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N. Korea Crisis - Updated as News come to hand

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posted on Apr, 27 2011 @ 06:16 PM
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New Satellite Photos Show Construction at NoKor Nuclear Site

A U.S.-based security organization says North Korea is making progress on what Pyongyang says is a light water reactor that has raised new international concerns about the secretive North's nuclear weapons program.


N.Korea to run out of food in June: aid group

Parts of North Korea are expected to run out of food in less than two months due to a poor harvest even if foreign donors agree to provide assistance, a US relief group said Wednesday.

Samaritan's Purse, one of five US groups that visited the impoverished communist state in February, said that a harsh winter killed crops and some North Koreans were already eating grass, leaves and tree bark.

"We believe that, in many of the areas that we visited, in mid-June they're going to run out of food," said Ken Isaacs, the Christian-oriented group's vice president for programs and government relations.


And even if the US were to say yes to food aid tomorrow, it would take at least 3 months for food to make it to NKorea... so... more people are gonna die of starvation in NKorea... And since this will be happening, the chances of another NKorean provocation is going up real fast.

Not that Kim cares about his population... it's just it's bad PR for 2012 and his son's appointment... he needs food, LOTS OF IT... for 2012 or his son is toasted.



posted on Apr, 27 2011 @ 09:08 PM
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US: Nothing Decided on NK Food Aid

The United States says nothing has been decided on U.S. food aid to North Korea.

The U.S. says factors including the North's food demand levels, fairness with other countries and food distribution transparency should first be comprehensively reviewed.


Probably because SKorea still doesn't want that food aid delivered to NKorea... and now with the party in power taking a huge hit in the elections today, me thinks SKorea agreeing to food aid is even more remote.

Election Outcome to Affect Political Landscape

The opposition’s major victory in Wednesday’s by-elections is expected to have a significant impact on the political landscape.

The election results may also affect President Lee Myung-bak's leadership style and his ties with the ruling party and government.



NKorea :
N. Korea not to abandon nukes without security guarantee: Carter

North Korea wants to have an unconditional dialogue with South Korea and the United States on denuclearization or any other subjects, but will not abandon its nuclear weapons without a security guarantee, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said Wednesday.


That security garantee is probably all US troops leaving SKorea and a NKorea-US-SKorea peace treaty. I doubt it will happen anytime soon.

N.Korea 'Has Far More Prisons Than Previously Believed'

At least 480 prisons and detention facilities are scattered around North Korea, an NGO claimed Tuesday.

Based on testimony of about 13,000 North Korean defectors, North Korean Human Rights Archives said the regime operates 210 detention centers and 210 labor camps, 23 prisons, 5 indoctrination camps, 27 holding facilities, and 6 political prison camps including in Yodok, Pukchang and Hoeryong.



posted on Apr, 28 2011 @ 03:30 PM
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South Korea :

In Seoul, ex-U.S. president Carter says it's a human rights violation for US, S. Korea to withhold food aid to N. Korea - Reuters

Hmm no it ain't.

Jimmy Carter says NKorea wants North-South summit

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said Thursday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il wants direct talks with South Korea's leader — an offer unlikely to be accepted until Pyongyang takes responsibility for violence that killed 50 South Koreans last year.

No talk till admitting culpability... which won't happen :

Carter says his opinion is N. Korean will not admit culpability for Cheonan sinking & won't apologize for Yeonpyeong attack but they will express deep regrets.



Robinson: Happy to hear today #ROK "seriously considering" resumption of food aid to #DPRK.

That's good news for the NKorean people... if food actually ends up to them...the problem is that it will help the regime transition of power.

NKorea :
U.S. not to engage N. Korea if inter-Korean nuclear talks bear no fruit: experts

A delegation of prominent American experts said Thursday that the United States will refuse to carry out a Chinese plan for talks with North Korea if Pyongyang fails to make substantive progress in its potential denuclearization talks with South Korea.

Yep.

S. Korea says Carter failed to meet with N. Korean leader

As I thought.

The Arabian Nightmare

Some Western aid groups believe it is too late to get food to thousands of North Koreans who are already starving in remote parts of the country. Western nations have cut off food aid, because so much earlier aid was stolen by the government (either to be sold in China, placed into military war reserves or give out as rewards for loyalty or other efforts to support the communist government.)

The North Korean government is fighting a losing battle trying to keep out news of the uprisings against Arab dictatorships. Those uprisings have made the North Korean leadership very nervous, as did the ones in 1989 that deposed the communist dictatorships of East Europe. This time around, economic conditions in North Korea are much worse. There is another major famine in the works, and still-vivid memories of the great famine of the 1990s. The security forces are more corrupt and unreliable. There are several hundred thousand North Koreans with illegal cell phones, most of them living along the Chinese border. Here is where uncensored news of the outside world quickly enters, then takes weeks to spread to every part of the country. The continued success of these Arab revolts, and growing unrest in the north, caused many North Korea officials to fear the worst.

