Posted on 10/19/2006 1:37:01 AM PDT by medscribe
The chief presidential secretary for security Song Min-soon on Wednesday said South Korea would be the greatest victim in a war on the peninsula due to the "absurdity" of the security structure. The U.S., on the other hand, "has fought more wars than any other nation in the history of its establishment and survival, Song said. The presidential aide made the remark at a forum titled The 21st Century Northeast Asia Future Forum, organized by the JoongAng Ilbo and the Hyundai Research Institute, when asked how to resolve the difference between Seouls focus on preventing war and Washingtons on deterring nuclear weapons. Song urged the right balance between Seoul's and Washington's North Korea policy considering that difference.
The remarks seem to imply a call for greater weight to be given to South Koreas position in the crisis on the peninsula caused by Pyongyang's nuclear test. They reflect a perception in the ruling Uri Party that the U.S. is primarily responsible for the Norths nuclear test and that sanctions against the North could lead to war. "I suspect that the U.S. does not have any comprehensive North Korea policy, and the Bush administration has a tendency to move at the whim of its aides and the Norths actions, he said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Korea Alexander Vershbow said even when the UN Security Council increases pressure on Pyongyang over its nuclear test, it will not lead to a second Korean War.
Addressing a meeting at Korea Press Center, the envoy said the UNSC resolution is not a complete embargo against the North but aims to help it move in a positive direction. Vershbow stressed the resolution allows humanitarian aid to the North to continue and thus help the North Koreans. He added U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her planned visit to Seoul on Thursday will call for active participation of U.S. allies in preventing North Korea from conducting illegal activities. Rice "will talk to the South Korean government about our request to join with others to expand cooperation through the Proliferation Security Initiative, he added.
50 times the economy of the north.
Right? I can just imagine how Kim Jung II would use that economy. Are you Korean?
Why is it our duty to defend 48 million South Koreans, (who are 50 times richer than their northern brethren) from 23 million North Koreans?
How about to keep them from becoming the new Nazi Germany with Kimmy as the new Hitler? ( with Nukes) We don't want to have to fight that war all over again.
Well we've already failed in that.
We should have left the Korean peninsula the second the USSR fell.
US Troops in Korea is a COLD WAR HANGOVER.
Rut Roh!
It was also time to leave Germany when the USSR fell. Tell me one good reason why US troops are still there?
Bottom line is we need to get out of the vast majority of countries that we are in today.
The only thing militarily we need around the world is a strong Navy.
The only answer I see to the NK problem is this:
China occupies North Korea and deposes Kim, and ends the the nuclear program. The DMZ remains tightly closed. In other words, china has to spend their $$ rebuilding NK, etc.
No immediate border opening to SK (ie, no flood of refugees that will cripple SK. They are not interested in reunification anytime soon).
What does China get in return? Give them a non nuclear Japan and SK (we prevented SK in the 80's from nuclearizing). And give them Taiwan.
From the SK and Japanese point of view, China is the far better option than Kim. The only people to get screwed are the Taiwanese, but China's gotta get something for their effort...and Taiwan has always been part of china.
Doesn't your plan seem to favor the Chinese A LOT? The Chinese get NK, Taiwan and two castrated SK and Japan. China would become THE eminent power in the region under your plan, they would have immense power projection over Northeast Asia if they could access North Korea (China would have open access to the Sea of Japan, which would be devastating for both Japan and Russia).
China has always wanted North Korea to be its puppet state, but Kim Jong-il has always been preventing that. If Kim Jong-il falls and a pro-Chinese government replaces him, China will be the ultimate winners in the coup. China wants Kim to fall, but they want Kim to fall in their hands.
I don't think the CHinese WANT NK (who would?).
Taking care of NK is a monumental task that will cost billions of dollars.
No one wants that job, and for one to take it there must be an incentive.
China hasn't much of a hegemonic history, and the net result of my plan is a much less crazy NK.
They're not going to take over North Korea. They just want a cooperative North Korea that will agree to exclusive deals, such as naval ports facing the Sea of Japan, etc. Right now, North Korea doesn't offer China anything but headache. China benefits greatly with a controlled collapse of Kim's regime, but only if the collapse lends way to a pro-Chinese NK government.
But if you sweeten the pot with Taiwan, a non nuclear Japan and SK (which would entail non-aggression pacts) it might be worth their while.
The only option I see is China somehow taking out Kim.
And a united Korea could be an even bigger economic powerhouse, but the leadership fears years of struggle integrating the North, so the situation perpetuates itself. And it makes integration appear more and more difficult as the gap between the free South and the enslaved North widens.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.