North Korea warns that war would bring 'nuclear holocaust'

[RavenSEAL]

By KIM KWANG-TAE and FOSTER KLUG, Associated Press Kim Kwang-tae And Foster Klug, Associated Press Sat Jan 1, 7:33 am ET
SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea welcomed the new year Saturday with a call for better ties with rival South Korea, warning that war "will bring nothing but a nuclear holocaust."
Despite calls in its annual New Year's message for a Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons, the communist North, which has conducted two nuclear tests since 2006, also said its military is ready for "prompt, merciless and annihilatory action" against its enemies.

South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles relations with the North, said the editorial carried in the official Korean Central News Agency, even with its tough rhetoric, showed the North's interest in resuming talks with the South.

The annual holiday message is scrutinized by officials and analysts in neighboring countries for policy clues. This year, it received special attention after the North's Nov. 23 artillery shelling of a South Korean island near the countries' disputed western sea border, the first attack on a civilian area since the 1950-53 Korean War.
That barrage, which followed an alleged North Korean torpedoing of a South Korean warship in March, sent tensions between the Koreas soaring and fueled fears of war during the last weeks of 2010.

In South Korea, President Lee Myung-bak, dressed in traditional Korean clothes, said in a televised New Year's address he would work toward peace. "I am confident that we will be able to establish peace on the Korean peninsula and continue sustained economic growth," he said.
North Korea said in its editorial that confrontation between the Koreas should be quickly defused.

"The danger of war should be removed and peace safeguarded in the Korean peninsula," said the message, which was also read by a North Korean anchorwoman in a state television broadcast monitored in Seoul. "If a war breaks out on this land, it will bring nothing but a nuclear holocaust."

The message shows the North wants to rejoin international nuclear disarmament talks, said Kim Yong-hyun, a North Korea analyst at Seoul's Dongguk University, noting there was no criticism of the United States, which the North often lashes out at.

The Korean peninsula remains technically in a state of war because the 1950s conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

Six-nation talks on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program have been stalled for nearly two years.

The North has previously used aggression to force negotiations. Recently, it has said it is willing to return to the talks. Washington and Seoul, however, are insisting that the North make progress on past disarmament commitments before negotiations can resume.

North Korea also stoked new worries about its nuclear program in November when it revealed a uranium enrichment facility — which could give it a second way to make atomic bombs. The North is believed to have enough weaponized plutonium for at least a half-dozen atomic bombs.

In the North Korean capital, authoritarian leader Kim Jong Il enjoyed a concert on New Year's Eve with his youngest son and heir apparent, Kim Jong Un. The elder Kim also attended a tank division training session, according to a statement Friday by the North's official news agency.

On Saturday, dozens of well-dressed citizens and soldiers paid respect to the country's late dynastic founder Kim Il Sung. After offering bouquets of flowers, they bowed solemnly and saluted a huge bronze statue of Kim standing on a hill overlooking the city, according to footage provided by Associated Press Television News in Pyongyang. Children were filmed posing for photos on model horses and families were seen walking along streets beneath brightly colored New Year's posters.

"Under the leadership of the great leader Kim Jong Il, the future of Korea will be brighter," said Kim Hye Gyong, a Pyongyang citizen interviewed by APTN. "Today I greet new year 2011 with such happy feelings."

The true matter of the fact, is that if the US got involved, would N.Korea have the guts to pull the trigger not only on the US, but on NATO as well?

Hopefully it doesn't go that far, I would love to not have to survive a nuclear winter in my life time.

 

[SamurAchzar]

The true matter of the fact, is that if the US got involved, would N.Korea have the guts to pull the trigger not only on the US, but on NATO as well?

I'm not sure NATO applies in such case, S. Korea is not a NATO member and US can't go to NATO when it gets attacked outside of its borders (not that it matters much, US is NATO, the rest are tag alongs).

Hopefully it doesn't go that far, I would love to not have to survive a nuclear winter in my life time.

I don't think it'll go that far, unless the North Korean regime will face physical harm. Nevertheless it's a good exercise at why Iran shouldn't be allowed to get nuclear weapons. One such state is enough.

 

[Jaskalas]

The true matter of the fact, is that if the US got involved, would N.Korea have the guts to pull the trigger not only on the US, but on NATO as well?

Hopefully it doesn't go that far, I would love to not have to survive a nuclear winter in my life time.

North Korea does not have that much nuclear material. For that to be possible China would have to aid them.

