North Korean Sabre Rattling 2013 We Nuclear Baby!

[ronin sparthos]

In other news, you don't know what the fuck you're talking about. I haven't run across anyone here in the last few years that wants nukes.

http://thinkprogress.org/security/20...ons/?mobile=nc

"The argument over reprocessing, however, is being looked at under a new light, given the turning tide among South Koreans over whether their country requires nuclear weapons to serve as a deterrent against the North — which at present possesses enough nuclear fuel for at least 10 plutonium-based nuclear bombs. Two recent opinion polls taken in South Korea showed two-thirds of those surveyed supported the idea of developing nuclear weapons to defend against a North Korean attack. Conservative politicians in South Korea are beginning to latch onto this idea as well:"

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/11/wo...ref=asia&_r=1&

Now this new sense of vulnerability is causing some influential South Koreans to break a decades-old taboo by openly calling for the South to develop its own nuclear arsenal, a move that would raise the stakes in what is already one of the world’s most militarized regions.

While few here think this will happen anytime soon, two recent opinion polls show that two-thirds of South Koreans support the idea posed by a small but growing number of politicians and columnists — a reflection, analysts say, of hardening attitudes since North Korea’s Feb. 12 underground nuclear test, its third since 2006.

But beyond the immediate fear of a military provocation, analysts say deeper anxieties are also at work in the South. One of the biggest is the creeping resurgence of old fears about the reliability of this nation’s longtime protector, the United States. Experts say the talk of South Korea’s acquiring nuclear weapons is an oblique way to voice the concerns of a small but growing number of South Koreans that the United States, either because of budget cuts or a lack of will, may one day no longer act as the South’s ultimate insurance policy.

Advocacy for a nuclear-armed South Korea has been virtually taboo since the early 1970s, when the country’s military dictator, Park Chung-hee, made a serious bid to develop a nuclear weapon, fearing that the United States might pull out of Asia after its defeat in Vietnam. After catching wind of the program, Washington forced Mr. Park, the new president’s father, to stop, persuading him instead to rely on the United States, an agreement that has held ever since.

This two-day poll being quoted by the NYT and TP was conducted by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies and I can't say I know their political leanings but I'll throw that out there.

[Viq]

Those articles did not link to the surveys that they cited, but the NY Times article mentioned a Korean Gallup Poll. I went to the Korean Gallup site to try and track it down, and there was only one poll that I found that had a response in the range that they mentioned, and it was not about whether or not South Koreans want nuclear weapons. In fact, it would seem to be a survey that would suggest the opposite: http://news.mk.co.kr/newsRead.php?year=2013&no=275474

http://file.mk.co.kr/meet/neds/2013/...1835889028.jpg

The headline of the article is "국민 67% '北, 도발 안할 것'" which says that 67% of South Koreans think that there's no threat from NK. The graph shows that after the closing of the Kaedong factory, 67% of South Koreans think there is no threat of a physical attack, and 48% think that they must continue to work together at Kaedong. Just to repeat myself, this is the only Gallup Korea poll conducted within the last two week that had a response matching the range suggested in that NY Times article. As far as I'm concerned, until they provide better information about what poll they're actually referring to, I will believe that the NY Times article is full of shit.

[Omniyoji]

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blog...windows-8.html

North Korean Missile Test Delayed by Windows 8
Posted by Andy Borowitz
April 11, 2013

PYONGYANG (The Borowitz Report)—North Korea’s official news agency announced today that the military’s planned missile test had been put on hold because of “problems with Windows 8.”

Intelligence analysts said that the announcement gave rare insight into the inner workings of North Korea’s missile program, which until last year had been running on Windows 95.

The announcement from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not indicate a new scheduled time for a missile test, saying only that it was “working with Windows 8 support to resolve the issue.”

In the words of one intelligence analyst, “That means the test has been delayed indefinitely.”

A source close to the North Korean regime reported that Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un is furious about the Windows 8 problems and is considering a number of options, including declaring war on Microsoft.

Sounds like an ID10.t error. Also looking bad on Microsoft's part.

[ringthree]

At this point I do understand the game Un is playing, but it seems like a really dumb gamble banking on the fact that every other country involved is perfectly level-headed and won't just get aggravated to the point of blowing NK up. I know it is incredibly unlikely that someone makes a preemptive strike on them, but still I wouldn't want to bet my life on it.

That is because the game is not for external consumption, it is for internal audiences.

[quannum]

shows over guys, clean out your lockers and head home.

[Callisto]

how did you make the url look like wasn't from The Onion?

[Callisto]

I mean, that has to be, right?

[ringthree]

Those articles did not link to the surveys that they cited, but the NY Times article mentioned a Korean Gallup Poll. I went to the Korean Gallup site to try and track it down, and there was only one poll that I found that had a response in the range that they mentioned, and it was not about whether or not South Koreans want nuclear weapons. In fact, it would seem to be a survey that would suggest the opposite: http://news.mk.co.kr/newsRead.php?year=2013&no=275474

http://file.mk.co.kr/meet/neds/2013/...1835889028.jpg

The headline of the article is "국민 67% '北, 도발 안할 것'" which says that 67% of South Koreans think that there's no threat from NK. The graph shows that after the closing of the Kaedong factory, 67% of South Koreans think there is no threat of a physical attack, and 48% think that they must continue to work together at Kaedong. Just to repeat myself, this is the only Gallup Korea poll conducted within the last two week that had a response matching the range suggested in that NY Times article. As far as I'm concerned, until they provide better information about what poll they're actually referring to, I will believe that the NY Times article is full of shit.

