North Korea raises military alert

[Turborama]

Source: Al Jazeera English

Last Modified: 19 Dec 2010 14:09 GMT

North Korea's military has raised its alert for artillery units based along its west coast ahead of a planned live fire drill by the South, Yonhap news agency has reported, quoting a government source.

The move raised tensions that were already running high as the UN Security Council met for an emergency session on Sunday in an attempt to prevent the escalating crisis on the Korean peninsula from spiralling out of control.

=snip=

Both sides have said they will use military means to defend what they say is their territory off the west coast.

"We understand that there's been an upgrade in alert at artillery units," Yonhap quoted a South Korean government source as saying. South Korea's defence ministry offered no immediate comment.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/12/20101219131027539330.html

[Faygo Kid]

1. I think we better pay attention to this now.

[Haole Girl]

21. We should have paid attention a long time ago. (nt)

[HopeHoops]

2. They're the drunk in the bar calling all the biker guys "pussies".

All they want is to provoke a fight so they can claim an excuse to rekindle the war that never ended. I'm sure they are counting on China to back them up, but that's probably not a reasonable thing to expect. Usually that drunk ends up bleeding in the gutter and I'm pretty sure that's what's going to happen this time. Things are significantly different than they were in the 50's. With two water fronts available, it wouldn't take much to liquidate their military capabilities with our current forces and technology. Either they are totally fucking stupid or, more likely, trying to bluff us into doing something stupid first. China's not the big brother it used to be.

[soryang]

3. China's interest in Korea hasn't changed in 2000 years

If US forces cross the DMZ the PLA will mobilize, you can count on it.

[HopeHoops]

4. I don't think that's true anymore. NK has become a thorn in their side.

China's more interested in fucking the rest of the world economically. Their border isn't a "cold war" issue now. It is more of an economic border now.

[soryang]

6. It has nothing to do with the cold war

It has to do with Chinese national security interests. If the conflict arguably remains a South Korean North Korean conflict, China may allow reunification to occur. If the US moves its armed forces into North Korean territory, the PLA will mobilize.

The best hope would be that US Chinese diplomats have negotiated a secret agreement about restricting their respective troop movements. If they haven't and the US moves forces into the North under the delusion that the Chinese won't react, they are in for a rude suprise.

[HopeHoops]

8. China would only benefist from reunification. They would have direct land trade routes.

Times have seriously changed.

[soryang]

12. A mutual agreement to withdraw foreign troops is required

The Chinese do not regard having American or any non Korean forces on their border on this peninisula as a "benefit."

[HopeHoops]

25. Yeah, that would probably be both necessary and possible in such a case.

[jberryhill]

14. Samsung, Hyundai, and LG mean a lot more to China

All of the ROK industrial giants have major facilities in China that mean a lot more than the purity of Juche philosophy in the DPRK.

[soryang]

16. The movement of US forces on the peninsula means more...

...than any free trade consideration.

[jberryhill]

18. The US and China have nothing to fight over

...and the US and China are perfectly well aware of that.

[BenzoDia]

5. Yeah, but with Seoul's proximity to the DMZ, I think the North could

easily due some nasty damage. A very unfortunate advantage that they possess.

[HopeHoops]

7. NK is on a suicide path. If they nuke themselves, China's going to have a lot more to worry about.

[Odin2005]

9. Good analogy!

Unfortunately they are drunks that can level Seoul with artillery. :-(

[HopeHoops]

11. Suicide mission. If they hit a major population center, most of NK is going to be toast.

[Stella_Artois]

15. Not very quickly

Thankfully...they could do a lot of damage, but Seoul is out of range of most of their artillery. Its at the extreme edge for even their biggest guns. Still, thats not of much comfort to the people living there, much less those poor people living in towns and villages close to the border.

[Odin2005]

10. Uh-oh!

:scared:

[necso]

13. Perhaps it is time to step back,

and to listen to cooler heads.

Further confrontation and escalation seems very unlikely to benefit the Korean people.

[Stella_Artois]

17. Step back from what ?

The south isn't doing anything wrong.

[necso]

22. It's an old expression meaning to

try a different vantage point (and, in particular, to think about where the involved parties may be heading (where the current course seems to lead), by figuratively "taking a step back" (I suppose "sideways" would work for "back") and looking ahead from there); to try to set aside heated thinking (which tends to unhelpfully color judgement).

It's also an unaddressed suggestion, which is further watered-down by a "perhaps".

[Stella_Artois]

26. Yes thanks....

English is my first language and I understand the term.

My question still stands. The South has not and is not doing anything differently to any other country with armed forces. It has nothing to stand back from.

[Posteritatis]

19. Tell that to North Korea. (nt)

[David__77]

20. "war under Republican, bad... war under Democrat, good." (???)

That seems to be the thing these days.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. update from bbc

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12033330

[Hardrada]

24. This is starting to get on my nerves but at least Michelle Obama

looks cool at White House Christmas parties.