South korea has modern farming and the north does not... however the amount of smoke seems excessive for the burning of stubble.... so I may be wrong...

That was the only rational reason I could come up with- but then, when has north korea been 'rational'? IMHO North Korea is about the sickest regime on our planet...

N.K. leadership seems to have no problem with mass starvation of its people- it is a way to keep them too weak to revolt... If a harvest hasn't just happened then maybe the fires are burning growing crops... well, I'll let you fill in the conspiracy theory...

I have little doubt that the N.K. regime is guilty of more atrocities than Hussein was... except their torture was done with starvation- not something as "quick and painless" as a wood chipper...

I am totally unable to understand how these 'leaders' can do such things... This is why I am for targeted assasinations- kill a few guilty leaders and if their replacements arent better kill them.. this is better than killing thousands of minions who may or may not believe in the 'cause'....