All Things North Korea Thread

[Bang]

media induced fear mongering. nothing is going to happen.

Yes, rogue state with nuclear capability making threats and swearing to shoot off missiles and start the world's first full scale nuclear war is all "media fearmongering".

What the hell does that even mean in context of what is happening? What exactly does the media have to 'monger' here in order to scare anyone?

Should they NOT report this? Or should they try to put a smiley face on it?

~Bang

Edited April 13, 2013 by Bang

[zoony]

Yes, rogue state with nuclear capability making threats and swearing to shoot off missiles and start the world's first full scale nuclear war is all "media fearmongering".

What the hell does that even mean in context of what is happening? What exactly does the media have to 'monger' here in order to scare anyone?

Should they NOT report this? Or should they try to put a smiley face on it?

~Bang

North Korea has a very predictable history of manufacturing a crisis and then extorting money to back down

This is really no different, except they have a new leader now

[Bang]

I agree. I think this is just more of the same. The fact that he's new and unknown is the only thing giving this story any legs. Normally people would be yawning and rolling their eyes. I think that reaction still fits.

No one ever yawned and rolled their eyes when Kim made threats.

Nothing to see here. Nuclear war possibility = no news.

Millions threatened by terrorist state = meh.

Hope they tell us the latest on Kim Kardashians baby bump!

~Bang

---------- Post added April-13th-2013 at 09:04 AM ----------

North Korea has a very predictable history of manufacturing a crisis and then extorting money to back down

This is really no different, except they have a new leader now

No one said it was different, but the threat is still very dangerous. But it's a damn sight more than "media fearmongering".

the fact people want to pretend it's not news or a media generated fearfest.. ignorance can't even begin to explain it.

It's one thing to beolieve the media wants us to think our government is being undermined by shadowy things and horrific socialists, etc, but it's another thing entirely when the real rogue state's real war drums are accompanied by real loaded weapons, real poised armies and real nuclear capabilities. no shadowy half truths or innuendo to hide behind there in order to create fear and uncertainty. It's concrete and real.

Everything's the same .. real and potentially very very bad. Should the military laugh at him and change the channel?

~Bang

Edited April 13, 2013 by Bang

[Jumbo]

That immediate bloodline begs for an extinction event.

There should really be an international ceiling on what's allowed in a national leader in terms of sheer stupidity and the constant making of annoying, nonsensical, and totally useless noise, putting any of their core political ideology or human rights issues aside.

There should be an arm of Interpol that just permanently retires those kind of national execs, with an appropriate golden anchor.

[Bang]

That immediate bloodline begs for an extinction event.

There should really be an international ceiling on what's allowed in a national leader in terms of sheer stupidity and the constant making of annoying, nonsensical, and totally useless noise, putting any of their core political ideology or human rights issues aside.

There should be an arm of Interpol that just permanently retires those kind of national execs, with an appropriate golden anchor.

It'd be nice.. a few surgical teams to remove the cancers.

~Bang

[ixcuincle]

Nothing is going to happen. This has been done before, in the 90's, and nothing happened. After all the copious research I have done regarding the issue, many analysts say it would be suicide for the Kim regime to have a go at South Korea. In addition, as I pointed out in previous articles, the North Korean army, in addition to being outdated and highly inferior to "Allied" US / SK forces, is primarily focused on farming.

There have been no signs of troop mobilizations to even suggest that NK is going to invade. And NK has talked pompously before against their rivals, to no avail. I thought it was interesting what many people are saying regarding the matter: NK is just talking like this to get international aid. They're blackmailing the international community, but we know they'll never, ever, seriously back up their talk. Because they're going to get their ass kicked if they do.

[Zazzaro703]

To the ones saying nothing is going to happen this has happened before..... Yes it has. But each and every time it has its resolved with us giving them concessions in exchange for them stopping their nuclear program. Their nuclear program NEVER stops though. Eventually these threats will be backed by nuclear missiles that WILL be able to hit mainland US. Then what? We won't have the upper hand anymore and will be in a seriously dangerous position. You can't just have rogue nuclear threat like this out in the world and not deal with it. Not dealing with it has gotten us to where we are today and if the reports are true N Korea can deliver a nuke via missile. It may not be accurate, but it can happen. This wasn't the case last time this standoff happened. Just imagine what next time will bring 2-3 years down the road. Like I said before glad I'm not in power because I would be organizing strikes on all their military, nuclear and upper leadership positions because I don't see them giving up their nukes through diplomacy and they have had plenty of chances. I'd encourage them to fire this test missile and blow that thing out of the sky soon as it launches, then issue a *This is your last chance to completely accept the world will not allow you to become a nuclear state* statement.

