War rhetoric rises between North and South Korea

[nadinbrzezinski]

Source: AP

SEOUL, South Korea – One month after a deadly exchange of artillery fire, the two Koreas ramped up their rhetoric, with South Korea's president pledging unsparing retaliation if attacked again and a top North Korean official threatening a "sacred" nuclear war if provoked.

South Korean troops, tanks and fighter jets put on a thundering display of force Thursday as President Lee Myung-bak visited with soldiers at a base near the border, while North Korea's elite marked a key military anniversary by lashing out at the South for encouraging war.

For both countries, the rallying cries and military maneuvers mainly seemed designed to build support at home. But they raised fears anew of all-out war on a peninsula that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson called a "tinderbox" after returning from a visit to the North Korean capital this week.

The two Koreas and their allies called a truce in 1953 to end three years of devastating war, but violence has flared up from time to time, most recently in the disputed waters off their west coast. North Korea does not recognize the maritime line drawn by U.N. forces, and the territorial dispute in the Yellow Sea has erupted into deadly naval skirmishes.

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Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101224/ap_on_re_as/as_koreas_clash;_ylt=AlEJ.McXkLAJgWG8ru710UQBxg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTJjNGoycnEwBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAxMjI0L2FzX2tvcmVhc19jbGFzaARwb3MDNgRzZWMDeW5fbW9zdF9wb3B1bGFyBHNsawN3YXJyaGV0b3JpY3I-

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Hey I was expecting this. Since the Chosan was sunk the dynamic has completely changed, and not in a good way.

Oh and the north may do another nuke test to ensure the role of dear leader's son. Makes me wonder just how many they got that they can go for a THIRD test. Will post in a minute.

[Arctic Dave]

1. A peepee length display between Koreans

:hide: :hide:

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Two Koreas take tough stance as think-tank warns of war

Source: AFP

SEOUL (AFP) – The two Koreas are still talking tough one month after the North's artillery bombardment sent tensions soaring, with Pyongyang threatening nuclear war and Seoul vowing strong retaliation for any new attack.

One day after deploying tanks, artillery and jet fighters in a military show of force, Seoul's defence ministry said Friday that a giant Christmas tree near the North Korean border would stay lit up till January 8.

The move is likely to anger Pyongyang since the date marks the birthday of its heir apparent Kim Jong-Un. The communist North sees the tree topped with a glowing cross as a provocative propaganda symbol.

The ministry said it hoped to send "a message of peace to the North" and the timing was just a coincidence.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101224/wl_asia_afp/nkoreaskoreausmilitary;_ylt=AukstXlZADU83QOtLyGOFTcBxg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTJ0dG9xM2owBGFzc2V0A2FmcC8yMDEwMTIyNC9ua29yZWFza29yZWF1c21pbGl0YXJ5BHBvcwM3BHNlYwN5bl9wYWdpbmF0ZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA3R3b2tvcmVhc3R

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I just report them... and yes tweeter went nuts

[Imajika]

3. There will be no war on the Korean peninsula...

North Korea will pick and chose its moments to be provocative, and it certainly won't be when South Korea is looking to prove it isn't wimpy.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. A few experts believe that the dynamic has changed

http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/north-east-asia/north-korea/198-north-korea-the-risks-of-war-in-the-yellow-sea.aspx

[David__77]

5. I support the ICG recommendations at the link you provided.

They are a good roadmap for peace and stability in the region. The warhawks are loose and trying to fan the flames.

[Puzzledtraveller]

6. the school yard

It's almost like two kids posturing in school where you wish they would just meet in the parking lot after school already and beat the snot of out each other!!

[Codeine]

7. "deadly exchange of artillery fire"

Bullshit. Only one side fired at the other. That's not an "exchange."

[and-justice-for-all]

8. China will not allow it...

they would smack the shit out of NK, China and Japan, simply will not allow NK to destablize the region.