North Korea scraps all accords with South (won't recognize border over Yellwo Sea)

Reuters ^ | 01/30/09 | Jonathan Thatcher

[TigerLikesRooster]

North Korea scraps all accords with South

By Jonathan Thatcher

1 hr 51 mins ago

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea said on Friday it was scrapping all accords with the South, the latest in a series of verbal attacks on its neighbor that analysts say are more aimed at grabbing the attention of new U.S. President Barack Obama.

One analyst said the latest rise in tension increased the chances of a military clash on the heavily armed border that has divided the two Koreas for more than half a century.

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

Tension had reached "such extremes" that "inter-Korean relations have reached the brink of a war," KCNA said, using a phrase commonly carried by North Korean state media.

South Korean officials were not immediately available for comment.

Friday's threat focused largely on a basic accord the two Koreas struck in 1991 that analysts said Pyongyang might feel inadequately reflects its position on disputed ocean waters.

Other deals were reached during a brief period of detente that followed a summit between the leaders of North and South Korea in June 2000, which led to reunions of separated families, communication systems to defuse military tensions and rail and road links across their heavily armed border.

[TigerLikesRooster]

N. Korea would be happy to exploit overextended situating of U.S. If Zero allows S. Korea to deal with NK and not interfere how to do it, it would be OK. However, if he wants to dictate how it should be done, it could make things whole lot worse than Bush did.

[LachlanMinnesota]

And of course, dictate he will. I wonder if he will scrap the Bush practice of using the six party talks, or if he will go it alone with NK?

[Yosemitest]

With over 5 tours in South Korea, the dirty little secret is

we're there to keep the South from going North.

Don't forget that!

[JimSEA]

From Taiwan, you likely have access to excellent commentary. Personally, I can see folks talking to each other but no big conspiracies or collusion. Pretty much everybody out to get what they can.

Everyone in San Sai is just warning us about the coming hot season when we are getting back and concerned with internal political near chaos.

[Lurker]

North Korea said on Friday it was scrapping all accords with the South, the latest in a series of verbal attacks on its neighbor that analysts say are more aimed at grabbing the attention of new U.S. President Barack Obama.

I'm reminded of the immortal words of Senator Joe Biden....

War is coming, and our idiot President is going to get millions of people killed because he's either weak or incompetent or he's complicit.

See tagline...

L

[McCloud-Strife]

How will this end?
In fire.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

The entire world is testing the mettle of our new president.

While he’s preoccupied, with Rush Limbaugh.

[Republic of Texas]

They must need more heating oil. I think they are about to roll Zero.

[Just mythoughts]

Countries with close ties to N. Korea: Iran, Syria, and Pakistan. Iran - long military cooperation, including military training, missile development, and possible cooperation in nuclear weapons Syria - long military trade/cooperation in chemical weapons, missiles, and nuclear weapons(a site bombed in 2007 by Israelis) Pakistan - close cooperation in missile and nuclear weapons. Current conflict in Mid-East — proxies of Iran and Syria, Hizbulla/Hamas against Israel Pakistan — potential military conflict with India, or within tribal area bordering Afghanistan These conflict could light up along with N. Korean provocations. Since they have long-standing contact, their actions are easily coordinated if they choose to.

I think the Soviets, I mean the Russians still pull their former puppet's strings.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Yep.

[CodeMasterPhilzar]

I'm thinking multiple ramped-up crisis happening. While there are a lot of groups and more than a few nation-states out there that wish us ill, I don't think they are necessarily working together. Some may be, for isolated reasons/cases. But by and large, I think they're pursuing their own agendas.

I think they see a new guy, with less experience than any other President in living memory. They see an administration already being tainted by internal scandals. They see a President who is more about talking than action. They see the US with significant financial challenges. They see a US focused on unemployment and internal issues. They see a public weary of military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So yeah, they see opportunity. Lots of groups/leaders out there see an opportunity to advance their own agendas, and they can reasonably anticipate that the US can be talked out of interfering, or won't interfere to much, or will do so badly. So yes, he's going to be tested. People are going to push him, testing his limits and evaluating his responses. I personally think it is going to overwhelm him and his administration. He's just never been "the buck stops here" man in charge before. He's surrounded by a personality cult of synchophants, and the dem's have more of an internal agenda for this Country and will be holding his attention.

[gogogodzilla]

That might have been true in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s... but no longer.

Most of the young SKoreans view NKorea as their beneficient protector, keeping the ‘evil’ Americans at bay. So much so, that the SKorean military is quite worried about it (and as such, the willingness of their draftees to actually fight).

[Yosemitest]

It wasn't true in 1996 when I left,
and it wasn't true in 2000 when I retired

[Yosemitest]

It wasn't true in 1996 when I left,
and it wasn't true in 2000 when I retired, that they viewed North Korea as their Beneficent Protector.

Most of the Republic Of Korea Military Troops can't wait to kick North Korea's military into the dirt.

[gogogodzilla]

Well, I noticed it in my tours during 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2007.

And the Skorean military comissioned a survey of their own recruits recently... and found that they considered America to be more of a threat than their ‘enemy’, North Korea.

It was quite the news story in Skorea for a short while.

---

BTW, My past tours in Skorea where at Osan, Yongsan, Osan, Osan, and Yongsan... respectively. I’ll most likely have a few more before I can retire, myself.

If you don’t mind me asking, where were your tours.

[Yosemitest]

Osan, Kunsan, Osan, Osan, and Osan.

I find your information surprisisng, and troubling.

[Yosemitest]

One more thing. My perspective is freom a control tower watch supervisor, with direct contact with most of the pilots, DO's and Wing Commanders,
and ... an Inspector of off-base dwellings for safety concerns.

[Yosemitest]

Of course now, the ROKAF can't stand homosexuals.

And if they think that Mister Obama's about to allow homosexuals to OPENLY serve in the U.S. Military,
then ROKAF will dispose of them with great zeal.

[gogogodzilla]

I really can’t get into my perspective, but click on my username & ‘wiki’ the base I’m currently assigned to.

Also, since I was trained to read/listen to Korean... I got to overhear a lot of the Skorean personal conversations, as they thought I wouldn’t understand it.

Also, I found the Skorean song “F#$king USA” to be the last straw.

If you google it, uncensored, you’ll probably be able to watch it’s video.

[gogogodzilla]

Good for ‘em.

Considering the ROKAF draftee’s living conditions, it’s vital that none of them be gay, though. Sleeping shoulder-to-shoulder on floor mats makes for close quarters.