 

[llee]

what's the best way to deal with an irrational opponent? do you play by your standards or drop down to his level? this one's a toughy. there are so many lives at stake.

china views north korea more as an annoying kid rather than a strategic ally. the presumption of generalizing both countries as asian, communist, bad guys will only invite pain later.

 

[SamurAchzar]

what's the best way to deal with an irrational opponent? do you play by your standards or drop down to his level? this one's a toughy. there are so many lives at stake.

Who said they are irrational? They are facing sanctions that starve them, what they are doing is very rational.

 

[piasabird]

South Korea and North Korea are too small to use nuclear weapons. The nuclear bomb from Seoul Korea would just blow north and kill north koreans. It is just stupid. However, meglomaniacs, are not famous for using logical reasonings. One thing you have to know is that the South Koreans consider the people in North Korea to be their brothers, cousins, uncles and their grandchildren. May God help them to resist evil and hug their brothes and sisters with love.

Seoul is only a little over 20 miles from the DMZ.

It only takes a few hours to drive from the DMZ to the southern tip of South Korea. There is nowhere you can go to escape the nuclear fallout. So just call their bluff!

North Korea has had peace for 50 years. They have had plenty of time to rebuild an economy. Instead they buy weapons and build up their military. They only reason they are starving is their leader is a communist bastard dictator and fascist pig.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

Meh. I am not worried. N. Korea will not go to war.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

North Korea barely detonates a low-yield, primitive nuke and now they think they can conduct a nuclear war. How cute.

As soon as their mule pulling their crappy nuke (if they even have one) across the border is spotted they will be glassed.

If they have a nuke, more likely it will be buried somewhere in North Korea to act as a nuclear land-mine and deter invading forces.

 

[ZzZGuy]

NK "tested" two nukes (iirc). According to seismic surveys and air samples those tests appear to have failed.

Now lets assume that they did in fact work, how big are these nukes (not blast size). Can they arm one of their missiles with one, or can they only arm one of their flatbed trucks with one?

I'm far more worried about them using "dirty" bombs instead of nuclear bombs.

 

[llee]

Who said they are irrational? They are facing sanctions that starve them, what they are doing is very rational.

it doesn't matter if they are in fact rational or irrational. the usfg perceives the nk government as irrational, and so do many americans

 

[DrPizza]

Maybe the most rational thing to do is act irrational. "I wouldn't mess around with those guys - they seem to be a little off their rockers." Nature is full of examples of animals that will pretend that they are more menacing than they really are - not as an offensive weapon, but as a defensive/preventative weapon.

 

[Pocatello]

I think N. Korea is desperate, which makes it dangerous. The leadership is in turmoil, with the current Kim (Kim Jong-il) being ill, and the next Kim is too inexperienced. That being said, the N. Korean leaderships or people with power are having it pretty good now, are they going to risk a war which will destroy everything, especially their fleet of luxury cars?

 

[Brovane]

NK "tested" two nukes (iirc). According to seismic surveys and air samples those tests appear to have failed.

Now lets assume that they did in fact work, how big are these nukes (not blast size). Can they arm one of their missiles with one, or can they only arm one of their flatbed trucks with one?

I'm far more worried about them using "dirty" bombs instead of nuclear bombs.

The nuclear devices would be fairly large in size. Probably about the size of the US first generation nuclear weapons dropped on Japan (around 5-tons) and somewhere in the range of 20-40kt maximum. They wouldn't have a device yet that could be mounted on a missile. That takes a more mature nuclear weapon program.

 

[dmcowen674]

I would love to not have to survive a nuclear winter in my life time.

What makes you think you would survive?

 

[Schadenfroh]

North Korea warns that war would bring 'nuclear holocaust'

Maybe for them...

 

[Scotteq]

What makes you think you would survive?

Besides the whole < "Not~Living~On~the~Korean~Peninsula~or~Japan, within range of NK missiles" > thing? Presuming, of course, that North Korea's missiles work... and that the warheads work...

Now - That doesn't mean there wouldn't be global impact from radioactiveity and environmental changes. But a half dozen nukes that may or may not work isn't a threat to the entire world. We can survive that.

What we'd have to worry about is the thousands of warheads posessed by the USA and China...