A revolt in NKorea could actually be possible if food aid isn't given.

China :
Chinese Carrier Fighter Shows Its Colors

New photos of the Chinese naval fighter, the navalized version of the J-11 (an illegal clone of the Russian Su-27), have appeared. This one is painted in Chinese Navy colors, and appears to be equipped with Chinese made electronics.

Once the J-11BH is ready, there will be several years of training pilots and carrier deck crews to handle this larger aircraft. So it won't be until the 2020s before China is ready to send a carrier to sea with a militarily significant air wing.



posted on Apr, 28 2011 @ 09:18 PM
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N. Korea should take concrete action for summit: Seoul official

North Korea's proposal for another summit with South Korea is not new, a senior official here said Friday, urging Pyongyang to follow through with "concrete" action to make such a meeting possible.

Basically concrete action BEFORE any meeting... which NKorea probably won't do.

What I said :


- Carter goes to NKorea, NKorea makes promises
- Carter goes to SKorea, SKorea listen but says they need concrete steps

So far so good.

Next steps :

- US says no food aid due to lack of seriousness of NKorea
- NKorea stages nuclear test
- UN condemn NKorea, China abstain from voting
- Tensions remain high
- Back to stalemate...


No decision on food aid yet... US saying no to food aid could be bypassed with NKorea doing another provocation right away...since SKorea is not bowing down to NKorea.
edit on 28-4-2011 by Vitchilo because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 29 2011 @ 01:14 AM
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W7VOA Steve Herman
N. Korea has threatened "merciless fire" if the launches of balloons, which contain pamphlets ridiculing Kim Jong Il & family, didn't stop.
2 hours ago

Steve Herman
W7VOA Steve Herman
Yonhap: Activists today released 10 propaganda balloons towards #DPRK despite Pyongyang's stronger threat of military retaliation.
2 hours ago


A bigger launch is scheduled tomorrow. And since SKorea is obviously rejecting the most recent NKorean ``summit proposal``... you never know. But bottom line is I'm sure they won't do anything till the US says officially they ain't giving food aid.

As long as there is a small chance of foreign aid, NKorea won't do something stupid.

N. Korea lacks sincerity toward S. Korea: foreign minister

North Korea has yet to show "sincerity" toward South Korea, Seoul's foreign minister said Friday, one day after former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said the communist state is offering to hold an inter-Korean summit.

Duh.
edit on 29-4-2011 by Vitchilo because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 29 2011 @ 09:43 PM
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UN body starts emergency food aid to North Korea

The United Nations World Food Programme is to start an emergency food programme to help 3.5 million people in North Korea, the Rome-based organisation said on Friday.

Hopefully it reaches those who need it... and doesn't end up like most of the food aid US-SK gave... selling it to China or going to the army.

U.S. repeats calls for N. Korea to mend ties with S. Korea ahead of 6-way talks' reopening

The United States Friday called on North Korea to improve ties with South Korea, cease provocations and take irreversible denuclearization steps before any resumption of the six-party nuclear talks.

Basically... Put up or shut up!


South Korea Tries Out Helicopter UAVs

Austrian aircraft manufacturer Shiebel has sold two of its S-100 helicopter UAVs to South Korea. The S-100 weighs 200 kg (440 pounds), can stay aloft six hours per sortie and operates at a max altitude of 5,500 meters (18,000 feet). Max speed is 220 kilometers an hour.

South Korea wants to use the S-100s off its west coast, along the maritime border with North Korea.

I didn't know they made those.
edit on 29-4-2011 by Vitchilo because: (no reason given)



posted on Apr, 29 2011 @ 10:06 PM
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reply to post by Vitchilo
 


You know, it's Friday night here after a looonngg week I have drank a good calren full and with so many, many things going on - almost like the - It Could Happen Tomorrow - and here we are!!



The United Nations World Food Programme is to start an emergency food programme to help 3.5 million people in North Korea, the Rome-based organisation said on Friday.


This is typical standard bu@@@ Fu###ing $XYZ - Ya Know - it gets really old - and everyone drops to their knees and faults to Them - WHY???

I understand humanitary efferts. but as we well know, this is not for the real poor folks.

Yuck, Spit

NK Governement you and TEPCO should just go jump in the pool together. You all make me sick!!! You should ALL be charge with Crimes Against Humanity. And, - Maybe you will get away with it in this life - (which I hpe not) you corporate folks behind this will pay - at some point - as it should be for what you have done! So Mote It Be!!



posted on Apr, 30 2011 @ 12:07 PM
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Here we go again :

S.Korea to stage live-fire drills near islands: report

South Korea will stage live-fire artillery exercises in the coming week on two frontline islands including one hit by a deadly North Korean shelling last November, a news report said Saturday.

