North & South Korea News, Updates & Discussions

[Redheart]

Japan military on alert over North Korea's planned rocket launch| Reuters

Japan put its military on alert on Wednesday to shoot down any North Korean rocket that threatens it, while South Korea warned the North it would pay a "severe price" if it goes ahead with a satellite launch that South Korea considers a missile test.

North notified U.N. agencies on Tuesday of its plan to launch what it called an "earth observation satellite" some time between Feb. 8 and 25.

North Korea has said it has a sovereign right to pursue a space program by launching rockets, although the United States and other governments suspect that such launches are in reality tests of its missiles.

"We have defenses ready to deal with all threats, but in view of the announcement I have put the Self Defense Force's Aegis destroyers and our PAC-3 units on alert and issued an order to shoot down any ballistic missile threat," Japan's defense minister, Gen Nakatani, told media briefing.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he would work with the United States and others to "strongly demand" that North Korea refrain from what he described as a planned missile launch.

Tension rose in East Asia last month after North Korea's fourth nuclear test, this time of what it said was a hydrogen bomb.

A rocket launch coming so soon after the nuclear test would raise concern that North Korea plans to fit nuclear warheads on its missiles, giving it the capability to launch a strike against South Korea, Japan and possibly targets as far away as the U.S. West Coast.

North Korea last launched a long-range rocket in December 2012, sending an object it described as a communications satellite into orbit.

South Korea said the North should immediately call off the launch, which is a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, the South's presidential Blue House said in a statement.

"North Korea's notice of the plan to launch a long-range missile, coming at a time when there is a discussion for Security Council sanctions on its fourth nuclear test, is a direct challenge to the international community," the Blue House said.

"We strongly warn that the North will pay a severe price ... if it goes ahead with the long-range missile launch plan," it said.

 

[djdefense]

How does one stop this madness? DPR Korea is poking fun at the UN, not that the UN has any teeth anymore, but still. This "rocket launch" is a clear sign of rapid militarization, which should raise flags in the UNSC.

 

[sharatharadhya]

Is there anything the UN can do is this regard and prevent World War 3. I don't understand what is up with North Korea. I mean what are they up to is still unclear. They don't understand that starting World War 3 will only have a negative impact on their own country and its people. Do they even value the life of innocent people or do they not care for it? What would be the best move for other nations to make for their safety.

 

[Corzhens]

I pity Japan because they have been the aggressor in World War II but they paid the price for it. And as a form of repentance, they disallowed having an army even for defense just to profess their sincerity for peace. But with the provocation of the other countries like China and now North Korea, what can Japan do but tell it to the UN. It is a sad state of condition they are in since they are only relying on their allies for defense.

 

[UnslaadKrosis]

Yeah, I get the whole paranoia, given the history of N. Korea, which is arguably one of the worst regimes in modern history. But what if the test is really a satellite launch program? The hostility with which the world is reacting to the program, if found to be what they're saying it is, will not only worsen the situation, but also hasten a military response from the country. And that will not be a pretty thing to behold.

 

[djdefense]

Yeah, I get the whole paranoia, given the history of N. Korea, which is arguably one of the worst regimes in modern history. But what if the test is really a satellite launch program? The hostility with which the world is reacting to the program, if found to be what they're saying it is, will not only worsen the situation, but also hasten a military response from the country. And that will not be a pretty thing to behold.

Of course, much of what we hear about North Korea is simply negative propaganda. No denying that. The whole western propaganda machinery works against North Korea, Russia and China all the time. But, in this case, there is an irresponsible regime at work that cannot be trusted with nukes, which unfortunately now they have in sufficient quantity to lash out. The world is just afraid of irresponsible regimes.

 

[explorerx7]

Drama, drama, drama. There is no shortage of drama in this section of the world. Sometimes, it's China vs Japan, on other occasions, It's North Korea vs South Korea or North Korea vs Japan. It's now becoming an everyday affair. This situation reveals mankind's appetite for conflict. The threat of war is ever present. The good thing, however, is that no blows have been thrown

 

[djdefense]

It is drama. Its just posturing most of the time. The fact is that if a country were to attack another country, it would just happen in a heartbeat. And even with all the defense mechanisms that contries have in place, I don't think any country can survive another nuclear powered countries sudden attack. This is what makes the world so much more dangerous today. I mean if North Korea suddenly launches a bunch of nukes South's way, it will be disasterous - horrifying.

