New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea as it Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack • Hacker News Board

Re: New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea as it Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack

#41

Post by irmbrady » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 2:13 PM UTC

duiker101 wrote: post #23

Will someone excuse my excessive ignorance and be so kind to explain me why the DPRK is so pissed with the US? Thanks

The US military had a big involvement in the Korean War (88% of the South Korean force [1]), and to this day are posted at the demilitarised zone in the Korean Peninsula.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War [1]

Here is an interesting read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_Korea

Re: New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea as it Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack

#42

Post by vegardx » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 2:14 PM UTC

pilgrim689 wrote: post #21

bayesianhorse wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The nuclear strike isn't an immediate threat. They don't have the means to put the weapon where it actually hurts. The more serious threat is the artillery pointed at Soeul...

Couldn't Seoul protect itself like Isreal did with the Iron Dome?

Artillery fires projectiles, which are hard, if not impossible to stop mid flight. They are actually consideres so stable that many shooting ranges cross over towns.

Re: New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea as it Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack

#43

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 2:14 PM UTC

pilgrim689 wrote: post #21

bayesianhorse wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The nuclear strike isn't an immediate threat. They don't have the means to put the weapon where it actually hurts. The more serious threat is the artillery pointed at Soeul...

Couldn't Seoul protect itself like Isreal did with the Iron Dome?

[deleted]

Re: New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea as it Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack

#44

Post by enginous » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 2:15 PM UTC

Interesting how the New York Times covers this more as a threat than a political move.

The New York Times: "North Korea Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack"

BBC News: "North Korea ramps up nuclear rhetoric as UN vote looms" (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21695887)

Re: New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea as it Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack

#45

Post by pilooch » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 2:17 PM UTC

There's this counter-intuitive trend that when the heritage of a dictatorial seat goes to a young one, everyone awaits for reforms, whereas the regime tends to rapidly increase its aggressive behavior. The same happened in Syria when Bachar got his seat. I'd be interested in listing other examples, typically in less recent history.

Re: New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea as it Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack

#46

Post by xhrpost » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 2:20 PM UTC

pm90 wrote: post #33

duiker101 wrote: post #23

Will someone excuse my excessive ignorance and be so kind to explain me why the DPRK is so pissed with the US? Thanks

The main reason is that the US essentially fought the Korean War for South Korea against the North, and still maintains many active military bases and thousands of troops in South Korea, especially one right in the middle of Seoul. Any attempt to invade the South would mean war with the US, thus one of the longstanding demands of the DPRK has been that the US remove all its troops from the country. Also, the US helps…

Interesting. Here's a quick copy I found on Wikipedia: "A still functioning UN Command is technically the top of the chain of command of all forces in South Korea, including the US forces and the entire South Korean military – if a sudden escalation of war between North and South Korea were to occur the United States would assume control of the South Korean armed forces in all military and paramilitary moves. However, in September 2006, the Presidents of the United States and the Republic of Korea agreed that South Korea should assume the lead for its own defense. In early 2007, the U.S. Secretary of Defense and ROK Minister of National Defense determined that South Korea will assume wartime operational control of its forces on December 1, 2015. U.S. Forces Korea will transform into a new joint-warfighting command, provisionally described as Korea Command (KORCOM)."

Re: New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea as it Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack

#47

Post by sageikosa » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 2:21 PM UTC

ihuman wrote: post #7

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #3

Wow. More juvenile posturing, or the beginning of the end for North Korea? Depends on whether anyone takes them seriously. And with a growing nuclear capability, they can't be taken not-seriously. This is suicide for them.

I agree. What I don't understand is why they are doing this. They have nothing to gain, and everything to lose.

Might have as much to do with internal politics. Keeping the populace on edge, loyalty tests to the new regime: no one would dare oppose the Leader when we are on the brink of war.

Dictator theatre is as much for the population being dominated as it is for the outside world.

Re: New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea as it Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack

#48

Post by lclarkmichalek » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 2:22 PM UTC

LatvjuAvs wrote: post #31

I like these sanctions, the one aimed at Iraq starting from 1990's. Really helped for everyone living there. Who would not love a dying child from hunger on his arms, it is like a Easter present.

If you look at what these sanctions are aiming to do, they are very specifically targeted at the senior leadership of North Korea. The sanctions go after the "illicit activities of North Korean diplomatic personnel, North Korean banking relationships, illicit transfers of bulk cash and new travel restrictions", most of which will not directly affect the vast majority of children in the country.

source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/05/us-proposes-toug...

Re: New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea as it Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack

#49

Post by jbattle » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 2:23 PM UTC

duiker101 wrote: post #23

Will someone excuse my excessive ignorance and be so kind to explain me why the DPRK is so pissed with the US? Thanks

I wonder how much of the 'hate' being expressed is really just a tool to maintain the iron grip of the NK leadership on it's own people. Best way to unify a people is give them someone to hate.

Re: New Sanctions Imposed on North Korea as it Warns of Pre-emptive Nuclear Attack

#50

Post by otoburb » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 2:24 PM UTC

pilgrim689 wrote: post #21

bayesianhorse wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The nuclear strike isn't an immediate threat. They don't have the means to put the weapon where it actually hurts. The more serious threat is the artillery pointed at Soeul...

Couldn't Seoul protect itself like Isreal did with the Iron Dome?

This is one of the reasons why South Korea created a special administrative region to house a sister-capital city and relocate several ministries and agencies[1] in the next couple of years.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sejong_City