Edited April 15, 2013 by Zazzaro703

[Skin'emAlive]

The second North Korea lost China as an ally, it has been kicking and screaming for everyone to listen to them and take them seriously. Nukes or not, nothing is going to happen. How can a country that is already poor, malnourished, and lacking any allies going to create any kind of conflict that would result in them changing their own lives for the better? Especially when, as stated before, most of the army also contributes to the country as farmers, and farming season is nigh. The only thing that is guaranteed to happen is new articles from cnn or yahoo about how NK May be able to mobilize or NK could possibly be able to fire a missile or NK makes threats to south korean workers and foreigners

Soldiers arent afraid to die. But the governmental leaders will do anything to keep their status at the top of their totem pole. Which of course would be everything except starting a conflict that would surely get them killed.

[visionary]

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/04/15/dennis-rodman-now-an-fbi-informant-on-north-korea/

Dennis Rodman Now An FBI Informant On North Korea

The strange tale of Dennis Rodman’s adventure to North Korea just keeps getting weirder.

After a successful stay in the Communist country in February, where he was filming a documentary for HBO, Rodman told the Miami Herald he’s been approached by the FBI to work as an informant on North Korean activity.

“I have been contacted by the FBI and I met with them. They wanted to know what went on and who’s really in charge in North Korea,” Rodman said.

[Predicto]

To the ones saying nothing is going to happen this has happened before..... Yes it has. But each and every time it has its resolved with us giving them concessions in exchange for them stopping their nuclear program. Their nuclear program NEVER stops though. Eventually these threats will be backed by nuclear missiles that WILL be able to hit mainland US. Then what? We won't have the upper hand anymore and will be in a seriously dangerous position. You can't just have rogue nuclear threat like this out in the world and not deal with it. Not dealing with it has gotten us to where we are today and if the reports are true N Korea can deliver a nuke via missile. It may not be accurate, but it can happen. This wasn't the case last time this standoff happened. Just imagine what next time will bring 2-3 years down the road. Like I said before glad I'm not in power because I would be organizing strikes on all their military, nuclear and upper leadership positions because I don't see them giving up their nukes through diplomacy and they have had plenty of chances. I'd encourage them to fire this test missile and blow that thing out of the sky soon as it launches, then issue a *This is your last chance to completely accept the world will not allow you to become a nuclear state* statement.

Not to be snarky, but the 20 million civilians living in Seoul are glad you are not in power either.

[Zazzaro703]

Not to be snarky, but the 20 million civilians living in Seoul are glad you are not in power either.

We will see how they feel in 3-4 years when these threats turn into demands backed by a fully functional nuclear arsenal. And since you opened the door not to be snarky but having read your posts for 8 years or so I'm glad you aren't in a position of power yourself so fair enough.

Edited April 15, 2013 by Zazzaro703

[Destino]

Not to be snarky, but the 20 million civilians living in Seoul are glad you are not in power either.

I agree with you. His idea would put them immediately in harms way and I'm not sure it's even fair for the US to make that choice. The point does remain however that NK continues it's path forward towards nuclear missiles and despite the past negotiations have not stopped them. I'm glad it's not my job to deal with this because it seems the choice is between a very ugly war and allowing a lunatic to continue working towards developing a nuclear arsenal. Lose lose situation.

[Predicto]

I agree with you. His idea would put them immediately in harms way and I'm not sure it's even fair for the US to make that choice. The point does remain however that NK continues it's path forward towards nuclear missiles and despite the past negotiations have not stopped them. I'm glad it's not my job to deal with this because it seems the choice is between a very ugly war and allowing a lunatic to continue working towards developing a nuclear arsenal. Lose lose situation.

There are no easy solutions to this, but some choices seem to be more obviously worse than others.

[Kilmer17]

This has been going on since Bush 41 and further.

I dont think the US believes that NK will ever get there nuke development to the point it will work at all.

However, I do think some sort of end game solution should be in place.

Do we now just wait til THIS crazy effing leader dies and hope the next one is sane?

[grhqofb5]

Do we now just wait til THIS crazy effing leader dies and hope the next one is sane?

No, we can't do that now because it took too long in Iraq. The U.S. needs to let one of these crazy mofos actually strike a critical blow somewhere so that our citizens (and the rest of the world) will believe that evil still exists and that it must be identified and dealt with prior to wreaking its havoc.

