N. Korea Crisis - Updated as News come to hand

Korea Times Monday editorial: Time for #ROK to prepare for collapse of #DPRK Kim regime. #Koreas about 12 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

Yeah articles like that ain't gonna help tensions.

#ROK military says fresh drills taking place from today at nearly 30 locations. #Koreas about 10 hours ago via TweetDeck

And so it begins.

Xinhua: Hu told Obama tensions on #Korean peninsula could 'spin out of control' if not handled properly. about 4 hours ago via TweetDeck

Well duh.

White House: Obama told Hu #DPRK needs to halt provocative behavior. #Koreas #China about 4 hours ago via TweetDeck

Well yeah.

China's Hu calls for the Korean situation to be dealt with calmly. about 4 hours ago via TweetDeck

Stability is what China wants.

Yonhap quotes diplo source saying #ROK will indeed send envoy to #Nobel Peace Prize ceremony despite China objection. about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck

Not gonna help Chinese help on NKorea.


US accuses China of 'enabling' N. Korea
: report

In an apparent change of its approach to China, the administration of President Barack Obama has privately started accusing Beijing of "enabling" North Korea to start a uranium enrichment program and to launch attacks on South Korea, The Washington Post reported late Sunday.

Citing an unnamed senior US official, the newspaper said that Washington is moving to redefine its relationship with South Korea and Japan, potentially creating an anti-China bloc in Northeast Asia.

That will help calming tensions...not.

Former Australian leader Kevin Rudd told the United States it should be prepared to use force in China "if everything goes wrong", a diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks reveals, reports said Monday.

He called for "integrating China effectively into the international community and allowing it to demonstrate greater responsibility, all while also preparing to deploy force if everything goes wrong," the cable states.

And by everything goes wrong, meaning ``supports North Korea``...I always thought Kevin Rudd was a nutjob...well there it is.

S.Korea starts live-fire drills amid tensions with North

South Korea's military began a major live-fire exercise Monday amid high tensions on the divided peninsula following North Korea's deadly bombardment of a border island last month.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the five-day series of drills would take place in 29 locations off South Korea, despite the North's claims that it could trigger war.

It was unclear whether one of the firing drills -- near the flashpoint disputed Yellow Sea border -- had begun as earlier announced.

So the biggest concern about this drill, the Yeonpyeong island drill hasn't started yet... so real trouble hasn't started yet.

Goddamnit.....when is the war going to start ? I'm waiting.....
(I'm not supporting war whatsoever) just saying.

And then ther is christmas time and that is a good time to make peace with your neighbors. So this wil end in nothing!!! Only peace and next time we shoot Seoul and nothing will happening only some shooting in the other direction??? So officially we don't need the militairy???

International criminal court investigating possible war crimes by North Korea for shelling of South Korean island http://(link tracking not allowed)/hHCPJ0

reply to post by infinite


Until the US, Israel, Russia, and China are investigated for war crimes, I won't support anything this investigation concludes.

the current exercises are not dangerous, not yet at least as they are way outside the disputed zone. but they are to last a week, and eventually they must take place within the disputed waters, only then we'll see what happens. either SK will halt the exercises or NK will let them do it. if not, WAR!!

reply to post by infinite


Sorry but how can it be a war crime to shell a military barracks belonging to your enemy when you are still at war?

reply to post by PuterMan


Well...cause North Korea is part of the bad guys...not like America who kill innocent people for freedom and democracy...

Originally posted by PuterMan
reply to post by infinite

 

Sorry but how can it be a war crime to shell a military barracks belonging to your enemy when you are still at war?

Because the US led UN said so.

More news...

Sobering Korea Times editorial today: "Another all-out fratricidal war here is feared to destroy almost the entire Korean Peninsula." 28 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

Well yeah.

Ministers look forward to further enhancing cooperation with China & Russia, in particular within the 6-Party Talks framework... #Koreas about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck

Hopefully...

Trilat statement affirms DPRK’s "provocative & belligerent behavior threatens all 3 countries & will be met with solidarity..." about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck

Which they already said dozens of time.

North’s new midget subs are torpedo equipped

North Korea’s new midget submarines feature torpedo launch tubes, according to South Korean intelligence sources, suggesting that the North is planning more torpedo strikes.

North Korea has not made any direct threats to attack the South with its torpedoes since March, which it did on a regular basis before the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan.

No sub attack for now... I wonder what the South will do if North Korea even fires a torpedo at one of their ship or sinks one... Hopefully they sink at least half the NKorean fleet.


And who's gonna pay for NKorea and SKorea's BS? The populations of course.

Military service ‘too short’

A presidential committee suggested yesterday that the length of mandatory military service for young Korean men be extended to 24 months immediately as a way of strengthening the country’s armed forces after an artillery attack by North Korea.

I'm sure they'll be thrilled at that news... NOT. Being paid 100$US/month for 2 years is a joke...not to mention they have to basically ``pause`` their entire life for this.

And about the drills...
Live-fire drills staged off all 3 coasts

South Korea’s military yesterday launched live-fire drills in the waters off all three coasts of the Korean Peninsula, renewing its commitment to tougher retaliation against any future provocations by North Korea, officials said.

Yeonpyeong Island, hit by the North’s deadly artillery attacks last month, was excluded from the latest firing exercises scheduled to continue through Friday, as military leaders took into consideration the safety of residents there and weather conditions, officials at the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

So the previously shelled island wasn't part of the drills but another border island was.

The locations included Daecheong Island, one of five major islands near the Yellow Sea border, the official said.