But Dong-A Ilbo daily said marine troops will fire K-9 self-propelled howitzers, Vulcan cannons and 81mm mortars deployed on Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong islands, both located near the tense Yellow Sea border.


It's tuesday. Hopefully nothing happens.



posted on May, 3 2011 @ 10:47 PM
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NKorea :

S. Korea condemns N. Korea for cyber attack on bank

South Korea on Tuesday condemned North Korea for a cyber attack that paralyzed the computer network of a South Korean bank last month, as Seoul's prosecutors said Pyongyang's intelligence organization was responsible for the attack.

So while NKorea does nothing ``physical``... they love their little provocations of hacking SKorean government websites and banks and buzzing the South with their GPS jamming.

SKorea can't really ``strike back`` against that... NKorea have basically no internet... and about GPS jamming they could have bombed the site but then they would be called warmongers by the western countries...

Images reveal scale of North Korean political prison camps

Amnesty International has published satellite imagery and new testimony that shed light on the horrific conditions in North Korea’s network of political prison camps, which hold an estimated 200,000 people.

According to former detainees at the political prison camp at Yodok, prisoners are forced to work in conditions approaching slavery and are frequently subjected to torture and other cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment. All the detainees at Yodok have witnessed public executions.

Basically a copy of the gulag/labor camp system that was running in the Soviet Union.

US Hints at Adding Financial Pressure on NK, Iran

Cohen said that significant progress was made in terms of applying financial pressure on the North and Iran thanks to U.N. Security Council resolutions and cooperation from private organizations.

Like that worked in the past...
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Disputed islands (Philipines, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia)

Tensions escalate over the South China Sea

Geopolitical and military tensions have heightened sharply over the past four weeks in the South China Sea. China, Taiwan, and the Philippines have each escalated their rhetoric regarding the contested oil-rich Spratly Islands and deployed troops and military equipment to the region.

The Spratly Islands are claimed in whole or in part by Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Two-fifths of global sea traffic travels through the South China Sea. Control of the region is of vital strategic interest to both the United States and China.

The Philippines has purchased US naval equipment, including a Hamilton class cutter, for the express purpose of patrolling the Spratly Islands.

The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense approved the transfer of M41A3 Walker Bulldog light tanks, 40mm automatic guns and 120 mortars to the Taiwanese coast guard permanently stationed in the northern section of the Spratly Islands claimed by Taiwan.

On May 2, China announced that it would be adding 1,000 personnel and 36 vessels to its Marine Surveillance Forces. These forces are directly responsible for patrolling the disputed waters.

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SKorea :
S. Korea presses N. Korea to address provocations ahead of six-party talks

South Korea warned Wednesday that inaction by North Korea over its provocative behavior against Seoul last year would "negatively" influence the prospect for the resumption of six-party nuclear negotiations that Pyongyang has been pushing for.

Since South Korea found North Korea responsible for the sinking of one of its warships and North Korea bombarded a South Korean island last year, Seoul has been demanding Pyongyang apologize before the South can agree to reopen the stalled six-party talks.

Still no talks till NKorea admits it... which is very unlikely to happen... even if China pushes very strongly behind the scenes.
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China-US..
Reaper Headed For China

The U.S. Air Force is planning to move much of its UAV force from Iraq and Afghanistan to East Asia over the next four years.

The CIA and army use their UAVs differently than the air force, which sees these aircraft as strategic reconnaissance tools, which can also carry missiles to promptly destroy newly found targets.

So the air force plans to move many, if not most, of its Reapers and Predators to watch China and North Korea.

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Thailand :
Prayuth insists troops must vacate border

The Army chief yesterday reiterated the precondition set out by the army and government that Cambodia withdraw all of its troops from the 4.6 sq km disputed border area before Indonesian observers can be deployed.

"If they [Cambodia] do not agree, the battle will have to continue. We can keep fighting each other or we can end the battle with dialogue," army commander in chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said.

17 soldiers and one civilian have died so far.
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And just breaking :

Kyodo: #DPRK officially confirms detaining 2 Japanese citizens.




The ``worst`` that can happen this year IMO is some provocation by NKorea if they are refused food aid. Nuclear test or missile test. Nothing serious will come out of it.

2012 on the other hand could see things moving real fast.

New leaders in China and SKorea... transition of power in NKorea... election in USA-Taiwan-Russia... and probably a change in leadership in Japan too.

With that much change in politics next year, it could be quite something... especially in the light that China was ready to go to war with Taiwan if the pro-China party didn't win in 2008...
edit on 3-5-2011 by Vitchilo because: (no reason given)



posted on May, 4 2011 @ 10:41 PM
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SKorea :
South Korea Thinks Small And Local To Survive

A year ago, despite the unanticipated purchases, South Korea continued to reorganize its armed forces for a future that might, or might not, include North Korea. This effort had already been going on for five years. It include shrinking the size of the armed forces. Three years earlier, the plan was to reduce troop strength 26 percent (from 680,000 to 500,000) by 2020. Now, the plan is to do it by 2012.

