(LEAD) N. Korea honing capability to attack Seoul: USFK commander

Yonhap News ^ | 2012/03/29 | Lee Chi-dong

[TigerLikesRooster]

I have a nagging feeling that something will happen this year and we will face vastly different geopolitical landscape in E. Asia by next year.

Kim Jong-eun is under time pressure to show something to assert his leadership. He is using a hacksaw to get things done instead of a sharpened sword.

Wholesale purge at light speed. About-face on US-NK deal only after a couple of weeks.

In the latest development, NK air force have increased its daily traing sorties several fold, according to Chosun Ilbo: From 'less than 100' to 'up to 650'

[TigerLikesRooster]

P!

[battlecry]

Who’s providing maintenance/supplies/fuel? Without serious support after that amount of sorties, maybe they will not be operational when “needed”.

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[TigerLikesRooster]

They have strategic reserve. Experts speculate that NK is now dipping into it, which is usually great no-no. A hint of desperation in this move, if true.

[GeronL]

I think its blackmail time again.

Get those 240,000 tons of food aid ready.

Half for the army, half for Kim Jong-eun himself.

[GeronL]

I think it is obvious that Kim Jong-fat is planning something. I just hope whatever they do is met by a heavy response from SK. I think cruise missiles hitting government and party buildings in Pyongyang might make an impression because most North Koreans would never know otherwise.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I have an idea this will happen soon.
Seoul will be mostly destroyed but the end of NK will be usurer in.

Not like East/West Germany.
The NKs don't know anything else but fight...

[Jet Jaguar]

Bump

[U-238]

[TigerLikesRooster]

Yes, they burned the bridge to compromise and deal long time ago. Not going to happen no matter how badly we hope. Kim Jong-il signed off the upcoming rocket launch in Apr. 4, last year according to latest report. It's all planned way ahead of time.

[GeronL]

I think the range of emplaced NK artillery is way over rated, I think most of Seouls’ region is outside of most launchers. I also thnk SK knows where most of the better ones are. Unless NK uses a nuke, I think Seoul bounces back relatively quickly.

Besides, if it happens, the gated loyalist city of Pyongyang could be much easier to level.

[TigerLikesRooster]

I just hope that I am not within their range on their D-day.

[U-238]

Read OPLAN 5027.

[GeronL]

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?128528-Bluffer-s-guide-Fortress-North-Korea

NK AAA cover

From 2009, at least, it looked like northern Seoul might get whacked. Plus, you can't assume that the South Koreans know nothing about counter-battery artillery. The NK artillery is not all that mobile for the most part.

BTW. The google map pics and stuff are really good on these pages.

[Gay State Conservative]

Psychopaths like those who rule NK know that Osama Obama is an empty suit who's more inclined to *apologize* to our enemies than confront them.

[GeronL]

I agree.

It seems like NK is going to strike out again.

Weren’t they also doing missile launches around the time of the Cheonan sinking and the artillery attack on the island?

I think this one might be a bit bigger.

[newnhdad]

the more and more it appears Obama will lose, the more we will start seeing these provocations from enemies like Iran, NoKo, Russia and Venezuela.. They need to get their licks in before we get our guard back up. I just hope we don’t lose a carrier or two in the meantime..

[GeronL]

Obama offered 240,000 TONS of food.

I guess they wanted more?

[driftdiver]

Their range is fine, its the accuracy thats in question.

Don’t forget that NK also has significant stockpiles of chemical and bio weapons, plus the missiles to deliver them anywhere in SK within about 25 mins.