North Korea overcomes its shyness

A Washington Post article explained a few years ago "What North Korea Really Wants":

What is it, then, that North Korea wants? Above all, it wants, and has pursued steadily since 1991, a long-term, strategic relationship with the United States. This has nothing to do with ideology or political philosophy. It is a cold, hard calculation based on history and the realities of geopolitics as perceived in Pyongyang. The North Koreans believe in their gut that they must buffer the heavy influence their neighbors already have, or could soon gain, over their small, weak country.

This is hard for Americans to understand, having read or heard nothing from North Korea except its propaganda, which for years seems to have called for weakening, not maintaining, the U.S. presence on the Korean Peninsula. But in fact an American departure is the last thing the North wants. Because of their pride and fear of appearing weak, however, explicitly requesting that the United States stay is one of the most difficult things for the North Koreans to do.

I'll say. Here are some things that they don't find difficult to say:

The progressives of the world are praising highly the DPRK's successful launch of the artificial satellite Kwangmyongsong-2 as a brilliant victory of the great Songun politics.

Only the United States and other bellicose forces, turning their face from the trend of the times, are hell-bent on aggressive rackets, taking issue with the satellite launch, a great undertaking in history.

The army and people of Korea, however, are forcefully pushing ahead with the building of a great, prosperous and powerful nation with indomitable mental power, without shrinking in the least from the ever intensified moves of the hostile forces.

This world-startling indomitable spirit is based on the confidence and pluck which have been cemented steel-strong in the flames of the Songun revolution.

The actuality verifies how correct are Songun politics, reliable precious sword for defending national sovereignty and peace, and the increase of self-reliant defense capabilities, its offspring.

Songun politics reflects the revolutionary will of the Workers' Party of Korea to safeguard with credit the national dignity and interests and achieve the cause of building a great, prosperous and powerful nation and the independent and peaceful reunification of the country without fail on the principle of giving importance and priority to the military affairs.

The Korean army and people, who resolutely opted to take the road of Songun at the historic crossroads of independence and subordination, have opened a new era of national prosperity, frustrating all the reckless isolation and stifling moves of the imperialist allied forces on the forefront against imperialism and for independence.

It is the revolutionary mettle and immovable will of the army and people of Korea not to allow any slightest moves of the hostile forces against their just cause.

It was strikingly manifested in the fact that some time ago the DPRK solemnly declared at home and abroad that it would further increase the self-defensive nuclear deterrent and defend reliably the peace and security on the Korean Peninsula with the might of Songun to cope with the acts of the enemy incriminating the DPRK's right to peaceful space development.

Today the imperialist reactionaries' hostile policy toward the DPRK is going to naught in face of the might of Songun and the DPRK is demonstrating its power all over the world. [...]

In Iran, for instance?

Crossposted on Soccer Dad