“In waters off Daecheong Island, Navy ships are conducting a live-fire drill,” he said.

So no trouble so far.

Update :

# Gates told US Navy sailors that we need to work with Chinese for greater stability re #DPRK. "Nobody wants a war on the Korean peninsula." 13 minutes ago via TweetDeck

# Sec. Def. Gates on USS Abe Lincoln re #DPRK: "I think this is a difficult & potentially dangerous time." 15 minutes ago via TweetDeck

# Sec. Def. Gates, answering sailor's question about #DPRK aboard USS Abe Lincoln, "I don't think it's likely you'll make a detour there." 16 minutes ago via TweetDeck

North Korea attacked South Korea because they wanted to flex their muscle, now that the US is involved and the rest of the world is watching, its very doubtful anymore provoking will come from them.

I think China and North Korea had likely discussed creating a situation during the South Korean live fire drills, and much to China's dismay, N. Korea jumped the gun. I don't think this will end quietly, but it is very possible that China has lost any momentum that they might have been able to gain and they may hang the North out to dry. Let's hope so!

We Will Take Out Seoul!

The North Korean authorities have used recent people’s unit lectures to reveal news of South Korean maritime live fire exercises and threaten, “If even a single South Chosun shell falls on our territory, we will take Seoul out.”

This lecture relates to South Korean military exercises at 29 locations on its three coasts from December 6th to 12th.

A source from North Hamkyung Province reported to The Daily NK today, “In a people’s unit meeting held in a neighborhood of Hoiryeong on the evening of the 5th, the chairwoman of the unit explained the situation, then said, ‘In implementing live fire training from the 6th, South Chosun is making an open attempt to attack our republic once again, but supposing just one of the puppet’s bombs falls on our territory, we will take Seoul out.”

Hopefully it's just inside NKorea propaganda.

China's foreign ministry making #DPRK comments on the defensive right now. I'll defer to someone in Beijing to tweet about it. about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck

China defending NKorea again...

@KurtAchin Update on joint US-ROK JCS news conf. tomorrow in Seoul. Now appears"pool" coverage for foreign media. about 1 hour ago via TweetDeck in reply to KurtAchin

So conference tomorrow in Seoul...

China is pissed...
China slams report that it is 'enabling' N.Korea

China on Tuesday slammed a report that the United States has accused Beijing of "enabling" North Korea to start a uranium enrichment programme and to launch attacks on the South as "irresponsible".

The Washington Post reported late Sunday, citing an unnamed senior US official, that China had encouraged the hardline regime in Pyongyang to "behave with impunity".

"We feel the accusation is irresponsible," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters. "China's efforts (to maintain peace and stability) have been witnessed by all."

"I want to stress that on issues relating to peace and stability, we are against any action that undermines stability. We do not seek to protect any side," she said.

reply to post by Vitchilo


My is definitely an increasingly uneasy one!

Bloody unnamed senior officials, up to no good as usual.

Yeah that unnamed guy... always looking for trouble. All those with the last name ``unnamed`` should be sent to Gitmo!

Lee orders fortification of five western border islands

President Lee Myung-bak said Tuesday he wants to turn Yeonpyeong Island, recently hit by a North Korean artillery attack, and four other western border islands into "military fortresses" and called for improving the living conditions of residents there, his office Cheong Wa Dae said.

I'm sure NKorea will like that. Not... since they consider those islands their own.

Rights panel recommends resuming anti-Pyongyang propaganda

The recommendation urges the government to resume broadcasts through loudspeakers at the border with North Korea and to encourage the sending of leaflets into the North denouncing its leader and regime.

And more troubles ahead... especially the loud speakers.

U.S., Japan support stronger defense

Washington and Tokyo expressed full support for Seoul’s resolve to respond to any additional North Korean provocation with strong military action, according to a high-ranking government official.

Not LIMITED military action... STRONG military action... not good.

And the new engagement rules are quite hardcore...
New posture goes beyond rules of engagement

The new policy will go beyond the current rules of engagement and not be bound by U.S. wartime control of South Korean forces, the minister said.

“The commanders of each military service will give orders for self-defense,” said Jang Gwang-il, head of defense policy at the ministry. “Self-defense will be exercised until the origin of the provocation is hit, and [the retaliation] will not be bound by the Korean War cease-fire agreement or rules of battle.” Jang said that the U.S. and South Korea had a mutual understanding on the issue.

They raised it a few notches...

Well...this stupid quarrel has been going on down there for a long time now. Just like last year and the Japanese setting up missiles on their boarder to intercept North Korean missile launches. I wouldn't be surprised if absolutely nothing happens...

reply to post by dude69


Yeah but this is the worse crisis since the end of the Korean war.... so this is pretty serious.

In other news... North Korea just now have HD!



And unconfirmed reports of heavy Chinese military activity in the last few hours at the NKorean border.

Originally posted by Vitchilo

And unconfirmed reports of heavy Chinese military activity in the last few hours at the NKorean border.

edit on 7-12-2010 by Vitchilo because: (no reason given)

Where are these unconfirmed reports of heavy Chinese military action?

reply to post by spark9576


Russian military forums. So I wouldn't consider them true... but China surely always have some kind of military presence on the border so they don't have a rush of NKorean people fleeing to China...

So maybe they are doing a drill or something... or nothing is going on.

Maybe it's just a precaution.

Today is wednesday in SKorea... and the ``dangerous`` exercises start today.


UPDATE : Adm. Mullen conference in SKorea 2AM Eastern/4PM Seoul time.