Kim Jong Il Declares Internet Expertise

There must be something about running an Axis of Evil country that causes a leader to make outrageous statements. In September, there was Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claiming he is a master in calculation and tabulation. Now, it's North Korea leader Kim Jong Il proclaiming he is an "Internet expert:"

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Il called himself an "Internet expert" during summit talks with South Korea's president this week, a news report said Friday.

The reclusive leader made the remark after South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun asked that South Korean companies operating at an industrial park in the North Korean city of Kaesong be allowed to use the Internet, Yonhap news agency reported, without citing any source.

"I'm an Internet expert too. It's all right to wire the industrial zone only, but there are many problems if other regions of the North are wired," Kim told Roh, according to Yonhap.

Kim's statement has technology bloggers wondering just what the problems could be. Some have suggested Kim has been hanging out with Al Gore for a little too long, while others say it is state-imposed Internet restrictions that are keeping the country disconnected.

While censorship may be part of the problem, a Networkworld.com post gives an interesting look into why Koreans are still in an Internet dark age – they don't have electricity:

Look at that picture (one of the most remarkable I've ever seen). Yes, it's been around for a few years, but there certainly would appear to be problems "if other regions of the North are wired," primary among them being that so much of the North looks to lack an essential element of networking: electricity.

It certainly doesn't take an expert to see what's wrong with this picture.