N. Korea warns Seoul to cancel military drill

[IScreamSundays]

Source: msnbc

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said on Friday it would strike again at the South if a live-firing drill planned by Seoul on a disputed island went ahead, with an even stronger response than last month's shelling that killed four people.

North Korean official news agency KCNA said the "intensity and scope" of its retaliation will be worse if the Seoul goes through with its announced one-day live-fire drills sometime between Saturday and Tuesday on Yeonpyeong Island.

The North said the planned drills were an attempt "to save the face of the South Korean military, which met a disgraceful fiasco" during last month's clash.

Story: Deciphering clues to North Korea's mysteries

The North responded to similar South Korean drills on Nov. 23 by raining artillery shells on the tiny fishing community near the Koreas' disputed sea border.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40713808/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

[Democrats_win]

1. Remember the U.S.S. Pueblo. Bomb the bastards!

http://www.usspueblo.org/

[David__77]

13. It's ironic that you invoke the Pueblo that went to utter defeat.

The North Koreans can hope that any future encounter go like the Pueblo incident.

[Phoonzang]

2. I'm sure N. Korea knows if they do anything like that again

it'll be the end. Right? They know that right?

[Purveyor]

3. Also: Russia Calls On South Korea To Halt Military Drill

Dec 17 (Reuters) - Russia on Friday called on South Korea to halt plans for a military exercise in the Yellow Sea that it said could escalate tensions with North Korea.

"The Russian Federation... calls on the Republic of Korea to refrain from holding the planned firing of artillery in order to prevent the further escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE6BG17O20101217

[davidthegnome]

4. I think Seoul will follow through

It is a difficult situation to be in. The people of South Korea are furious about the recent attack on the fishing community. If Seoul backs down it may convince the North that they can be easily intimidated. If they follow through, they take a great risk, yet at this point I am not seeing how this can end happily for anyone.

I'm not saying that they should follow through, simply that they are unlikely to respond well to threats from the north or pleas from Russia. We'll see.

[Lucinda]

5. I agree. The public was very vocal about their weak response last time.

Many people here keep saying this is just posturing on both sides, and isn't a big deal. I have my doubts.

[CLANG]

6. Maybe it's time for South Korea to end this bulshit. Fuck Kim Jong Il!

[Prometheus Bound]

12. And if it spirals out of control?

The risk to both sides is so great that it only makes sense to try to understand NK's concerns and work together for peace.

[CLANG]

15. I think they are not rational partners in peace. NK is a major problem that needs a solution.

[Prometheus Bound]

16. They seem to keep pretty much to themselver except when aggravated.

War games in areas they see as theirs seem to make them nervous and they tend to go a bit ballistic. So why not recognize that war games in these areas may not be such a good idea.

[CLANG]

17. I agree they are not a good idea.

[NickB79]

23. Where there war games going on when they sunk that destroyer and killed 46 sailors? NT

Or when they tested 2 nuclear warheads?

[Prometheus Bound]

25. Yes

Though there is some doubt that they actually sunk that ship.

[NickB79]

26. Yeah, a torpedo just materialized out of nothing to hit the Cheonan

One that very closely matched a model NK promotes in their own literature for export :eyes:

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2010/0520/Blaming-North-Korea-South-offers-detailed-account-of-how-torpedo-sank-Cheonan

Also, it appears the US and SK launched war game exercises AFTER the Cheonan was sunk:

"http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2010/0709/Responding-to-Cheonan-warship-sinking-US-and-South-Korea-confirm-war-games"

[CLANG]

27. And they don't do excersizes? Like mortar shelling an island?

[Stella_Artois]

7. I'm saying they should follow through.

Its their island, and they have the legal right to defend it, and to ensure its defences are ready.

Its not the South that is the aggressor here.

[Arctic Dave]

8. Here is the irony I see about the use of "protest".

If you protest for peace, the governments will easily ignore and marginalize you. If you protest for war, the government MUST pay attention to you because they don't want to look weak. Fascinating.

[davidthegnome]

9. You make a good point

Ironic or not though, that's simply the way it is. A protest for peace could be successful, but it requires true dedication and very large numbers to attract and demand attention and/or action.

The South may be concerned with looking weak - but if they back down the North will have reason to believe their intimidation tactics are successful. They will demand more, and again more, until the South reacts or capitulates completely. It's hard to see any light in this situation.

[Arctic Dave]

10. Look how many turned out world wide against the Iraq invasion,

and they didn't do a damn thing.

[davidthegnome]

11. While I appreciate - and was part of

that effort, it simply wasn't large enough or sustained enough. There were many millions in America - and around the world, who were fooled into thinking Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. There were far too many who either supported the invasion or did not know enough to oppose it.

Gandhi on the other hand - and his revolution, was something else altogether. Large numbers of people, dedicated to their cause CAN make a difference. It is true though, that some times they do not. The opposition to the war in Vietnam was also quite a different situation. In my opinion it is, for the most part, a matter of numbers and of dedication. The dedication was there I think - but not the numbers necessary to make governments sit up and pay attention.

As for what South Korea is facing - it is a very different sort of conflict. I hope cooler heads prevail and diplomatic efforts find fruition, but I suspect that this situation cannot end well unless one side capitulates - and neither are willing to do so.

[David__77]

14. The "northern limit line" is not recognized border.

Even the US knows that under international law such a "border" is indefensible. But the Koreas are in a state of war even today, technically, so this is all unimportant. The two states will do as they see fit to defend their respective sovereignty. It would be best of a peace treaty were executed with clear stipulations on such matters, and that the US recognize N. Korea diplomatically, as Clinton was on the verge of doing in 2000.

[Taverner]

18. I am worried NK has decided, now that the US is nearly insolvent, that its time to invade SK

Mark my words, they are crazy enough to try.

-------------------------------------

[daleo]

19. If the U.S. does get involved in another Korean war

That would certainly cost a lot of money, among other things.

[Taverner]

21. Well, yeah, which is reason to believe a NK invasion might suceed

[Pavulon]

24. When was the last tomahawk fired?

been a while, last time a b2 or f22 dropped gravity weapons with about 40 seconds of radar signature until impact.

hide your kids, hide your wives...

[humblebum]

20. South Korea needs to hold their drills. the North knows they are only drills and they

hold them too. What happens now is up to the North. Let's hope they restrin themselves. And the US needs to stand behind the South.

[riderinthestorm]

22. I believe the N and S Koreans may be finally ready to reconcile this stalemate

The South has wanted reunification for a long time. The North's craziness under their batshit rulers has been a big impediment but if the South calls their bluff, it's quite possible they are a potemkin tiger that may fold like the USSR when finally confronted with economic disaster.

I'm wondering if this is "it" - their moment to finally draw this decades long fiasco to a close....