The Chinese superstition about 4 is based on homophony with the word for 'die', and iirc the avoidance of 4 is borrowed into a number of other cultures in the region even where '4' and 'die' are different.
Blair. Your readership is clearly extensive. I'll do my bit to keep you at the top of the noisy logs list.
Nth vs Sth? The local equivalent would be Queensland vs Australia?
If you've got a spare day it might be worth taking a day tour to the border. I didnt go when I was there in 2004 but things such as the mock up prosperous village on the north side of the border, specially built to convey to those observing on the south side that things were going great, look very interesting. Plus the invasion tunnels etc underneath the border look cool.
We wanted to do that but unfortunately don't have quite enough time - the tours run for a full day and on Sunday we need to leave for the airport about 4. (Last Monday would have been the other option but the DMZ is closed on Mondays for reasons which escape me).