 

[Corzhens]

Drama, drama, drama. There is no shortage of drama in this section of the world. Sometimes, it's China vs Japan, on other occasions, It's North Korea vs South Korea or North Korea vs Japan. It's now becoming an everyday affair. This situation reveals mankind's appetite for conflict. The threat of war is ever present. The good thing, however, is that no blows have been thrown

Do you agree that the drama is connected to business? So many have said that war is business. That was even thought in World history subject during high school. If those posturings are just bravado and nothing more then I guess it can lead to something else like a factor for bargaining. With Japan's being scared of North Korea, it is probable to buy armaments.... from those countries selling to them.

 

[ipm_zipedia]

Do you agree that the drama is connected to business? So many have said that war is business. That was even thought in World history subject during high school. If those posturings are just bravado and nothing more then I guess it can lead to something else like a factor for bargaining. With Japan's being scared of North Korea, it is probable to buy armaments.... from those countries selling to them.

I don't agree that war in general is a business considering that more brutal wars have been fought in the past, usually not for monetary gain, but more for the expanse of power and territory. Sometimes religion may even be a factor. There will always be a need for arms companies though, and that's just the truth of innovation in war; there's always gonna be the need for more effective vehicles, more effective firearms, and war isn't necessarily existing just to bolster those markets. World history from high school taught me that the more recent wars have been fought for nationalism, especially the two World Wars. Economic gain is a given considering that the powerhouse of the countries are in full force, however.

 

[explorerx7]

Do you agree that the drama is connected to business? So many have said that war is business. That was even thought in World history subject during high school. If those posturings are just bravado and nothing more then I guess it can lead to something else like a factor for bargaining. With Japan's being scared of North Korea, it is probable to buy armaments.... from those countries selling to them.

 

[explorerx7]

Yes, I do agree that war is big business. Arms sales are steadily increasing year by year. The posturing by some countries has scared other countries into anticipating the possible threat of invasion therefore, they believe that they have to acquire sophisticated weapons. Japan is now moving to diminish its neutrality, seeking to acquire weapons to defend itself from the percieved threat of possible attack

 

[Corzhens]

I don't agree that war in general is a business considering that more brutal wars have been fought in the past, usually not for monetary gain, but more for the expanse of power and territory. Sometimes religion may even be a factor. There will always be a need for arms companies though, and that's just the truth of innovation in war; there's always gonna be the need for more effective vehicles, more effective firearms, and war isn't necessarily existing just to bolster those markets. World history from high school taught me that the more recent wars have been fought for nationalism, especially the two World Wars. Economic gain is a given considering that the powerhouse of the countries are in full force, however.

Well, the main objective of war may not be business but definitely business will come in later in the game. And there are wars that are for business. I posed this line because that is my take on the Syrian war. The US and some other countries have been there with their troops but the war rages on for years. If the US and Russia and other allies want to end the war then they could have done it a long time ago. But why does the Syrian war persists? It is big business for the superpowers.

 

[Corzhens]

The UNSC (United Nations Security Council) will hold an emergency meeting to discuss the recent launch of North Korea's long-range rocket. The meeting will be held on Sunday in New York. Led by US and Japan, the condemnation from the allied countries are swift.

For their part, the Philippines joined other free nations around the world in condemning the launch.

Read more at Nations condemn rocket launch; UNSC holds emergency talks on North Korea | mb.com.ph | Philippine News

 

[Corzhens]

It may be a scare but South Korea's spy agency reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had recently ordered the preparations for launching attacks on South Korea. The ruling party officials deem that to be the latest sign of high tensions that is related to the nuclear test and missile launch of the North.


Read more:North Korea preparing attacks vs South Korea—Seoul spy service | Inquirer News