We are on the brink of war with the South, says North Korea

[Turborama]

Source: The Independent (UK)

Bellicose words seen as bid to attract Obama's attention

By Jonathan Thatcher in Seoul

Saturday, 31 January 2009


North Korea said yesterday it was scrapping all accords with South Korea, a move the South's prime minister said could be timed to coincide with Barack Obama taking office in the US.

The US State Department said the North Korean comments were "distinctly not helpful" but the US would keep pursuing a 2005 multilateral deal under which North Korea agreed to abandon its nuclear programs.

Analysts said the rise in tension made a military clash on the strongly-defended border more likely.

"There is neither way to improve nor hope to bring them on track," North Korea's KCNA news agency quoted the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea as saying.

"The confrontation between the North and the South in the political and military fields has been put to such extremes that the inter-Korean relations have reached the brink of a war."

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/we-are-on-the-brink-of-war-with-the-south-says-north-korea-1521694.html

[Turbineguy]

1. I'm missing something here

Is South Korea threatening to reduce starvation and deprivation in the North?

[DRoseDARs]

2. No, NK is just throwing one of its usual hissy fits because no one is paying attention to them.

North Korea's slow slip into post-Kim Jong Il chaos (when he croaks, the government will fall) is like Hitler dying a slow death of cancer: Just die already, fuck. 50+ years of this shit? The North Korean people have had enough, don't you think?

[Renew Deal]

3. Has Kim Jong Il been seen since someone noticed he was missing a few months ago?

I don't remember any conclusion to that.

[rpannier]

5. He met with the Chinese Foreign Minister last week

[rpannier]

4. The Government will survive beyond Jeong-il

His 2nd son will take the post of Party Chairman after his father's death.

As long as China is supporting the government it will survive.

In addition, if you were to ask most North Koreans who is responsible for the mess their in they'll tell you the west (US, UK, France, Australia and NZ).

[FLAprogressive]

6. "In addition, if you were to ask most North Koreans who is responsible for the mess ......

.....their in they'll tell you the west"

of course they will because they are brainwashed

[rpannier]

7. EXACTLY 100% Correct

They are brainwashed into believing that.

If I gave the impression that I was blaming the US or anyone other than the PDK for their plight I apologise

I was merely posting that to remind people that any sort of hope that a transition away from the Kim family immediately after Jeong-il's death is pretty much a pipe dream -- especially as long as

1. China props it up
2. It is able to keep any semblence of the free-flow of information through the NK from occurring

[ronnie624]

17. Well, maybe not 100%.

A NEW LOOK AT THE KOREAN WAR

It’s about time that we, American people, take another look at the "Forgotten War" (a.k.a. "Unknown War") and try to understand the real nature of the War so that we could do something about to bring the War to an end. Many Americans erroneously believe that the war was over long time ago. But, in fact, the War is still going on there in less obvious ways: military build-ups, economic sanctions, propaganda war, nuclear crisis, etc. The sad truth is that the U.S. government has been fighting the longest, most ferocious, unauthorized war in its history.

Almost a half century after the Armistice, the U.S. still maintains about 37,000 U.S. troops spread over dozens of military bases in South Korea today. What we have in Korea is merely a precarious cease-fine agreement which can turn into another war at any time. We came very close to re-ignite the war in 1994 and 1999. How long are we going to stay in Korea, and at what cost? When are we going to bring our boys home at last? How long are we going to ignore our responsibility for the tragic division of Korea and the Korean War?

Division of Korea
For a full understanding of Korean War, it is necessary to understand something about the past history of the U.S. policy toward Korea prior to the outbreak of the War. Korea first emerged as a unified country in 668 A.D. when Silla annexed Paekche and Koguryo, ending the Three Kingdoms period. The U.S. first established its diplomatic relation with Korea when it signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the Kingdom of Choson in 1882. However, the U.S. government soon proved to be not a real friend to the Korean people when Japan attempted to colonize Korea. Instead of restraining Japan’s imperialist ambition, President Theodore Roosevelt entered into a secret deal with Japan in 1905 (a.k.a. "Taft-Katsura Memorandum") by recognizing Japan’s domination of Korea in return for Japan’s recognition of U.S. hegemony in the Philippines.
This tendency of American government to betray Korean people’s interests repeats itself again at the end of the World War II. In order to stop the downward march of the Soviet Union troops and secure U.S. influence on the Korean peninsula, the U.S. State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee drew an arbitrary line across the 38th Parallel in Korea, asking the Soviet forces to stop at the 38th Parallel. Although the American forces were in Okinawa at the time, the Soviet Union somehow accepted the American demand meekly, thus paving the way for the establishment of two separate governments in Korea as the Cold war intensified.
In addition to the tragic division of Korea, the U.S. also refused to recognize the Korean People’s Republic (KPR), a nationwide, progressive, people’s government which had been organized by the anti-Japanese nationalist Koreans before the arrival of American troops in South Korea in September 1945. Instead of cooperating with KPR, the U.S. created a military government in its zone of occupation, outlawing the KPR and the popular People’s Committees under the control of KPR. This is the key to a full understanding of the origin of the Korean War.

