North Korea reminds Japan it is within striking distance

And you kinda wonder if NK really WANTS to have thier a$$ kicked???

North Korea reminds Japan it is within striking distance

North Korea warned Japan to remember it was "within striking distance" of the Stalinist state amid heightened calls in Tokyo to contain the Pyongyang regime.

The North's official Korean Central News Agency accused Japan of being emboldened by the US-led invasion of Iraq, which it condemned as "state-sponsored terrorism," in its ambition to remilitarize.

"Japan should behave with discretion, clearly mindful that it is also within the striking range of the DPRK (North Korea)," KCNA said in a dispatch monitored here.

In 1998 Pyongyang test-fired a medium-range Taepodong ballistic missile that overflew Japan and splashed down in the Pacific.

"Japan is turning to the right and is getting militarized at such a rapid tempo that the call for destroying the DPRK, a legitimate sovereign state, is heard in the Diet (Japanese parliament). This is a clear indication of the gravity of the situation.

"The Japanese reactionaries seem to have lost their reason under the impact of the Iraqi war launched by their master," KCNA said in a reference to the United States which Japan has backed over going to war.

Calls in Japan to contain North Korea amid the growing nuclear crisis served as a pretext for Japanese "reactionaries" to further their aim of reoccupying the Korean peninsula, KCNA alleged.

It highlighted a recent series of comments by Japan's hawkish defence minister, Shigeru Ishiba, who late last month said it would not be unconstitutional for Japan to make a pre-emptive attack on the launch site if North Korea were about to launch a missile at Japan.

"An endless string of war outcries in Japan calling for containing the DPRK by force indicates what a dangerous phase the Japanese reactionaries' attempt to stage a comeback to Korea has reached.

Japan ruled the Korean peninsula as a colony from 1910 until the end of World War II in 1945.

"By counter-action in case of emergency they mean a contingency on the Korean peninsula, i.e. The second Korean war," KCNA said.

The agency cited Japan's deployment of its first two spy satellites last month as evidence of the Japanese military build-up.

There was no immediate comment from the Japanese government, but on the Tokyo foreign exchange market the warning contributed towards a drop in the yen, dealers said.

The dollar traded at 120.01-05 yen at 2:00 pm (0500 GMT), shortly after KCNA's statement, up from 119.85-95 yen in New York on Tuesday afternoon, but the Japanese currency recovered to 119.91 to the dollar by 3.45 pm.

The North Korean warning "provided a reason for not supporting the yen," said Osamu Takashima, manager of the foreign exchange division at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi.

Pyongyang's latest outburst came hours before the United Nations was due to intervene for the first time in the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula.

The 15-member UN Security Council was scheduled to convene later in the day in New York for a meeting that represents a victory for US efforts to cast the deepening crisis as a challenge to the entire world community.

The United States has been pressing the United Nations to take up North Korea since October, when Washington said Pyongyang had admitted pursuing nuclear weapons despite a 1994 accord to freeze its nuclear program.

Since then North Korea has expelled UN nuclear inspectors, restarted its mothballed nuclear reactor at Yongbyon that can produce weapons grade plutonium, withdrawn from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and test-launched short-range missiles.

North Korea is believed to have deployed some 100 Rodong-1 missiles with a range of 1,300 kilometres (805 miles), capable of striking any target in Japan.

sh*t has hit the fan

the japanese have a stronger military than north korea, and i seriously doubt they want to be the the country hit by three consecutive wartime nuclear attacks. well maybe not consecutive, but the only three in history as of when the next one would occur. i'm pretty sure if japan preempts, it will have a damned good reason.

North Korea is just trying to get attention. They hope they can cause a big enough stir that other moneys will help them out in order to avert disaster. They're so desperate that they will do anything to feed their people. Makes for a pretty scary scenario because in desperate times people will do some bad things.

They need a deal where they will get rid of their nuclear program (and be monitored) in exchange for food and being tuaght better ways to grow food and help themselves. If only that were easy.

I seriously doubt that Kim has any true interest in finding a way to effectively feed his people, aside from making sure his army has sufficient provisions.

One of my coworkers was stationed in S Korea for 2 years. She described N Korea as being one giant military, simply because "Everyone joined the miltary in N Korea to get fed. The only people there who get food are in the military"

Kim doesnt even bother to hide the fact that he doesnt have any interest in human well being whatsoever. He is basically a small hitler who has a h@rd@n for creating as much havoc as possible, preferably starting with Japan.

I happen to know something in particular about the history of Japan. Can say in all confidence that such statements made by North Koreas president are at best a big mistake.

It is interesting to note though; he is now being more realistic in respect to who he can actually attack.

Nonetheless and attack against Japan is an attack against the United States.

SLIBR
SLIBD

I happen to know something in particular about the history of Japan. Can say in all confidence that such statements made by North Koreas president are at best a big mistake. Posted by Toltec

I agree! Japan is not taken with the idea of speaking boasting loudly without being able to back it up. If nothing else, Japan is much the opposite, and only speaks when on the verge of action.

If they made such a statement, they likely have a taskforce fueled and ready to go at any given moment.

dragonrider I spent a year in Japan I was trained in a Lair and not in a Dojo. If what North Korea really wants is war they will wish they were on another planet.