A falling birth rate is producing fewer young men to conscript, but the booming economy is producing more money, and technology, for more effective weapons and equipment that can replace soldiers.

Politicians are responding to this by shrinking conscript service time 25 percent, to 18 months, and assigning more conscripts to jobs in the police or social welfare organizations.

Despite the increased North Korean threat, there's not a lot of popular support for increasing military manpower.

Moreover, it's pretty obvious that, despite increased bellicosity from North Korea, economic decline up there has reduced the combat capability of the North Korean armed forces. Added to that, you have the South Koreans following the example of the U.S., and replacing a lot of troops with technology.

So money is being diverted to projects that will make the military more effective in dealing what whatever new nastiness the North Koreans might come up with. That means new sensors for detecting submarines, and more anti-missile systems. There is more training for civil defense workers and those assigned the task of dealing with North Korean commandos landing far south of the North Korean border.

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NKorea :
North Korea hands over British pilot’s remains

North Korea says it has handed over the remains of a British pilot shot down during the Korean War.

Gee only took 59 years.

U.N. agency could press N. Korea to stop hacking Seoul: report

A United Nations agency responsible for information and communication technologies could urge North Korea to stop its run of cyber attacks on South Korea, a U.S. report said Thursday.

And that will do what exactly? Nothing... if it passes in the first place.

N.Korea's Highly Trained Hacker Brigades Rival CIA

North Korea's 1,000 or so hackers are as good as their CIA counterparts, experts believe. Due to difficulties in expanding its conventional weapons arsenal following the economic hardships during the 1990s, North Korea apparently bolstered electronic warfare capabilities.

The regime opened Mirim University, now renamed Pyongyang Automation University, in the mid-1980s to train hackers in electronic warfare tactics. A defector who graduated from Mirim University said classes were taught by 25 Russian professors from the Frunze Military Academy. They trained 100-110 hackers every year.

North Korea's General Bureau of Reconnaissance, which oversees all espionage operations against South Korea, also specializes in electronic warfare. A source said overall conditions for North Korea's electronic warfare units' hacking operation have improved because of the expanding Internet infrastructure in China. "In the past, they had to operate in faraway locations like Canada or Australia, but now they can operate effectively in areas close to the Chinese border." They apparently operate from Dandong and Dalian.

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China :
China ready to strengthen cooperation with Japan in reconstruction, says VP

China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Japan in disaster relief and reconstruction, said Vice President Xi Jinping here on Wednesday.

+1
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Taiwan :
Taiwan official: China pressures South Korea to stop military exchange with island

A Taiwanese defence official says Beijing is pressuring South Korea to stop a military student exchange program with the self-ruled island.

Wednesday's remarks from Defence Ministry Spokesman Lo Shao-ho appear to undermine President Ma Ying-jeou's claims that Taiwan's improving relations with Beijing can provide Taipei more space for international manoeuvring.

Yep...if China continues to act like this, Ma could lose the election in 2012 and then we would be in big trouble... since China was prepared to invade Taiwan in 2008 if the pro-China candidate didn't win.



posted on May, 7 2011 @ 02:32 AM
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Pakistan-India :
After Abbottabad, should India hunt down Mumbai masterminds in Pakistan?

The Pakistan government and its military have yesterday warned India that any repeat of the US raid of Abbottabad would be a “misadventure” and would be reacted to “very strongly” leading to a “terrible catastrophe”.

India is surely thinking about it... but the US going and killing Bin Laden and India going in to kill the Mumbai perpetrators/leaders (some of which are ISI) is totally two different things.
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NKorea :
VOA: “N.Korea Exported Nuke Substances to Libya

The Voice of America reported on Saturday that a former official of the International Atomic Energy Agency has said that nuclear substances found in Libya in 2004 were from North Korea.

Olli Heinonen was the deputy director general of the IAEA for five years. He told the VOA that uranium hexafluoride (UF6) used in uranium enrichment in Libya was very likely to have been made by North Korea. Heinonen based his allegations on the machinery being used at the time, North Koreas’ purchases of parts to develop nuclear capabilities, and information provided by Pakistan.


US to Discuss N.Korea Issue with China
I'm not holding my breath on this one... Even if China were to say they will get ``tough`` with NKorea... they still wouldn't be able to do much.

N. Korea's exports of mineral resources top US$860 mln last year

North Korea's exports of mineral resources jumped 17-fold in a decade with its outbound shipment of coals and iron ores leading the growth, a U.S. report showed on Saturday.

According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), the communist state's exports of mineral resources reached US$860 million last year, compared with some $50 million in 2002.

Well prices have skyrocketed...
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SKorea :
S. Korea, China seek to link defense chiefs through hotline

South Korea is seeking to set up a hotline with China that would link the two nations' defense ministers at bilateral defense talks envisioned for later this year, officials said Friday.

