From the same RFC:
In reply to:
LIST (LIST)
This command causes a list to be sent from the server to the
passive DTP. If the pathname specifies a directory or other
group of files, the server should transfer a list of files
in the specified directory. If the pathname specifies a
file then the server should send current information on the
file. A null argument implies the user's current working or
default directory. The data transfer is over the data
connection in type ASCII or type EBCDIC. (The user must
ensure that the TYPE is appropriately ASCII or EBCDIC).
Since the information on a file may vary widely from system
to system, this information may be hard to use automatically
in a program, but may be quite useful to a human user.
So shouldn't LIST not return empeg_kernel either?