IMHO, (and as pointed out already) North Korea has been making these sorts of threats for decades - indeed for the entire living memory of most of the world's population (anyone 54 years old and younger). Nor would the Chinese tolerate their lapdogs initiating a nuclear exchange in their backyard. So there is little reason to believe the threat is anything more than hollow. OTOH, if it *is* a real threat, perhaps the Chinese could arrange the appropriate aircraft accident for "Dear Leader" and simply take over. Would likely be to everyone's benefit, to be honest.

 

[piasabird]

I would be more worried that China would get involved.

 

[Modelworks]

If you have netflix watch the national geographic documentary inside north korea. It is on instant viewing.

You will see why they are starving and what the people believe. This isn't a population that is rational in any sense of the word. It is a large cult that thinks the only thing that matters is what their glorious leader tells them .
They put a bench on the street under glass because their leader sat on it ! That is how whacked out these people are.

They have no information at all from the outside, no newspapers, no tv, no radio, no internet. Imagine living somewhere that the only information you hear is from the leader. Like any cult the members are so mislead by the leader that they will do anything he tells them to do and believe they are doing it for the right reasons. For over 30 years those people have lived inside a giant prison camp and heard the words of only one group.

All that matters is what the leader wants, not anyone else.
Don't discount what those people will do for that leader.

 

[Modelworks]

I would be more worried that China would get involved.

NK is an annoyance to China, it provides them nothings and cost them a lot. China would like nothing better than to be completely rid of the country they just don't know how to do it.

 

[Schadenfroh]

NK is an annoyance to China, it provides them nothings and cost them a lot. China would like nothing better than to be completely rid of the country they just don't know how to do it.

They know how to do it and want to do it, they just do not have a way to do it and still save face, for now.

 

[Karl Agathon]

I would be more worried that China would get involved.

What is China going to do exactly? if NK nukes or even full out attacks SK with standard weaponry, China wont do squat. NK and the U.S. would have the moral highground and every right to retaliate. Would they get involved behind the scenes or in some other way? Sure, but they're not going to join NK in attacking SK or American Forces. That would just about mean suicide for them too.

 

[JTsyo]

Maybe for them...

reading the article, that's what I got from it. NK was warning that war would mean destruction for both countries. Unless you're saying just NK would get nuked.

 

[Anubis]

They know how to do it, they just do not have a way to do it and still save face, for now.

this is also what i beleive

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Besides the whole < "Not~Living~On~the~Korean~Peninsula~or~Japan, within range of NK missiles" > thing? Presuming, of course, that North Korea's missiles work... and that the warheads work...

Now - That doesn't mean there wouldn't be global impact from radioactiveity and environmental changes. But a half dozen nukes that may or may not work isn't a threat to the entire world. We can survive that.

What we'd have to worry about is the thousands of warheads posessed by the USA and China...

IMHO, (and as pointed out already) North Korea has been making these sorts of threats for decades - indeed for the entire living memory of most of the world's population (anyone 54 years old and younger). Nor would the Chinese tolerate their lapdogs initiating a nuclear exchange in their backyard. So there is little reason to believe the threat is anything more than hollow. OTOH, if it *is* a real threat, perhaps the Chinese could arrange the appropriate aircraft accident for "Dear Leader" and simply take over. Would likely be to everyone's benefit, to be honest.

A few things.

First, I hope you're talking about localized enviornmental impacts, because on a global scale a dozen nukes going off would not do much environmentally. If you don't believe me then where were the global changes from US/Russian testing in the 40's, 50's, and 60's?

Second, China and the US would not use thousands of nukes. Obama has already issued a policy that we will only respond with nuclear force if we are attacked with it. If that applies to our allies or not depends on the situation I'd imagine. Assuming worst case though where NK launched against SK, the US might retaliate in kind. If they do, what would be the reasoning for China to launch against SK/US in support of NK? Chinese leaders are not stupid (at least when it comes to this stuff), and NK is just more of a dead weight for them outside of the "communist" title they both have.

 

[Scotteq]

A few things.

First, I hope you're talking about localized enviornmental impacts, because on a global scale a dozen nukes going off would not do much environmentally. If you don't believe me then where were the global changes from US/Russian testing in the 40's, 50's, and 60's?

I believe you: I was refuting the earlier poster who appeared to be predicting the of the world over NK's (rumored) few nukes. Locally? A horror show. Globally? At most, a nasty few ground bursts could put the equivalent of a small volcano eruption's worth of dust in the atmosphere. not a big deal, except that the dust is radioactive.

Second, China and the US would not use thousands of nukes.

Fully agreed: We won't use them that close to China, except in the direst circumstances.