[Decky]

Good for the Korean worker's party. They need a deterrent to stop the greedy United States from invading them and trying to enslave their people. There is nothing the US hates more than a free nation with the means to defend its freedom. I wish I could go on holiday to the DPRK but the holidays are mad expensive, I guess you need to play the wages for your guards and guides and things.

[B0ycey]

I wish I could go on holiday to the DPRK but the holidays are mad expensive, I guess you need to play the wages for your guards and guides and things.

Save up and stop wasting you money on cider. You were moaning about not being able to spend your money because you were doing 12 hour shifts? Perhaps the next time the agency give you such a job, you will have a goal to aim for rather than complain you can't spend your cash. That is, if YOU really do want to go of course.

[ThirdTerm]

It is long past time for Washington to do the right thing and belatedly acknowledge that North Korea’s repeated deadly acts legally constitute terrorist acts and justify returning the regime to the State Sponsors of Terrorism List. Pyongyang’s brazen assassination of Kim Jong-nam using a weapon of mass destruction in a crowded airport filled with civilians should be a wake-up call as to Kim Jong-un’s true nature.
http://www.heritage.org/terrorism/repor ... orist-list

Trump is talking tough on North Korea but he hasn't got anything done so far. The easiest thing he could do is designating it as a State Sponsor of Terrorism once again, which would send a strong message to the hermit regime. The Trump administration is reportedly considering banning U.S. travel to North Korea but North Koreans could also be added to the list of banned nationalities under Executive Order 13769, or Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.

[MB.]

POLITICO
https://www.politicopro.com

FILE - In this April 15, 2017 file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un waves during a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea to celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un. South Korea's military said Tuesday, July 4, 2017 North Korea has launched another ballistic missile. The launch is part of a string of test-firings in recent months as the North works to build a nuclear-tipped missile that could reach the United States. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)
In this April 15, 2017 file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un waves during a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea to celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung. | AP
Kim Jong Un vows North Korea's nukes are not on negotiation table
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 07/05/2017 06:05 AM EDT
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed Wednesday his nation will "demonstrate its mettle to the U.S." and never put its weapons programs up for negotiations, a day after test-launching its first intercontinental ballistic missile. The hard line suggests more tests are being prepared as the country tries to perfect nuclear-armed missiles capable of striking anywhere in the United States.

Tuesday's ICBM launch, confirmed by U.S. and South Korean officials, is a milestone in North Korea's efforts to develop long-range missiles with nuclear warheads. It isn't there yet — some analysts suggest it will take several more years and many more tests to perfect such an arsenal — but a successful launch of an ICBM has long been seen as a red line after which it would only be a matter of time if North Korea isn't stopped.

Story Continued Below


Worry spread in Washington and at the United Nations, where the United States, Japan and South Korea requested an emergency U.N. Security Council session on Wednesday. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson confirmed that the missile was an ICBM and said the U.S. response would include "stronger measures to hold the DPRK accountable," using the acronym for the nation's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The uproar only seemed to inspire North Korea, whose propaganda machine rarely fails to aggrandize its leader and its military or to thumb its nose at rivals Seoul and Washington.

A report in its state media Wednesday described leader Kim as "feasting his eyes" on the ICBM, which was said to be capable of carrying a large nuclear warhead, before its launch. "With a broad smile on his face," Kim urged his scientists to "frequently send big and small 'gift packages' to the Yankees," it said, an apparent reference to continuing the stream of nuclear and missile tests Kim has ordered since taking power in late 2011


North Korea was also pleased that its test came as Americans celebrated Independence Day. Kim, the state media report said, told "scientists and technicians that the U.S. would be displeased to witness the DPRK's strategic option" on its Independence Day. North Korea has a history of conducting weapons tests on or around July 4.

The report said Kim "stressed that the protracted showdown with the U.S. imperialists has reached its final phase and it is the time for the DPRK to demonstrate its mettle to the U.S., which is testing its will in defiance of its warning."

