North Korea explodes with DEFIANCE again

[webfact]

EDITORIAL
North Korea explodes with DEFIANCE again

THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CAN SECURE A MORE PEACEFUL FUTURE FOR ASIA BY TREATING PYONGYANG WITH THE DIGNITY IT SO CRAVES

BANGKOK: -- Shortly after announcing it had cancelled United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's planned visit to the country this week, North Korea declared it had the ability to miniaturise nuclear weapons, which is a step towards building nuclear missiles.

"We have had the capability of miniaturising nuclear warheads, as well as producing multiform weapons, for some time," the North Korean military said in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

"We can also guarantee the accuracy not only of short-to-mid-range but also long-range rocket launches, for which we have had the technology for a long time," the statement added.

Pyongyang offered no explanation as to why it had abruptly called off Ban's visit. But the timing of the statements on Wednesday was interesting. It seems North Korea decided to send a message of defiance to the international community, along with a reminder that change in the country would come on Pyongyang's terms or not at all.

There is little doubt that the cancellation will push North Korea further from the world community and from the diplomatic norms and practices of international relations.

Ban had planned to visit the Kaesong Industrial Complex, one of the few remaining joint projects that were launched a decade ago under South Korea's conciliatory Sunshine Policy. The complex has 120 South Korean factories and employs more than 53,000 North Korean workers.

Under the Sunshine Policy, the South provided the North with unconditional aid. The aim was to build trust.

Most of these initiatives came to an abrupt end in 2010 with the sinking of a South Korean warship and the loss of 46 of its crew. Seoul alleged that Pyongyang was behind the attack.

The planned visit to Kaesong by Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, was part of his efforts as UN chief to promote reconciliation and stability on the Korean peninsula.

To say that its cancellation was regrettable would be an understatement. For many observers, it only cemented the impression that

Pyongyang craves isolation from the international community.

It is indeed tempting to dismiss the North Korean leadership as faceless and extremist hard-liners determined to pick a fight with the rest of the world. However, no one can be considered fully monstrous. Like all of us, the powerful men of Pyongyang have feelings, desires and fears. So there is a common ground of humanity, however basic, on which all sides stand.

North Korea has in recent years proffered invitations to high-profile figures in the expectation that these individuals - people like former US president Jimmy Carter and basketball great Denis Rodman, for example - might serve as a bridge to the rest of the world.

Naturally, Pyongyang wants these visitors to say nice things about North Korea, to defend its reputation abroad and to project a positive image of the country.

Obviously, Pyongyang didn't think Ban fitted that public-relations mould. The fact is that the UN chief will likely reiterate the calls for Pyongyang to drop its preconditions and return to the six-nation nuclear talks and to meet Seoul halfway on diplomatic initiatives.

When it comes to North Korea, normal diplomatic protocol doesn't work. Instead, the international community has to think outside the box. Everyone has a stake in the future of North Korea. Imagine an East Asia where Pyongyang had nuclear missiles and other weapons of mass destruction.

But applying unorthodox means of diplomacy and pressure doesn't mean the world community should treat North Korea with kid gloves. For engagement to produce the desired results, it must be multi-pronged and be carried out by a range of different people and parties.

There is a time for "megaphone diplomacy" and there is a time for quiet communication. But we must keep in mind that Pyongyang will never willingly cease its defiance of international law and norms unless offered dignified means of doing so. After all, no country, regardless of how quirky its leaders might be, wants to be treated in an undignified manner.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/North-Korea-explodes-with-DEFIANCE-again-30260680.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-22

[lovetotravel]

I'm speechless. How could anybody write something like this. Didn't they just execute a military official with an anti-aircraft gun? Absolutely no humanity there. You reap what you sow.

[Naam]

I'm speechless. How could anybody write something like this. Didn't they just execute a military official with an anti-aircraft gun? Absolutely no humanity there. You reap what you sow.

do you believe all nonsense spread by the media?

[h90]

I'm speechless. How could anybody write something like this. Didn't they just execute a military official with an anti-aircraft gun? Absolutely no humanity there. You reap what you sow.

He was 1 week later in TV alive

[Pimay1]

Pyongyang will never willingly cease its defiance of international law and norms unless offered dignified means of doing so. After all, no country, regardless of how quirky its leaders might be, wants to be treated in an undignified manner.

The leadership of North Korea is totally void of any dignity. Walk into a viper pit and proclaim you're going to treat them with dignity and see what happens.

Dignity:

the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.

[JoePai]

Bring back state sponsored assassination – about time someone eliminates that podgy little blob misnamed a human.

[impulse]

Bring back state sponsored assassination – about time someone eliminates that podgy little blob misnamed a human.

But the guy who replaces him may be even worse.

[Sydebolle]

- The Chinese do not want America on their door step and never made a secret out of it.
- Move the American troops out of South Korea which are stationed there since 1953.
- Once Sam is gone the Chinese will pull the plug which will result in an imploding North Korea (ever lost a balloon while blowing air into it?).
- The South will do the mopping up and might need some non-American help with that.
- North Asia is defused ....... for the moment at least.

It fascinates me, that mad men like Kim can rattle the world's cage. Some little summits, preferably with lots of countries (usually six). Kim (now it is Kim Jong un at the helm of the toy box) withdraws his threats and some aid is flowing. Worked with his grandfather, his father and now with him - so much to consistency! Somebody is paying for all that lavish lifestyle at the "Kim Palace".

