As much as historians, and scholars, like to applaud Gorbachev's reforms of Socialist Russia, the changes implemented by the technocratic government of the day, were only possible due to policies like Perestroika and Glasnost. Of course, when reforms were made to the ex-communist/socialist system, the people took the proverbial mile, when given the inch as it were... While it will certainly take a single person to sow the seeds of change in North Korean society, it will take a broader move towards reform to make any real changes happen. But, on another topic, I find it interesting how some Americans, who are normally quite unassuming, become absolutely venomous when there is any mention of Communism or Socialism. While I certainly know a thing or two about the Cold War atmosphere, and how deeply the fear of all things "RED" was instilled in the US psyche, I still find it shocking that they cannot see the positives in a political and governmental system where at its most fundamental level, equality is the goal. God forbid if that ever came to fruition...