'Official' North Korean Website Offering American-Made Propaganda For The Discerning Hipster

It's the first Thursday of the month, which means that the lovably kooky nightmare country known as North Korea is threatening to set the whole world on fire again unless we lift sanctions on essential items like heating oil, rice, and Hennessy . Given the repetitive nature of these threats, many in the media are now alternating between rhetorical headlines of " MEH. " and a slew of uncreative Dennis Rodman jokes . However, beneath this well-worn story of international intrigue is an issue of domestic concern. In a time of ridiculously high unemployment here in the US, can American workers afford to lose their livelihoods making t-shirts and other propaganda for the North Korean online store? 

Yes, it seems that a group working for or on behalf of the DPRK (more on that later) decided to attach a Cafe Press store to the website that they already invested a whopping $15 to create . So if you or someone you know is the sort of obnoxious person looking to land the world's most ironic t-shirt to show off at the next Sigur Rós concert, this is a really good deal at $27 (especially since hipster racism is so 2012). They also feature a really neat trucker hat for those wishing to celebrate Aston Kutcher (who is the personification of Juche ) and a messenger bag that will come in handy for visits to the farmers market. (Definitely not as cool as this.) Sadly, those wishing to buy a Kim Jong-Onesie for their baby are out of luck, as are the discerning customers looking to join all the cool kids wearing branded panties.

Before you North Korean nerds get your non-branded panties in a bunch WE ARE AWARE that the ownership of this supposedly "official" website is a bit in dispute. It seems that the whole thing is run by a very nice looking gentleman named Alejandro Cao de Benos who is the Special Delegate of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, High Ministry in the Government of the DPRK, and President of the Korean Friendship Association. In other words he is freelancer whose loyalty indicates that is probably being paid better than the poor SOBS writing for the Atlantic . So while this site may not speak directly for the Government (although being reduced to selling trucker hats to pay for centrifuges would not be too much of a reach for the North Koreans ), they don't seem to mind the idiot who runs this site being all YAY NORTH KOREA!

But don't let the complete uncertainty over where you are sending your credit card information stop you from stocking up on what will certainly be this summer's most wanted piece of apparel (at least until your Wonkette pulls her ex out of the sweatshop to make that that promised Shut the Fuck Up Luke Russert T-shirt ). You are only sort of risking providing material support to a sworn enemy of the government, and thanks to Rand Paul's grandstanding you probably won't be droned inside of your own home. YOLO!

[ DPRK's delightful Cafe Press Store ]