The #1 North Korea 2013 tension thread [with rolling updates!]

[Pocatello]

We're boned.

Good camouflage. They really blend into the background. In the video game Crysis, some of the North Korean soldiers had nano suits. These guys came close.

 

[amish]

I wonder how many rounds of NK's artillery is either salted or just duds...

 

[cybrsage]

The new leader in North Korea has to show he has big stones so he will not be removed by a military coup. By ending the armistice (as his dad did a few times) he successfully did that.

 

[mizzou]

The new leader in North Korea has to show he has big stones so he will not be removed by a military coup. By ending the armistice (as his dad did a few times) he successfully did that.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aS17xp.yHokM

yep.

I suppose these saber rattlings that keep going on however are getting more newsworthy as their nuclear program matures.

Shit, they fucking shelled and killed several S. Koreans not that long ago, sunk one of their ships, and still didn't do anything about it.

I wonder what it would take to actually start a conventional war.

 

[irishScott]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aS17xp.yHokM

yep.

I suppose these saber rattlings that keep going on however are getting more newsworthy as their nuclear program matures.

Shit, they fucking shelled and killed several S. Koreans not that long ago, sunk one of their ships, and still didn't do anything about it.

I wonder what it would take to actually start a conventional war.

Something worth the lives that would be lost in the shelling of Seoul and an all-out invasion of Korea. It makes no sense to go to war over a half dozen when you're just going to lose many times that. The threat has to be big.

 

[Orignal Earl]

A few interesting facts I've learned lately

North Korea has less firepower then Thailand, and only slightly more then Ethiopia

North Koreans love their weed, it's pushed as a medicine and you find it growing everywhere

South Korea is full of Christian Fundamentalists now, who target Tibetans

Students in S. Korea go to school from 7:30 in the morning till 10 pm, then often go to after hours study halls. When do they have time to play StarCraft?

 

[irishScott]

A few interesting facts I've learned lately

North Korea has less firepower then Thailand, and only slightly more then Ethiopia

North Koreans love their weed, it's pushed as a medicine and you find it growing everywhere

South Korea is full of Christian Fundamentalists now, who target Tibetans

Students in S. Korea go to school from 7:30 in the morning till 10 pm, then often go to after hours study halls. When do they have time to play StarCraft?

The same time as American students. During AP Computer Science.

 

[Texashiker]

I thought NK was supposed to nuke us yesterday?

 

[irishScott]

I thought NK was supposed to nuke us yesterday?

Seriously. Given the primitive nature of their missiles I was hoping we could easily intercept it and laugh and we carpet bombed Pyongyang.

 

[Genx87]

If we are lucky and they it will launch fall right back on them.

 

[Texashiker]

Seriously. Given the primitive nature of their missiles I was hoping we could easily intercept it and laugh and we carpet bombed Pyongyang.

I was hoping to see it fall into the ocean.

 

[irishScott]

I was hoping to see it fall into the ocean.

That would be even better, but then we'd have to wait for a sub to recover it before we carpet-bombed them back to the stone age.

 

[irishScott]

You know, if NK did go off the reservation, I wonder if China would take responsibility and try to annex it. Would be a huge undertaking on their part, but if they want to maintain their influence in the region that might be the best way to go about it.

 

[EagleKeeper]

You know, if NK did go off the reservation, I wonder if China would take responsibility and try to annex it. Would be a huge undertaking on their part, but if they want to maintain their influence in the region that might be the best way to go about it.

Language/cultural barrier and economic failure.
That section of China is not wealthy either.
China would want that large of a drain on their economy.

The NK leaders more than likely have brainwashed the people that the complete world is against them; China included.
They are not going to admit that China saved their butts in '53

Above is opinion without any supporting evidence other than hunches

 

[cybrsage]

Students in S. Korea go to school from 7:30 in the morning till 10 pm, then often go to after hours study halls. When do they have time to play StarCraft?

No they don't, it is a myth (though a popular one). My daughter is currently in South Korea as part of her studies abroad. South Koreans are actually much like Americans, only they require far less personal space.

 

[cybrsage]

You know, if NK did go off the reservation, I wonder if China would take responsibility and try to annex it. Would be a huge undertaking on their part, but if they want to maintain their influence in the region that might be the best way to go about it.

They would have to, to prevent a huge build up of US troops in the newly reunified Korea (run by the government of South Korea).

 

[kage69]

A few interesting facts I've learned lately

North Korea has less firepower then Thailand, and only slightly more then Ethiopia

North Koreans love their weed, it's pushed as a medicine and you find it growing everywhere

South Korea is full of Christian Fundamentalists now, who target Tibetans

Students in S. Korea go to school from 7:30 in the morning till 10 pm, then often go to after hours study halls. When do they have time to play StarCraft?

