Sticky Notes

   

Now this is a good one from a German Publication:

It's the CIA that's producing the counterfeit $100 Supenrnotes right outside Washington DC in order to fund covert operations. 

   

Interesting. Right after the missle test, China started builing a barbed wire fence along the border with North Korea. Of course that's to stop an influx of refugees. But it certainly made me thing of these so-called "barriers to entry":

1. Israel and Gaza (UN didn't like this one)
2. Saudi Arabia and Iraq (to keep out terrorists, but they protested the Israeli fence)
3. US and Mexico (to keep out illegal immigrants - Fox threatens to take it to the UN)
   
4. China and N Korea (keep out refugees)
   

Will there be an international uproar on this one?

AP Photo 

    Japan is planning to vote on Friday to impose strong sanctions against NK and as a result, Pyongyang is promising strong countermeasures. Sanctions will include stopping all imports and ships from docking in Japan, as well.

Remember this satellite photo? All lit up in South Korea and nary a thing in the North. 

    FOX News now reporting that the NK nuclear test may only have amounted to  several hundred tons of explosives - not reaching nuclear levels. Hence the caution from the White House this morning.

 A lot more serious than the silly headline - N Korea appears to have tested the nuclear bomb in underground tests. Seismic activity reported. A friend of mine in South Korea reports stock market plunges and GREY SKIES WITH A STRANGE YELLOW TINGE. Gotta' be scary if you are living right across the border.

Reports initially said it was about a 5.2 KT bomb, but now may be as large as 15 KT.  A FOX commentator (Ret. General) states that that is actually good news, as it would show the bomb is LESS sophisticated. So that helps put it in perspective. Sort of.

UPDATE - Now N Korea has turned to Russia, opening up 10 new bank accounts in order to get around the other banking sanctions the US has imposed. If you've kept up, you know we have succeeded in shutting down numerous banking relationships all over Asia, in part because of the N Korean Supernotes counterfeiting of US $100-dollar bills.

We are applying pressure. Russia hasn't said no.  "With billions of dollars in oil revenue flowing through a banking system that could suffer severely from any sanctions, it shouldn't be too difficult to persuade Russia that its own interests lie in ending its role of Kim's banker of last resort."  WSJ

    Former Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer  (1987-89) got into the wholesale tobacco business back in '99. And now some former associates have been convicted for their parts in a smuggling ring that "trafficked in counterfeit cigarettes, forged currency, high-powered guns and drugs. "  The smugglers "were supplied by an Asian crime syndicate and by North Korean government agents who provided nearly flawless replicas of $100 bills."  Chicago Tribune

Chosun Ilbo reports this morning that the counterfeit money distribution out of N Korea started in Russia, at a meeting  between "Irish Workers Party leader Sean Garland and North Korean officials."  I reported this possible link on Aug 26. 

Banks all over the world have been pressured to stop banking with N Korea. "Peter Beck, a North Korea expert at the International Crisis Group in Seoul, says the next target of U.S. investigations will be North Korea's accounts in Russia."

Also covered are the movements of biological and nuclear weapons components with N Korea as the destination. 

An absolute must read on "The web of the supernote" pulls together a detailed picture on the flow of money and the participants.

 Well we can end SOME speculation on was a supernot looks like. Here ya go!

Supernote shown below:  HA! Look at that signature - John Snow. Secretary 2003-2006. Definitely the new series.

 

Supernote is lower bill

The Daily NK reports  "In order to confirm whether or not recently North Korean counterfeit dollar bills are circulating, DailyNK purchased a super-note from a governmental trader in North Korea again following last January. “The counterfeit dollar bills made in 2001 begin with the serial number ‘C’, and most elaborate ones made in 2003 begin with ‘D’. The counterfeit dollar bills beginning with ‘D’ is most circulating super-notes”. Subsequently, he said that, “Because the U.S plans to issue new 100 dollar bills, the great quantity of the counterfeit dollar bills is very likely to be distributed and circulated”.

Apparently a supernote costs $70 to purchase.  Of interest - in N Korea, these supernotes are called "income currency". The N Korean won (dollar) is so low in value and it takes so many to haul around, merchants have taken to using the counterfeit money because they know the value and it takes fewer to make a transaction.