I am just jumping into this so I might be missing something, but Gallup isn't the only polling company. Just because you can't find the raw numbers from another poll doesn't mean that the poll is incorrect. Polling information and methods can be considered highly valuable to the company doing the polling, so they usually just release the results, and not the raw data (in fact, that is what is going on with your Gallup poll from Korea). The post you are responding to that you say is "full of shit", has just as much information from Asan Institute for Policy Studies as the Gallup Korea poll. This WSJ article has more specifics from that poll: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...928804136.html

[Pirian]

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blog...windows-8.html



Sounds like an ID10.t error. Also looking bad on Microsoft's part.

[Qalbert]

I mean, that has to be, right?

Borowitz Report is like the onion

[Fievel]

Borowitz Report is like the onion

This, it's not real, lol.

Though I did find this - http://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/ar...elayed-windows

[Gokku]

Dennis Rodman, says he's going back to north Korea!

[Tarage]

Why do we give a shit what he does. I say he can live there. Just stop attentionwhoring.

[Kurokikaze]

Gonna launch nukes from those Windows 8 phones. "You guys want beef? I swipe up and lay all you fools out." lol

Few people in the office fell for the spoof.

[Elestial]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/17/world/...html?hpt=hp_t3

(CNN) -- North Korea on Thursday requested the withdrawal of U.N. sanctions against it and the end of joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises as conditions for any talks with Seoul and Washington.

The United States and South Korea "should immediately stop all their provocative acts against the DPRK and apologize for all of them," the North's National Defense Commission said in a statement carried by state-run media, using the shortened version of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The United States has said recently that for it to enter talks, North Korea would have to show a serious commitment to moving away from its nuclear program, something the regime of Kim Jong Un insists it won't do.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22195453

North Korea has said it was ready to talk if UN sanctions against it were withdrawn and if the US and South Korea put an end to joint military drills.

The conditions for dialogue were outlined in a statement from the North's National Defence Commission and carried on official news agency KCNA.

The UN imposed sanctions on North Korea after the country conducted its third nuclear test on 12 February.

The US and South Korea's annual joint military drills began in March.

"If the US and the South enemies... genuinely want dialogue and negotiation, they should take these steps," the defence commission said.

"The first step will be withdrawing the UN Security Council resolutions cooked up on ridiculous grounds," the statement said.

"Second, you need to tell the whole world that you will not get involved in any rehearsal for a nuclear war that threatens our nation. Dialogues and war games can never go together," it added.

Tensions have been high on the Korean peninsula since North Korea conducted its third underground nuclear test, which resulted in sanctions from the UN.

In recent weeks, the North has threatened to attack South Korea, Japan and US bases in the region.

South Korean President Park Gyeun-hye has made conditional offers of talks with the North, but the North has said that it was merely a "crafty trick".

The US had also said it was willing to hold talks with North Korea, but only if previous agreements on disarmament were upheld.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged North Korea to "seriously " consider a dialogue with the South about Kaesong Industrial Complex.

"I firmly believe that the recent offer of dialogue by the Republic of Korea is genuine and hope that the DPRK takes it seriously," Mr Ban said on Wednesday.

Kaesong, located inside North Korea just across the demilitarised zone from South Korea, was largely financed by the South to increase co-operation.

The North has blocked access to Kaesong since 3 April amid rising tension on the Korean peninsula.

[Salodin]

And so the reasonings behind there stance is revealed. Not that any one didn't see this coming from a mile away any ways.

[Stanislaw]

Looks like they upped the ante in their attempt at attention-wanting. But I find it ironic that in the process, they grab an Korean-American.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013...ty-north-korea

American tourist faces death penalty in North Korea

Kenneth Bae charged with plotting to overthrow government after reportedly taking photographs of homeless children

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/...-court-010.jpg
A North Korean flag hangs inside the interior of Pyongyang's supreme court, where Kenneth Bae will face charges of trying to overthrow the government. Photograph: AP

North Korea has announced that an American tourist is to be tried on charges of plotting to overthrow the government, a crime that carries a possible death penalty.

The case against Korean-American Kenneth Bae, who has been imprisoned in North Korea since early November, could further stoke tensions between Pyongyang and Washington.

Bae, 44, was arrested in Rason, a special economic zone in North Korea's far north-eastern region bordering China and Russia, according to official state media.

The exact nature of his alleged crimes has not been disclosed, but North Korea accuses Bae, described as a tour operator, of seeking to overthrow North Korea's leadership.

"In the process of investigation he admitted that he committed crimes aimed to topple the DPRK with hostility toward it," the state-run Korean Central News Agency said on Saturday. "His crimes were proved by evidence. He will soon be taken to the supreme court of the DPRK to face judgment."

South Korean rights workers said the authorities may have taken issue with some of Bae's photographs, including those of homeless North Korean children, Reuters reported.

There have been weeks of spiralling tension on the Korean peninsula following the tightening of UN sanctions after the North's third nuclear weapon test in February. The move led to the North threatening nuclear strikes against South Korea and the US and demands by Pyongyang to be recognised as a nuclear state.

The North is thought to have produced enough weapons-grade plutonium for at least six nuclear bombs and has an established uranium-enrichment capability that would give it another route to building weapons of mass destruction. But analysts and intelligence officials say the regime is not yet able to mount a miniaturised nuclear warhead on a missile, despite its recent threats to conduct nuclear strikes.

[BaneTheBrawler]

In before seal team six.

[Salodin]

Um wtf...they have an american in custody? Since november no less...pissed this hasnt gotten any attention. We better get her back =/

[Waraji]

We better get her back =/

-_O What?