The missile test, North Korea's most successful yet, was a direct rebuke to U.S. President Donald Trump's earlier declaration on Twitter that such a test "won't happen!"

The launch came days after the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in and ahead of a summit of the world's richest economies.

On Wednesday, U.S. and South Korean troops, in response to the ICBM launch, engineered a show of force for North Korea, with soldiers from the allies firing "deep strike" precision missiles into South Korean territorial waters. Moon ordered the drills with the United States to show "North Korea our firm combined missile response posture," his office said.

North Korea's Academy of Defense Science, in a bit of hyperbole, said the test of the Hwasong-14 missile marked the "final step" in creating a "confident and powerful nuclear state that can strike anywhere on Earth."

A U.S. scientist analyzing the height and distance of the launch said the missile could potentially reach Alaska.

South Korea's Defense Ministry said it's unclear whether North Korea has mastered re-entry technology for an ICBM. It said the North may now conduct a nuclear test with "boosted explosive power" to show off a warhead mounted on a missile.

North Korea has a reliable arsenal of shorter-range missiles and is thought to have a small number of atomic bombs, but is still trying to perfect its longer-range missiles. Some outside civilian experts believe the North has the technology to mount warheads on shorter-range Rodong and Scud missiles that can strike South Korea and Japan, two key U.S. allies where about 80,000 American troops are stationed. But it's unclear if it has mastered the technology needed to build an atomic bomb that can fit on a long-range missile.

North Korea says it needs nuclear weapons and powerful missiles to cope with what it calls rising U.S. military threats.

This picture from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency taken on Monday and released Tuesday shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signing the order to carry out the test-fire of the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 at an undisclosed location.
PHOTO GALLERY
Behind the scenes of North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile launch
By POLITICO STAFF
Regional disarmament talks on North Korea's nuclear program have been deadlocked since 2009, when the North pulled out of the negotiations to protest international condemnation over a long-range rocket launch.

The missile test could invite a new round of international sanctions, but North Korea is already one of the most sanctioned countries on Earth.

Last year, it conducted its fourth and fifth atomic bomb tests. The fifth test in September was its most powerful atomic detonation to date.

The Korean Peninsula has been divided since the end of World War II. Almost 30,000 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea.

.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/0 ... ble-240219

[Rancid]

Lots of provocative acts.

[anarchist23]

Tensions are being ratcheted up evan further by the US ambassador taking North Korean bait.


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-06/u ... ea/8682596

The United States has warned it is ready to use force "if we must" to stop North Korea's nuclear missile program but said it preferred global diplomatic action against Pyongyang for its test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Key points:

US to propose new UN sanctions on North Korea "in the coming days"
Analysts say a missile tested by North Korea could put Alaska in range
China's trade with North Korea grew 37.4 per cent in the first quarter this year.

Speaking to the United Nations Security Council, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said North Korea's actions were "quickly closing off the possibility of a diplomatic solution" and the US was prepared to defend itself and its allies.

"One of our capabilities lies with our considerable military forces. We will use them if we must, but we prefer not to have to go in that direction," Ms Haley said.

She said the US would propose new UN sanctions on North Korea "in the coming days" and warned Washington was prepared to cut off trade with countries who were doing business with North Korea in violation of UN resolutions.

The Security Council has imposed six rounds of increasingly tough sanctions on North Korea to try to rein in its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Ms Haley said much of the burden of enforcing them rests with China, which is responsible for 90 per cent of North Korea's trade.

US President Donald Trump earlier chastised China for its continued trade with Pyongyang, tweeting that trade between the two states had grown "40 [per cent] in the first quarter".

Data released in April by Beijing showed China's trade with North Korea grew 37.4 per cent in the first quarter this year from the same period in 2016, according to reports in the New York Times and Financial Times.

For US President Donald Trump, there are no good options when it comes to dealing with North Korea, but Russia and China appear to be trying to extract a win by reducing US influence in the region, writes Ben Knight.

Mr Trump had expressed optimism after his first meeting with China's President Xi Jinping that the two would work together effectively on North Korea, but in recent days he has increasingly conceded the strategy has not produced fast results.

