick scan of the website you’ll think it’s quite innocent until you read the last sentence of their vision statement: (I’ve included the statement in it’s entirety.)
“The United States must respect the peace of the entire world and the right of other nations to continue their own history as independent states. The USA should also respect the diversity that every nation has its own way of life in their own culture. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has never been hostile to other nations for last 5,000 years of history but fought to invaders who aggressed the lives of its people and the sovereignty of the nation. DPRK is against US imperialism because they are threatening DPRK since 12 July 1866, for last 140 years, and the DPRK will continuously fight for its own independent history as it already did in Korean war of 1950 - 1953. USA must leave Korea free, otherwise they will suffer a miserable nuclear war in their own lands next time“. JEAN-BAPTISTE KIM, HEAD OF VOK
Are you gonna go?
November 15th, 2006 | Life | 3 comments