While staying with a friend in Taegu, I noticed the guy in charge of watching the gates and parking area of the complex (nice older guy, no English) always looked thrilled to see everyone. I made a joke about soju, but my friend informed me that the guy is actually always baked out of his mind, and also from the North. Didn't get the story on his escape, but because the guy was built like a linebacker I'm guessing he was Army. After doing a search regarding the bolded above, it all makes sense now! I really had no idea.


http://www.businessinsider.com/north-koreas-and-marijuana-2013-1#ixzz2NMHR9vfN


"Newspapers are used as rolling papers, with pictures of the Supreme Leader and his family carefully avoided." lol


It's depressingly ironic that probably one of the few things they can take pleasure from, also gives them the munchies. North Korea: home of the Cool Ranch pine cone!

 

[EagleKeeper]

They would have to, to prevent a huge build up of US troops in the newly reunified Korea (run by the government of South Korea).

US troops are only there because of NK.

Not because of China.

 

[Texashiker]

You know, if NK did go off the reservation, I wonder if China would take responsibility and try to annex it. Would be a huge undertaking on their part, but if they want to maintain their influence in the region that might be the best way to go about it.

One major issue is china wants a buffer zone between US military bases and the china border.

If conflict broke out between NK and the USA, china would have to interfere to preserve that buffer zone.

China will not allow the USA to invade NK, and then setup bases like what we did in Iraq.

 

[cybrsage]

US troops are only there because of NK.

Not because of China.

True, but the SPQA would never give us such an awesome location to stage large amounts of troops and weapons.

 

[K1052]

One major issue is china wants a buffer zone between US military bases and the china border.

If conflict broke out between NK and the USA, china would have to interfere to preserve that buffer zone.

China will not allow the USA to invade NK, and then setup bases like what we did in Iraq.

It's not 1950 anymore. Having bases in NK as opposed to SK makes a negligible difference in the strategic picture at this point and NK has become a political liability to China's other ambitions. Arguably, it would substantially benefit the Chinese to see an uncontrolled unification that cripples the South Korean economy as long as the Chinese army can keep their border with North Korea shut.

 

[Texashiker]

It's not 1950 anymore. Having bases in NK as opposed to SK makes a negligible difference in the strategic picture at this point and NK has become a political liability to China's other ambitions.

If china expresses displeasure with improved US/Australia military relations, what do you think china would say about NK?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/30/us-china-usa-australia-idUSTRE7AT0PZ20111130

Over the past few years that have been several articles about the US encroaching on china - Japan, Australia, Taiwan,,, only to name a few.

US troops are only there because of NK.

Not because of China.

I have to respectfully disagree.

If you are going to excuse our troops being in SK because of NK, then why have we had missiles in Europe for the past 50 years? Why do we still have missiles in poland?

europe and poland are a little off topic, but they are examples of US imperialism.

 

[K1052]

If china expresses displeasure with improved US/Australia military relations, what do you think china would say about NK?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/30/us-china-usa-australia-idUSTRE7AT0PZ20111130

Over the past few years that have been several articles about the US encroaching on china - Japan, Australia, Taiwan,,, only to name a few.

That China and the US (to include US allies in the region) are at odds in the context of China's growing regional assertiveness really isn't news. What more could the US actually do with bases inside NK as opposed to SK/Japan or other regional partners? Mount a surprise land invasion of China?

Since they are agreeing to further sanctions I think it's fairly clear that China thinks NK has outlived it's usefulness to them.

 

[Dari]

While staying with a friend in Taegu, I noticed the guy in charge of watching the gates and parking area of the complex (nice older guy, no English) always looked thrilled to see everyone. I made a joke about soju, but my friend informed me that the guy is actually always baked out of his mind, and also from the North. Didn't get the story on his escape, but because the guy was built like a linebacker I'm guessing he was Army. After doing a search regarding the bolded above, it all makes sense now! I really had no idea.


http://www.businessinsider.com/north-koreas-and-marijuana-2013-1#ixzz2NMHR9vfN


"Newspapers are used as rolling papers, with pictures of the Supreme Leader and his family carefully avoided." lol


It's depressingly ironic that probably one of the few things they can take pleasure from, also gives them the munchies. North Korea: home of the Cool Ranch pine cone!

Weed is the least of their problems. The N. Korean government, in desperate need of cash, mandated that farmers start growing weed and opium in the 1990s. This was what made the famine worse. They export these drugs,along with the synthetics like meth, to other countries, including northeastern China. Northeastern China is a fucked because of all the cheap drugs from N. Korea but the CCCP would never dare to berate their comrades across the border. So the problem festers...

 

[Texashiker]

Since they are agreeing to further sanctions I think it's fairly clear that China thinks NK has outlived it's usefulness to them.

Do you know what happened when further sanctions were passed against Iran? China stepped up its trading with Iran. There are a couple of articles floating around how things are better after the sanctions, as China is buying all of Irans oil.

What nation has sanctions worked on? Cuba? Iran? North Korea? Vietnam? Cuba has been under an embargo for what,,, 50 years?

The truth is, sanctions do not work.

Chinas vote for more sanctions against north korea is nothing more then symbolic.