Spent Rods

After a year of stagnation, South Korean officials are heading into the North to restart denuclearization talks with Pyongyang.  

Talks and an aid-for-disarmament deal stalled in 2007 when North Korea refused to let international inspectors in to fully inspect all weapons without the same promise from South Korea, whom they say has nukes from the US. Both Seoul and Washington deny the claim.  

N. Korea

North Korea announced plans for their first parliamentary elections in six years on March 8.  The elections are true North Korean style -- one candidate, chosen by 'supreme leaders,' will run for each seat unopposed.  

Clearly a charade, some suggest it may be an effort to reorganize the government in the wake of the ailing health of leader Kim Jong-il.  Elections are regularly held every five years but were postponed last year to do Kim's ailing health.  His current physical status is unconfirmed in the international community.  

Some see in the coming changes a nascent movement towards economic liberalization, though slow the movement may be.