View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
catman

Joined: 18 Jul 2004
|
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:51 am Post subject: North Korea warns South of 'pre-emptive strike' |
|
|
Quote: |
North Korea threatened South Korea with destruction Sunday after Seoul's top military officer said he would consider attacking the communist nation if it tried to carry out a nuclear attack.
The statement from North Korea's official news agency marked the third straight day of bellicose rhetoric from the North, which is angry over the harsher line the South's new president has taken against the country since assuming office last month.
"Our military will not sit idle until warmongers launch a pre-emptive strike," said an unidentified KCNA military commentator. "Everything will be in ashes, not just a sea of fire, if our advanced pre-emptive strike once begins."
On Friday, North Korea test-fired a barrage of missiles into the sea and warned it would "mercilessly wipe out" any South Korean warships that violate its waters near their disputed sea border.
Such rhetoric by North Korea at times of increased tensions is not rare, and it comes just two days before a scheduled visit to South Korea by the chief U.S. negotiator in North Korean nuclear disarmament talks.
Sunday's statement also warned that the North would suspend all scheduled inter-Korean dialogue unless Seoul retracts and apologizes for the remark by its new top military leader.
Kim Tae-young, chairman of the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a parliamentary hearing Wednesday that the military would strike a suspected North Korean nuclear weapons site if Pyongyang attempts to attack the South with atomic bombs.
His office later said he was talking about a general military principle dealing with outside threats, not about launching an unprovoked pre-emptive attack on the North.
South Korea's Defense Ministry said Sunday that it would decide whether to send a response to the North over its demand for a retraction in a few days.
The North Korean military commentator reaffirmed that Pyongyang would ban South Korean officials, including military officers, from crossing the border.
The statement did not say when the ban would take effect or how long it would last.
South Korean officials have occasionally traveled across the two countries' heavily fortified border for talks.
|
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994
|
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 3:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
The North has long felt that it is the only one who has the right to talk belligerently.
I hate to see the return of this kind of talk, from either side, but I don't think it will last long. Every day that passes puts the South farther ahead of the North and the North knows it. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Milwaukiedave
Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong
|
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:57 pm Post subject: |
|
|
It's saber rattling on both sides. My guess is that the relationship between the two countries is going to get a lot more combative in months to come. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994
|
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
North Korea testing South with jet fighters: report
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean jet fighters have sortied close South Korea's airspace at least 10 times since conservative president Lee Myung-bak took office last month, prompting Seoul to scramble its own planes in response, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported on Monday."
***
This article summarizes the whole series of events of recent days. It is worrisome that these sorties are happening. There is always a danger of someone going just a bit too far and starting something. Things can get out of hand. My optimism is fading.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080331/ts_nm/korea_north_dc |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
pkang0202

Joined: 09 Mar 2007
|
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
North Korea is like Dennis the Menace and everyone except the US has been giving them chocolate and candy saying, "Ok, now go eat this and be quiet."
So, NK (aka Dennis the Menace) is quiet, only because his mouth is full with candy and sweets.
When he finishes eating, he's louder and crazier than before, and the cycle repeats.
The US is like the neighbor who says, "Hell no. We ain't having this. I'm not going to punish you. The last thing I need is for you to go crying to social services (the UN) and tell them that I abused you. I'm going to get your mom (SK), your dad (China), your uncle (Russia), aunt (Japan),and we're all gonna sit down and get you straight."
Meanwhile, mom is chastising Dennis to his face while giving him industrial contracts and candy. Dad is there but he doesn't give a rat's ass. The uncle is passed out drunk in the backyard, the aunt is buying kevlar and pepper spray, while the neighbor (US) is the only one saying, "You need to know your role and sit down."
Finally, Mommy died and there's a new mom in town. This mom ain't going to take no crap from Dennis the Menace. So, Dennis's new mom is telling Dennis (NK) to know your role and sit down while she sleeps with the neighbor. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
endo

Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Location: Seoul...my home
|
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:29 pm Post subject: |
|
|
pkang0202 wrote: |
North Korea is like Dennis the Menace and everyone except the US has been giving them chocolate and candy saying, "Ok, now go eat this and be quiet."
So, NK (aka Dennis the Menace) is quiet, only because his mouth is full with candy and sweets.
When he finishes eating, he's louder and crazier than before, and the cycle repeats.
The US is like the neighbor who says, "Hell no. We ain't having this. I'm not going to punish you. The last thing I need is for you to go crying to social services (the UN) and tell them that I abused you. I'm going to get your mom (SK), your dad (China), your uncle (Russia), aunt (Japan),and we're all gonna sit down and get you straight."
Meanwhile, mom is chastising Dennis to his face while giving him industrial contracts and candy. Dad is there but he doesn't give a rat's ass. The uncle is passed out drunk in the backyard, the aunt is buying kevlar and pepper spray, while the neighbor (US) is the only one saying, "You need to know your role and sit down."
Finally, Mommy died and there's a new mom in town. This mom ain't going to take no crap from Dennis the Menace. So, Dennis's new mom is telling Dennis (NK) to know your role and sit down while she sleeps with the neighbor. |
brilliant! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
stevemcgarrett

Joined: 24 Mar 2006
|
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
Yes, pkang, the U.S. in the neighbor who's had enough, which makes George W. Bush out to be Mr. Wilson.
But still the Left and the liberals chastised Bush for isolating the DPRK, and for insisting on verification instead of the empty promises that hoodwinked Clinton.
They've been bellicose for five decades; verbal sparring is part and parcel of their propaganda efforts, much for domestic consumption.
Let them try to launch a preemptive strike; they'll get their azzes kicked and we'll finally be done with Kim Jong I'm Ill and his henchmen.
Then let's watch the South try to absorb this economic basketcase; it won't be pretty nor as quick as with the reunification of Germany, you can bet on that. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
endo

Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Location: Seoul...my home
|
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:46 am Post subject: |
|
|
stevemcgarrett wrote: |
Then let's watch the South try to absorb this economic basketcase; it won't be pretty nor as quick as with the reunification of Germany, you can bet on that. |
That where all this Sunshine Policy and others forms of engagement comes from.
The ramifications of a collapse of the North Korean regime are enormous. And as a result, I guess I can kind of see the positives in building up the North Korean economy before eventually swallowing it up.
But again, easier said than done.
America is in no position to aid the South Korean in the absorbtion of the North Korean regime considering the state of their own economy and especially considering the quagmire they're currently involved in Iraq.
The Chinese have already made efforts to present a historical legacy of Chinese rule of Korgyro (i.e. North Korea) and currently have multi-million dollar mineral rights deals with Pyongyang.
The Japanese would likely be a large source of aid to the South Koreans if the North collapsed. But at the same time the Japanese could soon be concerned with a new emerging military power in a unified Korea just across the Sea of Japan. This could cause Japan to quckly militarize.
And finally the South Korean government is in no position to smoothly take over the North Korean regime economically and they certainly are not prepared to do so militarily.
So wishing for the demise of the Kim Jong-il regime is all good, but the consiquences are enormous. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Rteacher

Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
nicholas_chiasson

Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Location: Samcheok
|
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
But morale is low. Only the highest levels of the NK govt. seriously have any desire to continue this 50 year farce. Once a 'war' started, how many NK forces would surrender without a fight? I predict the entire Russian/Chinese fronts would surrender to a man. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
pkang0202

Joined: 09 Mar 2007
|
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
If North Korea attack South Korea, it would be World War 3.
China would lend support to North Korea because a Korean Penninsula ruled by the North is in China's best interests. They would probably take this incident and forcefully take control of Taiwan at the same time. The US is automatically involved in the way due to their alliance with SK.
China has to join the war to ensure NK's victory. If China's involved, the US will been some extra help and they will call on NATO forces. When NATO jumps in the fray, Russia will respond by suppose the NK/Chinese forces.
And there you go, WW3. Middle Eastern countries will probably use this major distraction in the Pacific to invade Israel. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|