That will sure be useful when the NKorean government collapses, Kim dies or NKorea does another provocation.
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Taiwan :
Taiwan election in focus at key cross-straits meeting

The island's officials will be sending the message that Beijing should avoid doing anything to hurt Ma's chances of being re-elected.

"We hope they will be benevolent," Sun Yang-Ming, vice president of the Cross-Strait Interflow Prospect Foundation, a government-linked think tank, says in an interview with BBC News.

"We don't need outsiders' help to win votes, but we hope they will avoid such actions as making threats or conducting military manoeuvres, including test-firing missiles."

Mr Ma, on the other hand, will be campaigning on a platform of increasing economic integration with mainland China.

In order to win, he must prove to Taiwan's voters that his policy of opening up to China is bringing economic benefits to ordinary people.

IMO this will be THE thing to watch...and I fear pro-China candidate Ma might lose because of the economy going down the drain once again in the second half of 2011...

If Taiwan can save itself from that, then MA will win, otherwise, he will most certainly lose. Bernanke's decision on QE3 could tip the scale. And if Ma loses, China might, like they nearly did in 2008 if Ma had lost, go to war with Taiwan... and then it won't be pretty.

I think it all rests on Bernanke's shoulders... and that is not good. If Bernanke does QE3... Ma will likely lose...and if Bernanke doesn't do QE3...Ma will likely win.



posted on May, 7 2011 @ 02:42 AM
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Originally posted by Portugoal
...The beginning of WW3. Assasination of some Austrian guy, invasion of lowly Poland, and now bombing some houses. All tiny things that do little to change the international order, yet will go down in history as causing the most brutal wars.

This doesn't look good. S.Korea would be stupid for taking this and allowing N.Korea to get away with it(assuming it was actually their's).
edit on 23-11-2010 by Portugoal because: (no reason given)


You can only poke someone so much until they give you a Charlie horse.


Really though, SK is the Starcraft mecca of the world, not cool.

All joking aside, I really dislike the way China tends to side with NK. I understand their concerns; the U.S would get involved as usual and fail to mind their own business as usual. China needs to stay out of it too.



posted on May, 9 2011 @ 04:57 AM
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NKorea :

JoongAng: PRC snubbed Kim Jong-il's request for 30 fighter-bomber jets equipped with anti-ship missiles. #DPRK

That is really good. NKorea would be insane enough to use those to attack aircraft carriers... and chinese military hardware attacking US aircraft carriers is not very far from WW3 territory and apparently, China is sane enough to know that. Hopefully that policy won't change if the US keeps giving weapons to Taiwan... which will probably happen real soon, they are due. IMO if the nationalist party wins in January 2012, the US will announce huge arms deal to Taiwan in face of all the very likely Chinese sabre rattling that will go on during that time.


Yonhap: 5 #ROK civic groups approved to deliver additional $769,000 worth of bread, soy milk, med supplies & anti-malaria aid to #DPRK.

Hopefully it helps the civilians and not the gov.


NKorea building amusement park near border with China with water park, tennis, wrestling, volleyball courts, garden, promenades: KCNA

For more foreign currency.

N. Korea says it has nothing to say on S. Korea's proposal for volcano talks

North Korea said Monday it has nothing to report to South Korea regarding their follow-up talks to discuss a joint study on potential volcanic activity on a North Korean mountain, casting doubt over whether the two sides will meet anytime soon.

Not quite a good sign but nothing serious either. It's NKorea's government loss... if Baedku goes off, NKorea is screwed.

'S.Korea Sanctions Following Cheonan Blocked $300 Mn in NK Income'

A senior South Korean official says that sanctions placed on North Korea following the torpedoing of the South's naval vessel "Cheonan" have had serious financial implications on the communist nation.

During a seminar with reporters hosted by the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, the official said the sanctions blocked the North from earning 300 million dollars of annual income through exports to the South. He said time is not on North Korea's side and its survival will become more difficult.

$300 million sure doesn't seems like a lot to us... but remember that NKorea's GDP is around $20 billion...
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Taiwan :
Taiwan deploys supersonic anti-ship missiles

Taiwan has deployed a new supersonic missile on its warships in the latest response to China's rapid naval expansion, a lawmaker said Sunday.

Military authorities are also mulling deploying the Hsiung Feng III -- the first locally developed supersonic anti-ship missile -- on mobile launchers, Lin Yu-fang, of the Kuomintang party, said in a statement quoting Vice Admiral Lee Hao.

Analysts say Hsiung Feng III, designed to cruise at a maximum speed of mach 2.0, or twice the speed of sound, with a range of up to 130 kilometres (80 miles), are difficult to defend against.

