North Korea To Reopen Hotline With South

[webfact]

North Korea to reopen hotline with South

PYONGYANG: -- North Korea says it will restore a key hotline with South Korea, as the two Koreas discuss where to hold talks on a jointly-run industrial zone.

Pyongyang said it would reopen a Red Cross hotline which it cut in March.

It also invited officials to come to Kaesong for talks on Sunday on restarting operations at the factory zone, after the two sides agreed in principle to talks on Thursday.

Work at Kaesong has been halted since April, amid high regional tensions.

Ties between the two Koreas deteriorated earlier this year in the wake of the North's 12 February nuclear test.

North Korea's nuclear ambitions are expected to be on the table when the US and Chinese presidents meet in California later today for an informal summit.

Full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22809622

-- BBC 2013-06-07

[TheShockMaster]

Call the hotline... 0800-WAR-2013

[Scott]

Does this mean that North Korea's hissy-fit is over?

[webfact]

North, South Korea propose landmark meetings

SEOUL: -- North Korea proposed holding working-level talks at the weekend with South Korea, ahead of a possible meeting between ministers of the two countries next week, South Korea's Yonhap News agency reported Friday.

Pyongyang suggested that the preparatory talks take place in the Kaesong industrial zone on Sunday, Yonhap reported.

The joint industrial zone was shut two months ago following a deterioration in ties between the two countries over Pyongyang’s nuclear tests. Pyongyang said Thursday that it would like the zone to reopen.

The negotiations in Kaesong would prepare for a meeting between ministers from both sides in Seoul on June 12, Yonhap said.

The talks in Seoul would be the first direct discussions between the two governments in over two years.


-- The Nation 2013-06-07

[comserve]

Does this mean that North Korea's hissy-fit is over?

No it simply means that small charlie is running out of money.

[Tywais]

Does this mean that North Korea's hissy-fit is over?

Guess no more funny cartoons & photos now.

[Credo]

Call the hotline... 0800-WAR-2013

Oh, for North Korea you will need to make that a toll-free number.

[ABCer]

Good news? The fit is over?

I wonder if ever in the history of this hysterical fit throwing regime any country said 'NO'.

No money, No trade, No humanitarian help, No talks.

I do not think they would react by starting a war. All these commy bastards want to live!

And they surely live and want to continue to live better than their people.

They do have much to lose.

[Publicus]

Big little Kim is barely 30ish so he has another 50 years to reign over N Korea, so war is not an option. He can live the high life until everything falls apart, then take his family's billions to some south sea island somewhere to drink pina collatas and have his own concubine, his stiff wife notwithdstanding.

What's happened is that Prez Obma stood up to Kim and his military's usual extortionist threats. Obama sent B-2 nuclear capable bombers, guided missile destroyers, F-35 advanced fighter aircraft to Guam and more, all in response to the North's usual pattern of sabre rattling so they can extract concessions from the allies, i.e., the U.S., S Korea, Japan. And while the PRC is not an ally, from them too.

So now, having gained nothing by its latest outburst, the first time ever Pyongyang's sabre rattling was met in kind and then some, Kim and the generals have let some face-saving time pass and are backtracking just to recover all the damage they themselves had done. They closed the Kaesong industrial Zone, killed the hotline etc etc while getting nothing for it all. And they have lost face for good.

They won't be trying that crap any more now that they've learned the days are gone when they could sabre rattle to get oil, water, rice and the like, to include as much hard cash as possible. Now Pyongyang has to sit down to negotiate its way out of a big mess, instead of blackmailing their way out of another round of sabre rattling.

The old times are gone. Now N Korea has to give instead of only take. They need to get used to it.

[bangon04]

Call the hotline... 0800-WAR-2013

Oh, for North Korea you will need to make that a toll-free number.

They probably already have a working 3G network in the DPRK.......

[Steely Dan]

Big little Kim is barely 30ish so he has another 50 years to reign over N Korea, so war is not an option. He can live the high life until everything falls apart, then take his family's billions to some south sea island somewhere to drink pina collatas and have his own concubine, his stiff wife notwithdstanding.

What's happened is that Prez Obma stood up to Kim and his military's usual extortionist threats. Obama sent B-2 nuclear capable bombers, guided missile destroyers, F-35 advanced fighter aircraft to Guam and more, all in response to the North's usual pattern of sabre rattling so they can extract concessions from the allies, i.e., the U.S., S Korea, Japan. And while the PRC is not an ally, from them too.

So now, having gained nothing by its latest outburst, the first time ever Pyongyang's sabre rattling was met in kind and then some, Kim and the generals have let some face-saving time pass and are backtracking just to recover all the damage they themselves had done. They closed the Kaesong industrial Zone, killed the hotline etc etc while getting nothing for it all. And they have lost face for good.

They won't be trying that crap any more now that they've learned the days are gone when they could sabre rattle to get oil, water, rice and the like, to include as much hard cash as possible. Now Pyongyang has to sit down to negotiate its way out of a big mess, instead of blackmailing their way out of another round of sabre rattling.

The old times are gone. Now N Korea has to give instead of only take. They need to get used to it.

It's a shame the U.S does not apply the same carrot and stick tactics with other recipients of U.S aid who periodically threaten it