What is your opinion on the possibility of Japanese SpecOps doing something nasty in NK to prevent them from doing anything stupid?

Simply stated

If they were just trying to get attention so nk's people would have more food, why threaten people? That would be the most idiotic way to get help. If they were really after making their country a better place for the civilians they would go to the un.

Pizza

Well, keeping in mind that it is just my opinion/thought, we have to remember that NK is in some ways still living in a different era than us. That's kind of how they know to speak. They are thinking that if they can make threats, the US will work a deal with them in order to maintain peace. You can see how the entire country is like one big army and we all know that armys aren't good at negotiating/talking.

So for us,no it doesn't make sense, but to them, it's all they know. Take what I say with a grain of salt though.

I hope this wont be another hellbound example of american non-diplomacy ...

The south-koreans basically want a democratic system and the americans to go home, so they can eventually reunite with the northern part. The United States have been consistently ignoring that pledge.

www.kimsoft.com...

WASHINGTON (April 12) - The United States expressed ''interest'' on Saturday in a statement by North Korea suggesting it may be open to multilateral talks on the country's suspected nuclear arms program, and said Washington would respond through diplomatic channels.

The announcement could mark a breakthrough in the nuclear standoff just days after U.S.-led forces removed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power in a war the South Korean president said had ''petrified'' the North.

Pyongyang until now had insisted on direct talks with Washington, which is demanding a multilateral dialogue.

While receptive to North Korea's surprise overture, U.S. officials made clear it would take time to assess its intentions.

In its statement, North Korea said it would consider any form of dialogue with the United States about its suspected nuclear arms ambitions if Washington made a ''bold switchover'' in its policy toward Pyongyang.

''We noted the statement with interest,'' State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said, adding, ''We expect to follow up through appropriate diplomatic channels.''

The United States and North Korea do not have formal diplomatic relations, but exchange messages through diplomatic channels in New York. The United States can also work through intermediaries such as Russia and China.

Pyongyang's dramatic shift from a rigid insistence on bilateral talks came in comments from North Korea's Foreign Ministry one day after Bush declared Saddam was ''no longer in power'' in Iraq and warned Syria against accepting escaping Saddam loyalists.

Washington -- which has lumped communist North Korea in an ''axis of evil'' with Iraq and Iran for allegedly seeking weapons of mass destruction -- has long insisted on multilateral talks that include regional players South Korea, Japan, Russia and China.

NO MILITARY INTENTIONS

U.S. officials continued on Saturday to stress the importance of bringing North Korea's neighbors into the dialogue, and sought to assure Pyongyang that Washington had no intentions of settling the dispute militarily as it did in the case of Iraq.

''The United States continues to seek a peaceful end to North Korea's nuclear weapons program through diplomacy and in close consultations with our allies and other key concerned states,'' said State Department spokeswoman Amanda Batt.

''The U.N. Security Council will continue to discuss this issue in New York. The intense involvement of North Korea's immediate neighbors in communicating the international community's serious concerns about North Korea's nuclear weapons program is an important element of our diplomatic efforts,'' she added.

The crisis erupted last October when Washington said Pyongyang admitted having a covert nuclear weapons program, although the North denied making such an admission.

Last Wednesday, the day Saddam's rule ended in Baghdad, the U.N. Security Council met to discuss the North's nuclear stance but did not issue a statement urging Pyongyang to fall into line, because of opposition from China and Russia.

Reut13:58 04-12-03
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Its being made apparent that the President of North Korea is so shocked, with respect to how the US defeated Iraq. He and his leadership have decided to cooperate. I heard a radio report that implied the level
of cooperation can be termed unconditional. They aslo stated that the mood of the President of North Korea can best be described as terrified.

Haha Maku, you seriously believe that? That's almost too funny. ;-)

all you people who think japan has such a strong military right now u guys are dead WRONG! japan is just starting to establish a military again. Eaither South Korea or North Korea would anhilate Japan at this point of time

Is there a link to this comment?

Lets remember to deny such comments under ignorance until there is some sort of backing PLZ. TY

Originally posted by Techsnow
Is there a link to this comment?

Lets remember to deny such comments under ignorance until there is some sort of backing PLZ. TY

Here here...**

Heres some links to Atreyu's comments, hope this clarifys things Techsnow


Please read these articles thoroughly, and learn the difference between JDSF and a standing army with the option to wage war. Its right in Article 9 of their constitution.

Atreyu was correct in terms of a army being able to go to war. But in terms of an actualy japanese defense he was incorrect, However that is going to change with an event coming up soon or it might have already happend ? Im not quite sure anymore.

JDSF Information:
en.wikipedia.org...

Information on the military history of japan:
en.wikipedia.org...

Specific Information on Article 9:
en.wikipedia.org...

And here is a quote from the source incase some people dont wish to read all of information that was provided.

"ARTICLE 9. Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.

In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized. "

Enjoy the read, quite interesting stuff.

Aren't both Koreas in a pissing contest with Japan right now. This probably has something to do with that. Just one more tension in Asia, along with Sri Lanka, Nepal and oh yeah Middle East.