China will not like that... but I hope Taiwan produces a lot of them. They'll need them, maybe as early as February 2012.
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China :
US-China talks face bumpy road

The United States and China approach high-level talks in Washington this week on a more even footing reflecting the Asian giant's rising economic power, but a bumpy road lies ahead.

At the annual US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue meeting, senior officials are expected to discuss the way forward as well as stumbling blocks, like human rights, trade imbalances and China's undervalued currency.

But on Friday in Beijing, Chinese officials made clear that while they were willing to talk about currency policy, they would not be pushed on the pace of appreciation.

The third annual dialogue will be led on the US side by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

Poor Chinese... I wouldn't be able to talk face to face with Geithner without punching him... that SOB deserves it...he deserves a lot more.
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SKorea :
S. Korea fortifies shelters on islands near N. Korea

South Korea is spending millions of dollars to fortify shelters on five frontline islands near its tense sea border with North Korea in case of any future attacks, an official said Monday.

"Construction will cost about 5 to 10 billion won ($9.2 million) and will be completed by the end of June,"

+1

Lee to offer 'advanced proposal' on N. Korean nuclear standoff: aide

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak plans to make an "advanced proposal" on North Korea's nuclear programs at a joint news conference Monday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, a presidential official said.

Will Skorea bow down to NKorea once again and give in? I don't think so but considering their history it wouldn't surprise me.

Lee: NK Nukes will Delay Unification

President Lee Myung-bak says a nuclear presence on the Korean Peninsula is an obstacle delaying Korean unification.

Well yeah.
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Thailand-Cambodia :
Thai, Cambodian PMs to meet on border clashes

Southeast Asian leaders sought to help Thailand and Cambodia end deadly clashes along their disputed border, saying peace and stability were a prerequisite to larger goals of regional economic integration.

The two sides agreed to hold talks Sunday — mediated by Indonesia’s president — as part of efforts to hammer out a lasting cease-fire.

Hopefully they solve their issues...



posted on May, 9 2011 @ 03:25 PM
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SKorea is not backing down apparently. Good for them.

South Korea open to summit with North if conditions met

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said on Monday he was ready to invite North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il to a security summit if he agreed to renounce nuclear weapons and apologised for clashes last year.

Which will never happen... not until Il dies anyway.



posted on May, 9 2011 @ 07:19 PM
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JoongAng: PRC snubbed Kim Jong-il's request for 30 fighter-bomber jets equipped with anti-ship missiles. #DPRK


I read this like it is sabre rattling. If China wants some leverage this kind of report is a viable threat. On the face of it China refused, but I'd suggest China arranged the deal and publicly refused, just to show how it can equip it's neighbours if needs be.

I still think NK is China's dog.



posted on May, 9 2011 @ 10:34 PM
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reply to post by squandered
 




I still think NK is China's dog.

It is. But NKorea doesn't follow every order China gives them. Two years ago, when NKorea went to China to get weapons, China said it would not give anything to NKorea but NKorea did not need to fear because if SKorea-US were to invade, China would back them up 100%...

Taiwan :
Taiwan in name dispute with UN health agency

Taiwan said Monday it would protest to the World Health Organization after the body allegedly told its officials to refer to the island as a province of China, highlighting a decades-old sovereignty dispute.

Stupid UN...

Pakistan-India :
India begins wargames along Pakistan border

India kicked off war games involving thousands of troops Monday along its border with arch-rival Pakistan, which is still smarting from the US operation that killed Osama bin Laden.

Yeah... while Pakistan is on high alert on their border... this is dangerous...

Russia-NATO :
Poland hopes Obama visit will bring F-16 base deal

Poland is hoping that the May 27-28 visit of US President Barack Obama will pave the way for the stationing of US F-16 fighter jets on Polish soil for the first time, Poland's defence minister said Monday.

Russia sure wouldn't like that.



posted on May, 11 2011 @ 12:05 AM
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NKorea :
Debate rages about food aid to North Korea

The U.N. says hunger is driving some North Koreans to eat more wild grass, and humanitarians are pressuring the U.S. and South Korea to send food. But South Koreans who study the North say the crisis has been overstated.

South Korea’s intelligence agency estimates that the North’s food production may actually have increased last year to 5.11 million metric tons (5.6 million tons), about 100,000 tons more than 2009. The agency head reportedly released the figures to a closed parliamentary committee.

If the South Korean intelligence figures are correct, the difference between the North’s supply and demand is not large. Kwon, the expert on North Korean agriculture, said the North’s total need might be about 5.3 million metric tons (5.8 million tons) — some of which could come from imports.

“They won’t have a famine,” Kwon said.

Many collective farms in the North underreport their food production to the central government so they can sell extra food to raise money for fertilizer and farm equipment, Daily NK said in a report posted online.

There also are suspicions Pyongyang is exaggerating shortages and seeking food donations in part so it can devote more resources to its campaign to build a prosperous society during the 2012 centennial of the birth of North Korea founder Kim Il Sung.