<http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Korea_war_statement.vp.html>

AP: U.S. Okayed Korean War Massacres

SEOUL The American colonel, troubled by what he was hearing, tried to stall at first. But the declassified record shows he finally told his South Korean counterpart it "would be permitted" to machine-gun 3,500 political prisoners, to keep them from joining approaching enemy forces.

In the early days of the Korean War, other American officers observed, photographed and confidentially reported on such wholesale executions by their South Korean ally, a secretive slaughter believed to have killed 100,000 or more leftists and supposed sympathizers, usually without charge or trial, in a few weeks in mid-1950

<http://rawstory.com/news/2008/AP_U.S._Okayed_Korean_War_Massacres_0705.html>

[Turborama]

19. A very interesting historical insight, thanks for sharing it. n/t

[rpannier]

21. I live in South Korea and yes I've seen/read it

I've been to North Korea

Trust me when I say...It's more the oppressive, dictatorial government and its efforts to keep the country as isolated as possible than anything else.

[ronnie624]

27. Okay, so you claim to live in South Korea.

What does that have to do with the fact that the United States, in a fit of anti-communist zealotry, is responsible for one of the most horrific episodes in modern history, which resulted in the deaths of millions of people? You said the North Koreans are 100% responsible for the Korean War and all that followed, and I presented evidence that disputes that claim, and illustrates conclusively that you are mistaken. Do you have anything to say about the information to which I linked?

[rpannier]

28. Wow that's bizarre

Please point out where I said...the North Koreans are 100% responsible for the Korean War and all that followed,

Because I checked and didn't see it.

I said that the poster was 100% correct about the brainwashing

on edit:
Your post would not make the top 50 horrific events of the past century

[ronnie624]

29. From post #7:

"If I gave the impression that I was blaming the US or anyone other than the PDK for their plight (their plight being the circumstances within North Korea following the Korean War) I apologise"

And I would most certainly consider the total destruction of every city in North Korea and the deaths of perhaps as many as five million people (In all of Korea, both north and south), mostly women and children, one of the most horrific events of the past century. But then again, they are only North Koreans.

Good day to you, rpannier.

[rpannier]

30. I stand corrected

You are correct.

You have my apologies

[Suji to Seoul]

34. Hey, I not only claim to be in Korea, I am. Suji-Gu, Yong-in Si, Geoyunggi-do

And you're post was arrogant, flippant and rude.

Good day to you, Ronnie624

[ronnie624]

37. I apologize for seeming rude and arrogant. It is not intentional.

Nor do I wish to dispute anyone's claims about their place of residence. My only point in that regard is that it is irrelevant. I reject out of hand any claims to authority based solely on unverifiable information, including where one might live. All that matters to me is accurate information about the topic under discussion.

With regard to the subject of the Korean War and the geopolitical circumstances that followed, it became very apparent to me years ago that most Americans (including myself) were totally confused by state propaganda and the corporate owned media establishment. While it is obvious that the current regime of N. Korea is indeed despotic and brutal, the events that led to the creation of that government are not. It turns out that the U.S. government is primarily responsible for perpetuating the division in Korea. I realize that most Americans are uncomfortable with that fact, but it is an indisputable fact non the less, and there is no shortage of good information that illustrates it conclusively. I would love to post scads of links and excerpts accompanied by some snappy and entertaining commentary, but my time away from my job and other responsibilities is very limited and I'm not very good at that sort of thing anyway, thus do I use it primarily for reading. But we are communicating on the internet, so seeking out accurate information should be a snap for anyone with a genuine interest. The articles I posted above are quite illuminating.

Good day to you as well, Suji to Seoul

[Suji to Seoul]

33. Where are you in South Korea? I'm outside of Suwon!

And I agree completely.

