Tension rises on Korean Peninsula

**Nikos** · February 23, 2009, 10:37 AM

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-02-23-voa18.cfm

North Korea is issuing more of what has become an almost daily stream of confrontational rhetoric. Pyongyang's official "Rodong Sinmun" newspaper Monday called conservative South Korean President Lee Myung-bak a "fascist dictator." It accuses him of pushing inter-Korean relations "to the phase of total collapse," and driving the situation "to the brink of war."
Mr. Lee(President of S.Korea) ended 10 years of uncritical South Korean handouts to the impoverished North, saying future aid would be dependent on the North's progress in getting rid of its nuclear weapons.

It looks like the Korean Peninsula is heating up again. How will Obama handle this? hopefully he handles it well.

**Steel of Fury** · February 23, 2009, 10:40 AM

I wonder how much Russia and China are behind it. I hope it's not a retread of 1950.

**Farnan** · February 23, 2009, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Steel of Fury

I wonder how much Russia and China are behind it. I hope it's not a retread of 1950.

Not at all...

China and Russia don't want a Korean War, and it would be in China's interest for a united Korea.

**Nikos** · February 23, 2009, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Farnan

Not at all...

China and Russia don't want a Korean War, and it would be in China's interest for a united Korea.

Absolutely, the last thing China wants is an unstable border. My assessment of the situation is that Kim Jong-Il is dying and his successors are just beating their chests to gain the support of the populace. They're really not going to do anything. I hope I'm right. Because If I'm not, then we could see thousands die in a war.

**The Dude** · February 23, 2009, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by Nikos_Rouvelas

Absolutely, the last thing China wants is an unstable border. My assessment of the situation is that Kim Jong-Il is dying and his successors are just beating their chests to gain the support of the populace. They're really not going to do anything. I hope I'm right. Because If I'm not, then we could see thousands die in a war.

The "DP"RK is just having leadership struggles I reckon. I doubt that this is meant to gain the support of the population since they don't have the slightest choice anyway. I think it's simply Kim Jong Il reminding the world that North Korea is still always angry all the time as he lives on the brink of death. When he's gone, he'll have ensured that our most recent memory of North Korea is no different from any of the memories from the 55+ preceding years.

Can we finish this relic of the cold war off now guys? China won't back the North if it looks like it would lead to a Sino-US war.

I'm afraid not. North Korea is not just a country to be defeated. It's a population to be revitalised, an intrastructure to be rebuilt, an economy to be regained and a people's spirit to be restored. They're the most broken down, beaten up group of people in the entire world and simply taking care of North Korean leadership will not do the job.

**Chukada1** · February 23, 2009, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by The Dude

I'm afraid not. North Korea is not just a country to be defeated. It's a population to be revitalised, an intrastructure to be rebuilt, an economy to be regained and a people's spirit to be restored.

Couple bandages here, a few chickens there...this errected statue destroyed. Good as new.

**Mithie** · February 23, 2009, 11:21 AM

The "DMZ" is so riddled with mines (the exact locations of which NEITHER side knows) and unexploded munitions make conventional war pretty much impossible.

**cristophe el perno** · February 23, 2009, 11:24 AM

They probably could manage an unconventional war if they tried hard enough....

**Nikos** · February 23, 2009, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Mithie

The "DMZ" is so riddled with mines (the exact locations of which NEITHER side knows) and unexploded munitions make conventional war pretty much impossible.

You are aware that hundreds of artillery pieces are pointed at Seoul right? And the Nprth doesn't have to invade through the DMZ.

**Mithie** · February 23, 2009, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by Nikos_Rouvelas

You are aware that hundreds of artillery pieces are pointed at Seoul right? And the Nprth doesn't have to invade through the DMZ.

Bombarding Seoul for

and giggles with artillery is not conventional.

"Won't be ours until a lone soldier with a flag" etc, etc.

What do you think China's response will be if NK decides to send some landing boats through the ECS or a convoy through HeiLongJiang?

**Thanatos** · February 23, 2009, 12:40 PM

The NK is hurling insults? Oh noes, whatever shall we do?

**Astaroth** · February 23, 2009, 12:47 PM

I for my part doubt that a war will break out. China does not want a war so close to its border, especially not now with the global financial crisis and the decreasing economy. The government of the People's Republic will ensure that North Korea won't make any foolish moves. Furthermore, the US-North Korean relations have just begun improving over the last few months and it is not in North Korea's interest to throw all of that away.

North Korea's leaders are merely boasting in order to gain support amongst the population and to show the world that North Korea is still a force to be reckoned with. Another possibility is that they are simply trying to scare their neighbors in order to secure better conditions in future treaties.

**Thanatos** · February 23, 2009, 12:50 PM

It's just saber rattling, nothing more.

**Carach** · February 23, 2009, 01:23 PM

NK aggression goes only so far as its talk these days.

there will be no war over this..

**Hookah Smoking Caterpiller** · February 23, 2009, 01:40 PM

Can we finish this relic of the cold war off now guys? China won't back the North if it looks like it would lead to a Sino-US war.

**Cougar109** · February 23, 2009, 03:56 PM

Sounds like people are vying for scraps of power for after Jong kicks the bucket. Honestly though I've been hearing North Korea talk tough for years now, if they didn't follow through under Jong Il then I doubt they ever will.

**Azog 150** · February 23, 2009, 04:00 PM

I don't know much about North Korean politics, but do you think it is possible we will see a N.Korean Civil war?

**Cougar109** · February 23, 2009, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Azog 150

I don't know much about North Korean politics, but do you think it is possible we will see a N.Korean Civil war?

Nope China won't let it happen. First off any kind of civil war or collapse will cause a massive influx of refugees into China and they're trying to control the population and taking on a couple million more poverty stricken peasants wouldn't help much in that area. It's also in their best interest if North Korean government remains Communist. Anythings possible, but I think China would do everything in it's power to prevent that from happening.