Even before Pyongyang said on Tuesday it had successfully test-launched an ICBM, Mr Trump recently suggested he was running out of patience with China's modest steps to pressure North Koreaand had been considering moving ahead on trade actions.

Analysts said the latest missile could put all of the US state of Alaska in range for the first time.

Mr Trump posted the tweet shortly before leaving for Warsaw, Poland, on his way to a Group of 20 summit in Germany on Friday and Saturday, where he is due to meet with Mr Xi again.

"We're going to do very well," Mr Trump said in response to shouted questions as he left the White House.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed his nation will "demonstrate its mettle to the US" and never put its weapons programs up for negotiations, a day after successfully testing its first intercontinental ballistic missile.

North Korea claims it has launched its first ever intercontinental ballistic missile which it says could hit "anywhere in the world". But how does that claim really stack up?
The hard line suggests that North Korea will conduct more weapons tests until it perfects nuclear-armed missiles capable of striking anywhere in the United States.

Analysts say Mr Kim's Government believes nuclear weapons are key to its survival and could be used to wrest concessions from the United States.

South Korea President Moon Jae-in said the world should look at tougher sanctions against the North and insisted the problem must be solved peacefully.

Speaking in Berlin before the G20 summit, Mr Moon called the test "a big threat and provocation" and that there should be consideration of "more intensive possibilities of sanctions".

[Zagadka]

The country building artificial islands with air strips capable is talking about aggression. But at least it is in their backyard.

[Hong Wu]

I'm not sure if China having a bigger navy than the US is so horrible, depends on what they do but all indications are that they intend to focus on trade and development.

[Rancid]

It's kind of funny how everyone is getting aggressive, and then pointing at each other for getting aggressive.

Anyway, it's clear that nothing will be resolved, because China likes having the wildcard NK.

[fuser]

NK isn't really anyone's card to play though. China can't really control NK's action in any meaningful sense as far as I see the situation.

[Rancid]

I don't buy it. NK is a Chinese client state for the most part.

[fuser]

NK had purged (And by purged I mean killed) both USSR faction and Chinese faction inside NK trying to steer the NK to either side during sino-soviet conflict.

[skinster]

[JohnRawls]

https://twitter.com/poojaxlays/status/882370624341110785

Yeah, kind off. But current actions of NK are a real problem and a threat to the world peace. We should take care of them as fast as possible, but it is a costly endeavour with no economic benefits....

Korean leaders are not crazy but they have their own way of thinking which makes them look crazy in the eyes everybody else. So on one hand, a part of me wants to chill and provide the "Why would anybody start a nuclear war argument?" but on the other hand they are severely unpredictable. (With the stunts that they can pull).

So this is honestly one of the first times when a "Shock an Awe" scenario wouldn't be bad. How is Assad or Qadaffi worse than the Crazy Boy?

[skinster]

Understanding North Korea

[Albert]

Having a country in possession of nukes is giving them power, best to kill of a potential rival before they attain power. This mistake was long ago made with China, India and Pakistan.

[Decky]

Like the Yanks ever could have killed off China. They were beaten in Korea and in Vietnam and you think they would be able to take China? Get off the krokodil Plaro.

[Suntzu]

I think Korea would be doing us a favor to nuke Washington.

[JohnRawls]

Understanding North Korea

That is known to me Skinsterina. Problem is, the nuclear program along with ballistic missiles is going a bit too far. Also as the article mentioned, The Soviet Bloc/Socialist Bloc has collapsed and Korea currently needs to move on. I understand it is coersion of sorts but it is a reality. They are not producing a good way of life for their people, there are severe shortages from time to time and on top of that instability they have nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles.

I do not approve Pakistan having nuclear missiles due to the same reason, but in case of North Korea the problem is 10 times worse.

[skinster]

NK would be annihilated, fully this time, if they used their weapons against anyone.

States who have them might want to remove their much more massive stockpiles of nukes before demanding the same from others.

Spare me that fake care about NKoreans suffering shortages.