| Submit your comments on this article |
| Korea |
| S. Korea: North Must Take First Step to Resolve Nuclear Standoff |
| 2003-05-07 |
| EFL - at least SK seems to be on the same page South Korea's Foreign Ministry says Pyongyang needs to take the first step in resolving its nuclear standoff with the United States. Seoul is telling the communist North that the move could lead to the security guarantees and economic aid that Pyongyang wants. South Korea's foreign minister on Wednesday called on North Korea to take what he termed a bold step and abandon its nuclear program in a "verifiable and irreversible manner." Yoon Young-kwan told reporters that without such a move, Washington is not likely to give Pyongyang what it wants — aid, a nonaggression treaty and diplomatic recognition. He also questioned Pyongyang's wisdom of making demands on Washington after breaking international agreements — especially given the world situation since the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. Stop the nuke and WMD programs, feed the people instead of the army with Aid food, stop transferring weapons tech, stop drug shipping, get a haircut, the list never ends and only because of NK's behavior, nothing else |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #8 Hmmmmm. Kimmie may have been playing with germs, and SARS is actually a NKor "experiment" that got loose. That would explain the belicose nature of all the dialogue to date. Either that, or the Army is in trouble - lack of food, lack of supplies (gas has always been rationed), and so forth. There's little been put into the infrastructure unless it's for the military. Things just maybe are falling apart, and the rotten carcass underneath is beginning to show. Would LOVE to be back at Offutt for a few weeks... |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-05-07 17:48:00 |
| #7 I just hope that NKor craters without sending up a roman candle, especially for Seoul's sake. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-05-07 13:25:47 |
| #6 The louder and more franctically the NKors squeal, cajole, and threaten, the more desperate they look. Something must truly be wrong there--the regime is tottering, the economy is even worse than it appears, or *something* is going on there to make them so desperate they just won't give a damn about putting the world back on the brink of nuclear war. |
| Posted by: Dar 2003-05-07 13:08:33 |
| #5 NK is playing brinksmanship and a very large game of chicken. They are upping the rhetoric to get us to join in. We are not biting, so they keep turning it up. Now we need to seriously up the heat on China, esp. with their SARS epidemic going full tilt. China is going to have to muzzle their little mean dog, or we will have to do it. But we are going to deal with with these psychopaths this time. They have been fermenting for only 50 years, and they are getting ripe.....and Slick Willie, Jimmah and Half-Bright sent the wrong message to the mad dog. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-05-07 13:00:28 |
| #4 Seriously, N. Korea tried to use the Iraqi war to their advantage through increasing the hostile rhetoric, thinking that we were couldn't handle juggling two balls at once. We made it clear that the tactic was not working, and now they are ELEVATING the rhetoric!! Elections be damned, I think W needs to take care of N Korea NOW before a nuclear weapon is detonated on our, or one of our ally's, soil. Why are we waiting? I believe this administration is competent, so I will assume (hope?) that there is more to this situation than we know. The upshot is, that if Asia goes nuclear, Japan will make a strong nuclear ally, and memories of WWII will cause N. Korea and China to think twice before causing any mischief. Just as we have proven our mettle, that we are more WWII doughboy than Vietnam veteran, I'm sure the Japanese still have that WWII fierceness in their cultural memory. |
| Posted by: mjh 2003-05-07 12:53:15 |
| #3 Bomb-a-rama: That story is more than a bit scary. I'll admit I am naive and idealistic about a great many things - like: WHY Can't people try and be SANE?! I'm not necessarily one who has all the pips on the die, but DAMN! How much sense does it make to openly threaten and antagonize a people with the capability and history of taking care of business? How much sense does it make to openly trade something so noxious as a nuclear fucking weapon to a country like SYRIA - they don't necessarily want lots of them - just one will do! - who is entirely capable of using it and sparking off something resembling a movie that's given me nightmares since it first came out in the eighties - "The Day After." The alarmist in me has been holding off bunkering down since 9/11 when 2 good friends of mine died at the Pentagon - but I am sorely tempted to let the alarmist win. Can you say disillusioned with the entire world? I knew you could. |
| Posted by: Tadderly 2003-05-07 11:17:40 |
| #2 they're just BEGGING to catch a tactical warhead aren't they? can you say pre-emptive? I knew you could |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-05-07 11:00:08 |
| #1 Something worth a read. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-05-07 10:31:52 |