South Korea's leader warns of North Korea collapse

[webfact]

South Korea's leader warns of North Korea collapse

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's president warned Tuesday that North Korea faces a collapse if it does not abandon its nuclear program, in unusually strong language that will likely infuriate Pyongyang.

President Park Geun-hye made the remarks during a speech at parliament while defending her decision to shut down a jointly run factory park in North Korea amid a heightened standoff over North Korea's recent nuclear test and rocket launch.

Park said South Korea needs to take unspecified "stronger and more effective" measures to make North Korea realize its nuclear ambitions will only result in speeding up of its "regime collapse."

It is unusual for a top South Korean official to touch upon such a government collapse in North Korea because of worries about worsening ties between the rivals.

Park's comments are certain to anger North Korea as they were made as the country marks the birthday of late dictator Kim Jong Il, the father of current leader Kim Jong Un.

Park repeated her government's argument that much of the money South Korea paid to North Korean workers at Kaesong had been flowed to the ruling Workers' Party leadership in charge of weapons programs.

Seoul officials said North Korea was able to divert the money because the workers in Kaesong were not paid directly. Instead, U.S. dollars were paid to the North Korean government, which siphoned off most of the money and paid only what it wanted to the employees in North Korean currency and store vouchers, according to a statement from Seoul's' Unification Ministry on Sunday.

The ministry did not detail how it arrived at that conclusion. North Korea has previously dismissed such views.

Earlier this month, North Korea ignored repeated international warnings and launched what it said was an Earth observation satellite aboard a rocket. Washington, Seoul and others view the launch as a prohibited test of missile technology and are pushing hard to have Pyongyang slapped with strong sanctions.

The launch, which followed the North's fourth nuclear test last month, aggravated already-strained ties between the rival Koreas. Last week, Pyongyang expelled all South Korean workers from the jointly run factory park in the North and put the area in charge of the military in retaliation for Seoul's decision to suspend operations there.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-02-16

[Rob13]

I can't see China letting that happen.

[baboon]

Wishful thinking? It didn't collapse even at the hight of a dreadful famine in the 90s and people are considerably better off these days, so why now?

[djlest]

The world is in such a mess right now.... ISIS - N KOREA - RUSSIA and the Middle East..... Refugees, borders - There is a hell coming, and its going to make WW2 look weak...

[stillbornagain]

I've always wondered why the United States still has troops in South Korea. China, the world's 2nd largest economy, Japan, the world's 3rd largest, and South Korea 8th largest (?) are 3 of its neighbors. Between them they should be able to cope with whatever North Korea gets up to. And if they do acquire serious nuclear weapons, that means we that our soldiers in the South will no longer be soldiers but potential hostages, instead..

[baboon]

I've always wondered why the United States still has troops in South Korea. China, the world's 2nd largest economy, Japan, the world's 3rd largest, and South Korea 8th largest (?) are 3 of its neighbors. Between them they should be able to cope with whatever North Korea gets up to. And if they do acquire serious nuclear weapons, that means we that our soldiers in the South will no longer be soldiers but potential hostages, instead..

To help keep a very close eye on the 2nd, 3rd and 8th largest economies of the world and what they are up to?

[Rob13]

contain china?

[BKKdreaming]

The worst thing that can happen for South Korea is for the North to flood the South with refugees ,

Just ask West Germany !

And China knows that also and does not want that trouble either

[GeorgesAbitbol]

No one wants a collapse

China doesn't want a pro-USA country close to its borders

South korea doesnt want it as it would mean billions of dollars for the reunification

USA doesn't want it as this situation let them have strong military presence in the region.

It will not happen

[LomSak27]

20^th century history 101

The US makes an innocuous statement in 1948 that Korea was not in what the US considered its zone of responsibility. . Next Uncle Joe Stalin supplied some up gunned T34 tanks to his communist regime in Pyongyang and the North invades the South. The Korean War left over 1.5 million dead, with roughly 55,ooo US military fatalities.

Both the First Bush and the Clinton Governments Have attempted to pull out all US troops but South Korea Governments have specifically requested them to stay.

[stillbornagain]

20^th century history 101

The US makes an innocuous statement in 1948 that Korea was not in what the US considered its zone of responsibility. . Next Uncle Joe Stalin supplied some up gunned T34 tanks to his communist regime in Pyongyang and the North invades the South. The Korean War left over 1.5 million dead, with roughly 55,ooo US military fatalities.

Both the First Bush and the Clinton Governments Have attempted to pull out all US troops but South Korea Governments have specifically requested them to stay.

The thing is, South Korea spends a lower percentage of its GDP on defense than does the USA. And one of the reasons it can do that is because we are subsidizing them. Maybe back when South Korea was economically impoverished that makes sense. But now it's one of the richest and most technologically advanced nations in the world. They easily command the resources to defend themselves without anyone's help. Except maybe from nuclear weapons. But we're of no use to them then. And our troops on the ground will just be fodder for a nuclear firestorm.