Yep. Seems to me after those reports the US is very unlikely to give food aid.

Fox: NK Expanding Production of Opium, Heroin to Secure Foreign Currency

Fox News says North Korea has boosted its production of opium and heroin in a bid to secure foreign currency.

The report said that after seeing satellite photos of the camp released last week by Amnesty International, analysts noted the that poppy fields around the Yodok camp had expanded by 130-thousand square meters since 2001.

Woudn't surprise me.

N.Korea denies cyber-attack on S. Korea bank

North Korea's defence ministry on Tuesday denied it carried out a cyber-attack on one of South Korea's largest banks, calling allegations that was behind last month's hacking "absurd" and a "farce".


N. Korea, China to develop border island: report

North Korea and China will start work on developing a river island on their border this month, a report said Tuesday, amid an international drive to coax Pyongyang back to nuclear disarmament talks.

And to think that UN troops were on that Yalu River in 1950...
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SKorea :
Lee says S. Korea should be financially prepared for unification with N. Korea

President Lee Myung-bak said Tuesday South Korea should be financially prepared for unification with North Korea, saying unification will bring about greater benefits to the country, according to an official.

Good luck with that since it'll cost several trillion, if not a few dozens of trillion...
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Japan :
The Air War Over Pacific Islands

Sorties by Japanese warplanes, to intercept foreign aircraft coming very close, to Japanese air space, were up 29 percent last year, to 386. This is the largest number since 1991 (when there were 488 sorties).

These intrusions have been increasing sharply over the last three years. Early on, the Japanese launched many aircraft for each intrusion. For example, in 2008, a Russian Tu-95 entered Japanese airspace, near an uninhabited island about 600 kilometers south of Tokyo. Although the Russian aircraft was in Japanese airspace for only about three minutes, the Japanese launched 22 aircraft to intercept. This force included two AWACs aircraft and twenty fighters.

A similar situation is developing (with China) over the Senkaku Islands near Okinawa. China and Japan both claim these uninhabited islets, which are 167 kilometers northeast of Taiwan and 426 kilometers southeast of Japan's Okinawa and have a total area of 6.3 square kilometers. Taiwan also claims the Senkakus, which were discovered by Chinese fishermen in the 16th century, and taken over by Japan in 1879. They are valuable now because of the 380 kilometer economic zone nations can claim in their coastal waters. This includes fishing and possible underwater oil and gas fields.

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Russia :
Mistral talks stumble over sensitive technology

Talks between Russia and France on the purchase of Mistral class helicopter carriers have come to a dead end over Russia's demands on the transfer and licensed production of sensitive electronics, a Russian defense industry source said on Friday.

Yet again.

United States unfolding missile defense in Europe de facto says Rogozin

The United States is already deploying its missile defense system in Europe without waiting for an agreement with Russia, Russia's envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said.

Yeah that won't help Russia-US relations one bit.



posted on May, 11 2011 @ 02:42 AM
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I think, koreans dont start war in near future. Because norths and chinese are alies, and south korea not a suicide country xD



posted on May, 11 2011 @ 10:09 PM
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Originally posted by arthur2012
I think, koreans dont start war in near future. Because norths and chinese are alies, and south korea not a suicide country xD

Koreas are unlikely to start a war indeed. Provocations leading to war unintentionally however is possible due to the escalation tit-for-that scheme at work here.

SKorea would not commit suicide if they went to war with NK unless NK was crazy enough to launch chemical and biological weapons. They can't launch nukes, they don't have the technology, yet. And if they did launch chemical and biological weapons at SK, then the big guns might be used on NKorea... (tactical nukes)... But yeah, a Korean war would be quite ugly, especially for Seoul. Recent estimates said around 1 million dead to conquer NKorea, minimum. No one sane wishes war.
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China :
Chi na's stealth fighter could beat US' best: Report

The next generation stealth fighter under development by the Chinese military could rival America's best fighters in terms of speed, stealth and lethality, according to a report.

An analysis conducted by the Jamestown Foundation, the conservative Washington DC based defense policy think tank, shows that China's J-20 will be a high performance stealth aircraft, arguably capable of competing in most cardinal performance parameters with the United States F-22A Raptor.

It will be superior in most if not all cardinal performance parameters against the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter , according to the analysis.

Yes the J-20, in it's final form, in less than a decade, will kick the F-35's butt. The F-22 would still be better however. The Pentagon really screwed America on this one when they decided to go with the F-35.

And if this arms embargo is lifted, it will only accelerate China's militaristic rise :
China urges EU to lift arms embargo`

China on Tuesday urged the European Union (EU) to lift its arms embargo on China and recognize China's market economy status at an early date to pave the way for the further development of bilateral ties.

Funny how they say the ban is only there because the EU says they have a communist economy... and not because it would help China's military capabilities.