[Predicto]

We will see how they feel in 3-4 years when these threats turn into demands backed by a fully functional nuclear arsenal. And since you opened the door not to be snarky but having read your posts for 8 years or so I'm glad you aren't in a position of power yourself so fair enough.

Fair enough. I'm glad I'm not in power too. I'd be dead from the stress.

[Bang]

This has been going on since Bush 41 and further.

I dont think the US believes that NK will ever get there nuke development to the point it will work at all.

However, I do think some sort of end game solution should be in place.

Do we now just wait til THIS crazy effing leader dies and hope the next one is sane?

I think we pressure china into truly isolating them.

~Bang

[Predicto]

This has been going on since Bush 41 and further.

I dont think the US believes that NK will ever get there nuke development to the point it will work at all.

However, I do think some sort of end game solution should be in place.

Do we now just wait til THIS crazy effing leader dies and hope the next one is sane?

Nope. we try to break them with sanctions and embargos, and we work on the Chinese to get them to accept that they would be better off without the crazy Kim dynasty dragging them down.

Unilateral military action is the last thing we should do when they have 20 million hostages.

[Kilmer17]

Nope. we try to break them with sanctions and embargos, and we work on the Chinese to get them to accept that they would be better off without the crazy Kim dynasty dragging them down.

Unilateral military action is the last thing we should do when they have 20 million hostages.

I agree, but I dont think isolation and sanctions are working in the current form. Im like you in that Im glad Im not the one trying to figure it out.

[Predicto]

I agree, but I dont think isolation and sanctions are working in the current form. Im like you in that Im glad Im not the one trying to figure it out.

Isolation and sanctions never seem to work until they suddenly do. There are no guarantees, of course, but it is hard to tell from the outside what effect things like that really are having.

But of course you are correct. This is a horrible cluster**** and it has been a horrible cluster**** pretty much since 1953.

[RVAbrendan]

North Korea Threatens To Strike Without Warning

(CNN) -- North Korea turned up the temperature yet another degree on its neighbors Monday, warning that it would not give any advance notice before attacking South Korea.

"Our retaliatory action will start without any notice from now," the North said in a statement carried by its official news agency, KCNA.

North Korea said it was responding to insults from the"puppet authorities" in the South, claiming that there had been a rally against North Korea in Seoul, the South Korean capital. It called the rally a "monstrous criminal act."

North Korea said last month it was withdrawing from the armistice that put the Korean War on hold in 1953.

[RansomthePasserby]

"Our retaliatory action will start without any notice from now..."

Sneak retaliation. That's a new one.

[zoony]

So now they are saying that when they attack, they won't call first

Who do they have working on this stuff? A team of monkeys?

[GoSkins0721]

So now they are saying that when they attack, they won't call first

Who do they have working on this stuff? A team of monkeys?

It's a comedy skit:

"From now on, I'm not going to tell you when I'm going to strike."

"Wait. Starting NOW. I'm not going to tell you when I'm going to strike."

"Wait, strike that. I'm not going to tell you when I'm going to strike. Starting NOW."

[visionary]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-16/china-set-to-deepen-north-korea-ties-as-yalu-river-bridge-rises.html

China Set to Deepen N. Korea Ties as Yalu River Bridge Rises

Across the Yalu River dividing China and North Korea, towers that will support a sleek suspension bridge rise south of one that U.S. bombers targeted during the Korean War to prevent China from supplying its ally.

The bridge into the northeastern Chinese city of Dandong, set to open next year, is a bet that trade will swell even as the U.S. pressures Communist Party leaders to exert economic leverage on the North to abandon its nuclear program. Secretary of State John Kerry said last week China needs to “put some teeth” into restraining Kim Jong Un’s regime.

On a recent visit to Dandong, a city of 2.4 million people, Chinese traders said their biggest concern is increasingly savvy North Korean businesses driving down prices on clothing and other consumer goods, not government restrictions on commerce. They expressed little fear that United Nations sanctions targeting North Korea’s economy would limit their business or threaten a bilateral trade relationship that grew to $5.6 billion in 2012.

“The political situation hasn’t had a big impact on trade,” Yu Hao, 43, who oversees customs for Dandong Import & Export Co., said at his office, located on a narrow street lined with Korean restaurants and massage parlors. “Trade suffers because of the price. The North Koreans understand too much now about China and that pushes down profit.”