The Korean Situation

by fulltimestudent 8 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  fulltimestudent

  Against a background of continued USA leaks threatening a 'surgical strike' on the DPRK (North Korea), a move that does not have complete support in the South, the North invoked 'charm' as it's next 'weapon.'

  Here's how the Republic of Korea's (South Korea), government owned News Agency (Arirang News) saw the North's charm offensive:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIf_mkr-ovY

  And the Hongkong based South China Morning Post's view:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwxO5skDbzY

  Why the sudden change in Kim Jong-un's methodology?
  

  My interpretation is that now the North has the world's attention with the view that the North has a nuclear capability, they likely feel they can relax the tension. That view is based on the oft discussed view (by Korea watchers) that the North's worst fear was some sort of 'regime-change effort by the USA. Feeling safer behind their nuclear wall, they used the winter Olympics to influence public opinion in South Korea. Time will tell whether this is the way it will work out.

  Of course, it may be that the sanctions are hurting more than may be apparent. But, even though China has, from all reports, severely cut official trade across border with NK, there are almost no reports that Russia has cut its trade with NK. A train line from Russia to NK is apparently working normally, and of course Vladivostok, Russia's major centre in East Siberia, is less than 500 km away.

  Will it last?

  Maybe! Kim Jong-un's sister hand delivered an invitation to the South's President Moon to visit North Korea for talks.

  Arirang News speculates on that topic:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbj9hZY_OX0
• 

  fulltimestudent

  As you would likely suspect, not everyone agrees with my assessment (which is an optimistic view, but still a possibility)

  Australia's own government owned ABC, takes a more negative line in this review:

  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-15/stan-grant-north-korea-pyeonchang-pyongyang-games-olympics/9449346

  All the claims may well be true, but that's not quite the point. What would be most desirable, would be for the political tensions to be toned down, and some kind of rapport emerge that would allow a slow improvement in the lives of the NK population.

  I cant see that re-unification is on the political horizon. Many in South Korea are against it, and why would North Korea's regime want it, just as they have come to feel more secure behind their nuclear wall?
• 

  Old Navy

  Korea is a beautiful, enchanting place with an incredible people. Very sadly, South Korea is naught more than a Puppet of Washington. If there is ever to be peace, unification and prosperity in the Whole of Korea the puppet-strings must be broken and the Korean People must take their destiny into their own hands. The West has little interest in the welfare of The Korean People.
  
• 

  _Morpheus

  Dont be moronic, navy. Puppet of washington????? They are a free and truly democratic nation. They rely on the united states for protection from the communist puppet regime of china that borders them to the north, as it rules with terror and executes “citizens” (hostages) that try and flee to freedom in the south.

  This picture says it all:

  
  

  Free south korea lit up like a beacon. The slaves in the north sit in darkness with one single point of light highlighting the sadistic son of a bitchs capitol city. There will never be ‘unification’ as long as china props little kim up and why the hell would the south want it???? Recent polls show most in south korea have little interest in unification. Generations have passed and they are two distinct cultures now: one free and one oppresed by one of the worst communist dictatorships in modern history. I continue to wait for fulltimestudent to move to his beloved china or north korea and tell us first hand how great it is... if he can access this website via communist controlled internet.
• 

  fulltimestudent

  GRIN !!! You do not read much, do you Morpheus?

  But OK, so you want to use a 'light test' to judge the world? Let's look at a larger image of world lighting, while keeping in mind that maps like that must reflect the population in an area.

  

  The image does not change the Korean contrast, but it does show China in much the same 'light' as South Korea and Japan.

  The dark patch on the China map is Tibet, with an extremely low population density (compare Russia's Siberia which also has an extremely low population density).

  And if you focus down onto a few of China's ten Tier one cities you will see that China is not dark like NK? So how do you explain that China is so lit-up? And please note that one of these top tier cities did not exist (except as a village) when Deng Xiaoping came to power and set China on a more pragmatic courses. These days, Shenzhen is the electronics capital of the world. How do you explain that?

  In fact, how do you explain the rise of China, given that post 1950 China suffered greatly from the sort of savage sanctions (trade restrictions) that eventually crushed many nations? And it's those sanctions, more than anything else that makes NK dark on your posted map.

  I have not claimed that NK is a paragon of virtue, but the American policy of hostility and sanctions is very much like the similar policies that Christianity has used in the past (and the JW's continue to use).

  My claim is that you do not change countries by exclusion. The north Koreans are quite well aware that the USA can obliterate them. They have already experienced that obliteration in the closing months of the Korean war, where many reports state that there was hardly a building left standing. That more than anything else has fed their desperate drive to become a nuclear power, and the current problem that if the US strikes NK, then likely Seoul and some Japanese cities and possibly some American cities may suffer retaliation. Do you really think that is a desirable outcome?

  A far better policy (in my very humble opinion) is to be inclusive. Everyone wants a better life. Feed that desire and change will inevitably follow. In spite of all the extreme measures used by the NK government to exclude knowledge of the outside world, that sort of information is gradually seeping into NK. If you looked at the South Korean videos I posted in this thread, you will have seen some 300 women (the cheer squad) likely all to have been from the elite classes, touring to various south Korean sights, Do you think they are not going to compare NK with SK? Yes, their ability to influence the leadership may be limited, but on the other, they may make remarks to families and close friends that will gradually change NK.

  That's a whole lot better than blowing the shit out of people.

  So take a look at that other place you hate:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSgdUVxNrbM

  And, take some time to search Youtube or the internet for piks of pre-1949 China.
• 

  _Morpheus

  You misrepresent me, as communists tend to do to when they want to make a false point. I dont hate china at all. I find much of chinas martial history to be fascinating, as i do japans.

  I dislike communism. I dislike mao and the hell he wrought on his country. I dislike people lying and covering up the evil that is communism with bullshit propaganda, much like your post from a few years ago showing the “happy” people in north korea at a resport. I suspect they were the remaining members of the family that hadn't starved to death or been feed to the un family dogs or been shot trying to escape the communist hell hole.

  You can cry about the korean war all you want but the last 60 years has proven which side was better off. Ask the free south if they want to trade places. Easy answer for everyone, even you, sitting in Australia far away and safe from the effects of the horrific governments you kiss up to here on the board. Your hypocrisy speaks volumes.

  That picture shows simple truth: 60 years of freedom and domocracy lighting up the night in a free coumtry, 60 years of god awful communist dictatorships casting their dark shadow on an oppressed people. Your bullshit propoganda will never change the facts.
• 

  fulltimestudent

  _Morpheus: "Your bullshit propoganda will never change the facts"

  I've referenced most points I make. Which point do you claim to be "propaganda.?"

  Explain that to me, and I will justify my comments.
• 

  Outahere

  North Koreans get free housing, free food, free medical care, free clothing, and they earn a small bit of money each month to spend however they want. Some people call the place a cult but why would anyone criticize their system? It's like Bethel.
  
• 

  Old Navy

  Quotes from _Morpheus:

  I dislike communism.

  I dislike people lying and covering up the evil that is communism with bullshit propaganda

  Communism and its growth worldwide is a fascinating study. As is the study of the U.S. of America and how it has been gradually trance-formed into a replica of Soviet Bolshevik Communism. All of those things we dislike about Communism have now become the status quo in the U.S. and certain other nations of The West. The Planks of the Communist Manifesto are well established.
  

  The People are truly screwed.