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The Japanese government is taking its responsibilities under a UN resolution to block the export of luxury goods to North Korea seriously, the Asahi Shimbun reported. But policy makers are having a hard time determining what products should be banned to best make Kim Jong-il and the North Korean elite feel the pinch. The daily said the government¡¯s main guide on the issue is a book titled ¡°I Was Kim Jong-il's Cook,¡± written by Kenji Fujimoto, who was Kim¡¯s personal chef for 13 years before escaping. According to the book, Kim enjoys bluefin tuna from the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. For stews, it has to be Matsuzaka beef from Mie Prefecture, a prime product that sells for W25,000 (US$1=W939) per 100g.
Kim is also a big fan of chicken from Nagoya, Kikkoman soy sauce, Bunmeido Castella sponge cake, Suntory Imperial whisky, and Nissin Cup Ramen. But cracking down on the instant noodles would also hit the people of North Korea, so Kim will not be deprived of the pleasure just yet. ¡°It looks like banning the cup ramen won¡¯t be possible, and in the case of the bluefin tuna, we aren¡¯t sure if we need to ban it altogether or just the belly flesh,¡± a thoughtful official said.
It is understood that Kim enjoys riding his CB 250 Honda motorcycle and his Toyota Celsior car and is cooled by a Daikin air-conditioner. A tentative set of provisions put forth by Switzerland on Oct. 25 is also used as reference. It bans high-priced cosmetics, shoes and wristwatches. The Japanese government plans to finish drawing up the export bans on Nov. 14 and present it to the UN Security Council.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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