North Korean Leader Refuses to Smile at Summit

South Korean leader (L) looks happy; North Korean leader (R) looks constipated.

Heading one of the world's last communist dictatorships and running its economy into the ground is serious business. Just ask North Korean maximum leader Kim Jong-Il. He met with his counterpart, the South Korean leader, for historic meetings today and didn't crack a smile even once, judging from the photos and video that have emerged from the sessions. Mr. Kim and his team didn't seem too pleased of enthused; you'd think since North and South Korean leaders have only met once before in, oh, about 50 years, the dude could muster up a little enthusiasm.

Maybe the dictator was constipated? They seem to have shortages of all kinds of products and foods in North Korea, maybe even the dictator himself can't get a hold of any chocolate Ex-Lax.

And the South Korean president even came to the gray, barren North Korean capital for the occasion! Is that any way to play host? Well, if Kim Jong-Il didn't smile I hope he as least gave his southern counterpart Roh Moo-hyun a decent meal or two. Mr. Roh was certainly smiling and in good spirits during the summit... he was probably thinking, "Thank GOD I don't live in this part of the Korean peninsula!"

The multinational team trying to get North Korea to give up its nukes might try to scare up a few boxes of Ex-Lax before their next visit to Pyongyang. Bringing a decent hair stylist couldn't hurt either; Kim Jong-Il really needs to ditch that drowned-rooster hairstyle he's been sporting for the last few decades.