But this division has got to end. The two Koreas need to reunify and Lee and Kim are making that impossible.

[ohio2007]

8. Utopian societies use many outdoor loudspeakers to remind the people how good life is

not so much brain washed but only used to keep em on 'spin cycle'

[pampango]

10. I marvel at the modern monarchies (communist and otherwise) in which your claim to office

is that your father was the president before you. It is particularly ironic in communist countries where you wouldn't think the old-fashioned concept of monarchy would hold much water.

At least Great Britain are open about their monarchy, whether you like it or not, and the monarchs don't really have that much power. (At least our Bush "monarchy" had an intervening period with another president, not a direct succession. :) )

[rpannier]

23. I was in Gaeseong (North Korea) last year

They have a rock 'Prayer Rock' where North Koreans can go to pray for the late Gim Il-seong and Chairman Gim Jeong-il.

I asked a friend who they were praying to, since it's officially an atheist state and actively suppresses religion.

He said, "They pray to Il-seong and Jeong-il."

He's probably right.
It almost seems like a mirror of Pharaoh Egypt

Jeng-il's late wife was referred to as the Mother of Korea
Jeong-il is said t have the 3 virtues of the greatest in all history
He is treated as a near perfect being

[Harry Monroe]

13. But I don't believe that North Korea will go gently into that good night

The end of N. Korea will be violent. And they'll probably drag S. Korea and unfortunately us into it. This will be a major challenge for the Obama Administration when and if N. Korea's communist government finally falls. It won't be pretty and I predict it will become a major world crisis.

[ohio2007]

14. Before they go into the night, it will be discovered they have been eating midnight snacks

made of 'soylent green' for several years but imo,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sp-VFBbjpE
that is still a few years down the road.

[ronnie624]

18. As usual, you have nothing of value to offer to the discussion. n/t

[ohio2007]

24. of course,you do not acknowledge the true world beyond your white picket fence yard

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0ec_1190375019


enjoy your limited view

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4fcf1a24b7

[ronnie624]

26. I don't know what it means, but thanks for the reply. n/t

[ohio2007]

35. .

[Zech Marquis The 2nd]

9. alot of chest beating from North Korea lately

If they wanted President Obama's attention, surely they could have simply asked for a phone call with Sec of State Hillary (god I love how that sounds!) Clinton, and save all the drama. Reminds me of *'s hissyfits ;evilgrin:

[Renew Deal]

11. Who was it that said that Obama would be tested early?

:think:

[L0oniX]

12. I didn't know that N. Korea was republican.

:evilgrin:

[bdab1973]

15. What...??? Oh, wait, we're talking about NORTH Korea...carry on...

I think this is "brink of war" declaration #34,430.

I really do believe that the intended audience for many of these announcements happens to be their own population. Everyone talks about how Bush got control using fear, right? Imagine that, but 100 times worse...imagine if you lived in a country with only one news source, no outside information, and you're constantly being told some big boogie man south of the DMZ is ready to invade...you might be more willing to support Dear Leader...

[Odin2005]

16. Kim throwing a hissy-fit again?

[anonymous171]

20. Do they have any allies? nt

[wroberts189]

22. they always say crap like this..do I need to be scared? nt

[Lagomorph]

25. I was reading the Korea Times last night...

There was an article about American Forces in Korea being tasked with securing NK's WMDs in the event of a regime collapse. It was assumed that the PRC would be trying to do the same thing, at the same time.

We've seen how that would go down, in Iraq.

I hope the US and China are working on an agreement to stay out of each other's way.

[ohio2007]

36. Musharraf worked out a deal with China along the same lines calling it a mutual defense pact

Will China come to Pakistan's aid if certain alleged nuclear bases fall,
not to an external threat but to a domestic insurrection ?

The nukes are kept far from the Indian border in 'contested' territory




We will learn more on Obamas watch if he cares to discuss matters in a press conference.

[Vinca]

31. Little Kim needs to sit down and shut up.

We've got no money and we've got no troops to intervene. They need to work this out amongst themselves.

[Suji to Seoul]

32. The South has just as much blame on this shit as the North

Lee Myung-Bush has just as much to do with this as Kim Jong Psycho. Sociopathic conservative psycho in the North against a Sociopathic conservative Bible thumper in the South.

If war breaks out, I'm on the next flight to Thailand! I refuse to die for a country that isn't mine. Hell, I refuse to die for my country, or any country for that matter.