China's E Timor surveillance scheme leaked

"A new batch of WikiLeaks cables has revealed that China tried to set up a surveillance radar base in East Timor."

According to US embassy cables leaked to WikiLeaks, China approached East Timor in December 2007, hoping to establish a surveillance radar facility on the country's north coast.

The Wetar Strait, separating East Timor's north-east coast from Indonesia's Pulau Wetar Island, is reportedly used by US navy vessels moving between the Pacific and Indian oceans."

The reason China gave was to help East Timor get illegal fishing boats... the real reason? Monitoring US/Japanese ships in the area.

China's Kind Of New Heavy Bomber

The latest version of the Chinese H-6 bomber, the H-6K, has entered service. It's been in development for several years. This model has more efficient Russian engines (D-30KP2) that give it a range of over 3,000 kilometers. Electronics are state-of-the-art and include a more powerful radar.

The H-6K can carry six, two ton, CJ-10A land-attack cruise missiles. The CJ-10A is sometimes described as a high-speed (2,500 kilometers an hour), solid fuel missile. But these are short range (about 300 kilometers) systems. The CJ-10A appears more of a copy of the American Tomahawk (using a much slower jet engine).

It does not appear that China is building a lot of H-6Ks, perhaps no more than twenty.

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Taiwan :
Taiwan to postpone US weapons purchase

Taiwan is postponing purchases of US-made Black Hawk helicopters and Patriot air defense systems that are part of a $6.4 billion US weapons package that has been strongly opposed by China, officials said Tuesday.

A lawmaker said the delay was caused by budgetary shortfalls, while the Defense Ministry blamed it on manufacturing delays. Lin Yu-fang, a ruling Nationalist Party lawmaker on the legislature's defense committee, said the government is either delaying purchases of new items or postponing payments for existing programs because of the funding shortfall.

The procurement of six Patriot missile systems has been pushed back from 2014 to 2017 and 60 Black Hawk helicopters from 2016 to 2019 or 2020, he said.

That is quite big news. And since they are reporting this... they won't buy F-16D and submarines...unless the US pays for it.

Anyway I hope this calms down tensions.
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SKorea :
S. Korean, U.S. marines to hold first joint drill on border islands

South Korean and U.S. marines will stage their first joint drill on islands near the Yellow Sea border with North Korea this year, in a show of force to the North that its provocations won't be tolerated, officials said Thursday.

No date yet.
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NKorea :
Pro-NK Daily Stresses S-N Dialogue Without Preconditions

A pro-North Korean newspaper published in Japan has reiterated that the two Koreas should hold bilateral talks without preconditions.

Ridiculous.



posted on May, 12 2011 @ 04:05 AM
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NKorea is really ridiculous at this point.

N.Korea Denounces Pres. Lee’s Proposal

North Korea has blasted South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s invitation for the North's leader Kim Jong-il to attend an international nuclear summit in Seoul next year, calling it a “provocative remark.”

He claimed that Lee’s offer to invite the North Korean leader was a sinister scheme for confrontation, calling him a traitor.

The spokesman also denounced the South’s demand for an apology for the sinking of the Cheonan naval vessel and artillery attacks on Yeonpyeong Island. He claimed that the South’s demand for the North’s denuclearization was a plot to disarm and invade North Korea jointly with the United States.

The South gives them a proposition of peace and economic benefits and this is what NKorea says?
Madmen, all of them.

Ooo NKorea is gonna be pissed about this one.

NATO strike damages North Korean embassy-Libyan TV

Libyan state television reported on Thursday that the North Korean embassy in Tripoli had been damaged in a NATO air strike.

The news, which was flashed up in a caption on al-Jamahiriya TV, said the embassy suffered major damage in NATO strikes on military and civilian sites in the Libyan capital.

Mwahahahaha.

India-China-Pakistan :
India confirms Chinese military in PoK

Indian intelligence agencies now have credible evidence of their own that several hundred of the Chinese working in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are People's Liberation Army engineers. They are in the process of verifying if these Chinese military engineers are engaged in some sort of military construction like bunkers.

The Chinese are involved in hydel projects, realignment of Karakoram highway etc in PoK. Presence of Chinese military engineers in civilian construction activities undertaken by China in foreign countries is "unusual", a source said. "They couldn't be there just for civilian work," he pointed out.

Army leadership is believed to have pointed out the significant gap in the military capabilities of India and China, especially along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between the two countries. The stark differences in the logistical capabilities such as roads and air links along the border between the two armies were pointed out to the leadership. But most importantly, Army told the political leadership that the Chinese were capable of deploying some three dozen divisions, against India's less than a dozen divisions, along the LAC in case of hostilities.

The Army leadership is believed to have pointed out the massive air force and ground force capabilities Chinese possess in the regions along the Indian border, while urging the government to step up its own efforts to pull up development of infrastructure.

edit on 12-5-2011 by Vitchilo because: (no reason given)



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