Do it rather sooner than later; provided he might be close to what he says he might start exporting the stuff and there are many more Middle Eastern mad men keen on getting their greasy fingers onto the stuff. The money is in abundance and the other side has access to the stuff as well. Maybe it is only a matter of time which is running out and there is no reason for any further delay.

Maybe completely off the scale but it would be one way to start WW III - I just hope I am completely utterly wrong with this scenario.

[emilymat]

'Pyongyang craves isolation from the international community'. Thought it was the other way round.

[HerbalEd]

I'm speechless. How could anybody write something like this. Didn't they just execute a military official with an anti-aircraft gun? Absolutely no humanity there. You reap what you sow.

do you believe all nonsense spread by the media?

So do you not believe anything "spread by the media"? What exactly do you use as a truly reliable source of information about what's going on in the world.

[HerbalEd]

Pyongyang will never willingly cease its defiance of international law and norms unless offered dignified means of doing so. After all, no country, regardless of how quirky its leaders might be, wants to be treated in an undignified manner.

The leadership of North Korea is totally void of any dignity. Walk into a viper pit and proclaim you're going to treat them with dignity and see what happens.

Dignity:

the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.

The best way (only way, actually) to be treated with dignity is to yourself be dignified ... and the powers that be in N. Korea are very far from that and continue to be arrogant and defiant towards the rest of the world. The fault is their's ... not the rest-of-the-world's.

[diehard60]

The guy that wrote this must be being paid by the little fat guy himself, because noone in their right mind would ever write anything like this about NK.

[impulse]

I'm speechless. How could anybody write something like this. Didn't they just execute a military official with an anti-aircraft gun? Absolutely no humanity there. You reap what you sow.

He was 1 week later in TV alive

I saw John Wayne on TV last week, too.

[EnglishJohn]

Yup, they can fire their nukes on long range missiles.

They just can't say with any certainty where they will land.

[h90]

- The Chinese do not want America on their door step and never made a secret out of it.

- Move the American troops out of South Korea which are stationed there since 1953.

- Once Sam is gone the Chinese will pull the plug which will result in an imploding North Korea (ever lost a balloon while blowing air into it?).

- The South will do the mopping up and might need some non-American help with that.

- North Asia is defused ....... for the moment at least.

It fascinates me, that mad men like Kim can rattle the world's cage. Some little summits, preferably with lots of countries (usually six). Kim (now it is Kim Jong un at the helm of the toy box) withdraws his threats and some aid is flowing. Worked with his grandfather, his father and now with him - so much to consistency! Somebody is paying for all that lavish lifestyle at the "Kim Palace".

Do it rather sooner than later; provided he might be close to what he says he might start exporting the stuff and there are many more Middle Eastern mad men keen on getting their greasy fingers onto the stuff. The money is in abundance and the other side has access to the stuff as well. Maybe it is only a matter of time which is running out and there is no reason for any further delay.

Maybe completely off the scale but it would be one way to start WW III - I just hope I am completely utterly wrong with this scenario.

North Korea will implode with its economic progress. At the moment they are doing OK. And with it the population will demand more and ask more questions. Also the soldiers, police, secret service.

[lvr181]

Those idiots sure take the heat off China, don't they?

An "explosion of defiance" - a pity the leadership (and their followers) in North Korea doesn't explode and let the ordinary citizen get about their business of improving their living standards.

Wow, can you imagine the shrapnel from all those medals

[impulse]

Yup, they can fire their nukes on long range missiles.

They just can't say with any certainty where they will land.

The biggest issue is the artillery they can rain down on Seoul in the first hour of any kerfuffle.

They could kill hundreds of thousands before anyone could react and take out the guns.

If they perceive an existential threat to the regime, they wouldn't hesitate- even knowing their own population and infrastructure would become scorched earth.

[Anthony5]

I'm speechless. How could anybody write something like this. Didn't they just execute a military official with an anti-aircraft gun? Absolutely no humanity there. You reap what you sow.

He was 1 week later in TV alive

That must have been today then since the execution was only reported 1 week ago

[Robby nz]

Yup, they can fire their nukes on long range missiles.

They just can't say with any certainty where they will land.

They have done all right so far they have always been able to hit their targets.........The sea.

[ggt]

"We have had the capability of miniaturising nuclear warheads"

Worse case nuclear scenario...a rogue country...with an insane leader...not caring whether he or anyone else lives...unless he gets his way...

Truly a desperate situation for world leaders...

I would not be surprised to see mass numbers of boat people from N. Korea reaching the shores of the South in the coming months...

[BigBadGeordie]

I an required under UN REGULATIONS, to inform you that most of my posts are absolute bovine excrement, also my penis is 11 inches long and I have 2 wives, 11 mia noi and 157 gik.

I am also a millionaire, by kilo, as I have a million kilo of gold.

4for4effssake

[ABCer]

Maybe completely off the scale but it would be one way to start WW III - I just hope I am completely utterly wrong with this scenario.

North Korea will implode with its economic progress. At the moment they are doing OK. And with it the population will demand more and ask more questions. Also the soldiers, police, secret service.

N.Korea and WWIII should not be appearing in one sentence.

I sympathize with S.Koreans having a lot of relative in the North. But if not for their 'help' the North would have imploded long ago.

Of course the ordinary people are suffering. But with not enough money for Army, Police and Security forces the regime will fail.