Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Tenchusatsu who wrote (258862)	11/7/2005 9:09:00 PM
From: steve harris	Respond to of 1571985

neat stuff... foxnews.com

To: Tenchusatsu who wrote (258862)	11/7/2005 9:16:31 PM
From: Road Walker	Respond to of 1571985

re: Of course, the North Korean government is generally too stubborn to make any changes whatsoever, fearing any challenge to their sovereignty. I'm sorry, did you mean NK or SK?

To: Tenchusatsu who wrote (258862)	11/8/2005 2:26:27 AM
From: tejek	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1571985

Ted, Who told you they are sitting on mts. of coal? Do a search on Google for "North Korea Coal." Korea is very mountainous, with the North generally being rich in natural resources while the South generally better suited for agriculture. I did. I suspect NK is on the verge of collapse much like Russia was back in the 1980s. There are a lot of problems in North Korea that can be solved with better infrastructure, including their chronic power outages. These problems ought to be addressed before we even consider giving North Korea a couple of nuclear power plants. Of course, the North Korean government is generally too stubborn to make any changes whatsoever, fearing any challenge to their sovereignty. That's one huge reason why they continually pursue a policy of brinkmanship. There is a problem. Apparently the 1995 floods knocked out a lot of their rail tranportation, mining operations and hydroelectric facilities. What coal they do mine, they export so they can bring in foreign currency. Hence, there is a shortage of electricity: "DOMESTIC ENERGY RESOURCES North Korea relies on two domestic sources of commercial energy -- coal and hydropower -- for most of its energy needs. In 2001, coal accounted for about 86% of the country's primary energy consumption. North Korea's electric generating capacity is split nearly evenly between coal-fired thermal plants and hydroelectric plants. In 2001, hydroelectric power plants generated about 69% of North Korea's electricity and thermal plants about 31%. The country's thermal generating capacity is underutilized due to a lack of fuels. The country's total electricity consumption in 2001 was only 58% of what it had been in 1991. The only year-on-year increase in electricity consumption during the entire period from 1992 to 2001 was for 1999 -- and that was only 1%. As a result of its electricity shortage, the country often experiences blackouts for extended periods of time, and power losses due to an antiquated transmission grid are high. Some hydroelectric facilities are believed to still be out of operation due to flood damage from major flooding in 1996. The prospect of South Korean help for North Korea's electricity shortage was discussed at the June 2000 summit, and North Korea has been seeking electricity from South Korea since then. A linkage between the electric grids of the two Koreas is one possibility, but it would be of limited immediate value due to the North's poor transmission infrastructure. At present, South Korea has not agreed to supply the North with electricity from its own transmission grid. Problems with the North Korean coal industry are closely related to the problem with electricity supply. Coal-fired power plants have been running well under capacity in recent years, due in part to problems with rail transportation of coal." eia.doe.gov