US/S.KOREA has joint commando rescue plan for S. Korea workers stuck on N. Korean side at Kaesong

Sankei Shimbun in Japan (synopsis translation to English by Freeper) ^ | 29 May 2010 | AmericanInTokyo

[AmericanInTokyo]

This is a link to the original Japanese story just now.

Rather sketchy and breaking, but will synopsize main points into English as thus:

There is the large Kaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea for manufacturing products, which is just across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from the truce village of Panmunjom, jointly run by North and South Korea. You can clearly see this development from overlook vantage points on hills located around Panmunjom. There are a number of South Korean managers and employers there on-site as we speak. At this time, they are apparantly not free to leave.

N. Korea is threatening to cut the surface roads into this complex and close the border crossing. For all intents and purposes they could prevent the South Koreans from leaving and thus creating a hostage/human shield situation right on the DMZ just 60 minutes north of Seoul.

Conservative, Japanese Sankei News via Japanese Kyodo Wire via Yonhap (South Korean) news is revealing the following facts tonight (Read below), along with pictures and overview maps I supply.

(OPEN SOURCE INFORMATION)

[AmericanInTokyo]

(FROM ORIGINAL JAPANESE)

South Korean military has confirmed that the South Korean military is in discussions with US Forces in Korea on the situation and that these South Koreans may end up in a hostage situation, and what to jointly do about it.

A plan is being readied, a rather bold plan for both countries forces to jointly enter North Korean territory and extract the South Korean workers. American Apache helicopers and F-16 aircraft will be brought in for such a swift rescue operation, to control the North Korean skies immediately around this industrial area.

Following that, joint crack US and South Korean special forces will infiltrate, taking immediate protection and extractive actions. This scenario was already practiced in August when a situation flared up that showed such a situation might develop. Final details on this plan were worked out during joing ROK-USA "Ulchi Freedom Guardian" exercises in the summer, for this contingency. Also, the South Korean General Command stated today that if North Korea takes any such action such as provocations along the lines (hostage taking, etc), ROK will go on a War Footing. They are already placing loudspeakers for a propaganda broadcast offensive to commence soon.

Kaesong industrial complex (run mostly by the corporation Hyundai (Asan) from South Korea):

[AmericanInTokyo]

Ping!

[silverleaf]

WTH did they not get civilians out of there long before this? Even armchair strategery freepers predicted this.

[unkus]

Thanks for all the work and info., AmericanInTokyo.

[GeronL]

I sure hope nobody in N Korea’s military has internet service. lol.

[FormerACLUmember]

Really, really bad planning on the South Koreans’ part.

The leadership of the South seems extremely incompetent.

[AuntB]

BTT

[AmericanInTokyo]

This all happened rather rapidly. But yes, good points. One wonders why medical students did not get the hell out of Georgetown in Grenada when Maurice Bishop's New Jewel Movement took over and started showing its Marxist-Leninist face. Nope. They had to stay at their medical studies at the college and then later got stuck and had to be rescued by most benevolent, kick-ass US Marines. Things move quickly, what can I tell you.

There may also be American tourists at this moment in Pyongyang of all places--believe it or not--having gone there on British and Australian arranged tour programs. What a mess. They will have no diplomatic assistance (save for the Swedes) whatsoever...if this breaks down into shooting. You would have to be an idiot to go up there anyways, outside of being a journalist if you ask me, and even THAT would be risky. Like walking into the belly of a hungry tiger.

[GeronL]

I do not want to imagine urban warfare in THAT setting.

[AmericanInTokyo]

It's all open source material. They know this already. They bitched about this joint USFK-ROK special forces training way back in August. I am always prudent in what I post. I know for certain that DPRK actually do read Free Republic. They are probably doing it on Michael's DELLS for that matter.

[GeronL]

The leadership of the South seems extremely incompetent

America's CIC doesn't exude much competence either. heh

[bigheadfred]

incompetent...

just taking their lead....

[GeronL]

The Dudes have Dells?

[daniel1212]

My thoughts exactly! Typical of media to run a story regardless of whether it serves the best interest of a nation, although in the West helping the enemy is seen as being best for the nation.

[unkus]

Stalingrad comes to mind.

[Blogger]

Whoever told needs to be tried. That’s ridiculous.

[GeronL]

They say N Korea has a million troops but what quality of troops? I imagine most are just conscript-type soldiers, fodder.

What type of equipment do they have, how much? Besides all of the surface to surface rockets we have heard about?

Assuming the US and ROK forces aren’t crippled in the opening barrage and nobody uses nukes can North Korea actual field a real modern fighting army?

[GeronL]

Apparently its no secret at all. lol.

[GeronL]

wow. Let us hope not.

[rdl6989]

bttt