What's up with North Korea?

[Luvian]

I don't read the news much, it's always about murder, rape, and other such things, so I am not really aware of what's happening there.

All I know is that some time ago, they tested nuclear weapons, and now I hear talk of war, and apparently north korea does no like south korea?

What exactly is happening over there?

Ummm North Korea and South Korea are not like north and south dakota or Carolina...they are divided by geopolitical issues that have engendered a war and a massive stand off with the USA backing South Korea and China historicly backing North Korea. Currently there are a large number of Nato and American armed forces along the demilitarized zone between the two coutnries, there are also several million land mines seperating them. North Korea has not been a very nice country...just recently having announced that they have been abducting Japanese civilians for espianoge purposes, exporting weapons technology and doing other anti-social type things. It is also a very poor country and is unable to even feed itself.

[ 01-09-2003, 09:39 AM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

[johnny]

I think this problem goes back to the 1950's.

[Timber Loftis]

Well, N.K. isn't in the news today (on CNN.com or NYTIMES.com) so I can't pull a quick story. But, as to the history, the CIA's factbook should be helpful. However, the link to N.K. is strangely inaccessible right now (conspiracy theories anyone?) - so here's S.K. which will give you a feel for the history during and since the Korean War.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/...k/geos/ks.html

[edit] Oh, look - now the N.K. site is up and working - guess there's no conspiracy after all. [img]tongue.gif[/img]
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/...k/geos/kn.html

[edit] Just can't keep from adding more. Just wanted to tell everyone what a wonderful reference the site is. Link to it and see for yourself - bet you add it to your favorites. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[ 01-09-2003, 01:51 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

[Djinn Raffo]

I just wanted to state that the links Timber provided.. the CIA World Factbook.. is an unbelievable source of information.. Great site.

Originally posted by Djinn Raffo: I just wanted to state that the links Timber provided.. the CIA World Factbook.. is an unbelievable source of information.. Great site.

Harrrumph!!! I have been giving people on here the link to the CIA world fact book for ages, I have used it on many many occasions to back up my statements....But I am glad that TL has found it too [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Djinn Raffo]

Originally posted by MagiK: quote: Originally posted by Djinn Raffo: I just wanted to state that the links Timber provided.. the CIA World Factbook.. is an unbelievable source of information.. Great site.

Harrrumph!!! I have been giving people on here the link to the CIA world fact book for ages, I have used it on many many occasions to back up my statements....But I am glad that TL has found it too [img]smile.gif[/img] [/QUOTE]Whoops! Sorry MagiK!! Good on yer to!

[Ar-Cunin]

One small point - NK have never tested nuclear weapons. They have however admitted to having a nuclear program, combined with extensive missile technology.

[Skunk]

There seems to be this bizzare idea that the North Korean issue started in October - it didn't - it started much further back. There also seems to be an idea that North Korea is entirely to blame for what's happening and that the US is the injured party. That isn't true either. Allow me to provide you with a history lesson:

In the 1980's, North Korea started to build a cheap Nuclear plant at Yongbyon. This plant, by it's very design, was capable of producing fuel for Nuclear weapons. North Korea was also planning to build two even larger reactors (of the same type) to meet its energy needs.

Nuclear power is much cheaper than fossil fuel and N.Korea was/is not exactly a wealthy nation. At the time, N.Korea had not signed the Non-Nuclear weapons Proliferation Treaty - so it was perfectly within its rights. It's main objection to signing the NPT was that the treaty calls for various monitoring practices that signigicantly adds to the costs of building and maintaining the plants (very heavy inspections and monitoring goes on - resulting in big delays of any new and ongoing project).

In walks the US with an attractive deal.
Sign the NPT, abandon your weapons reasearch and allow monitoring of the reactors and we will guarantee that:

1. The US, South Korea and Japan will provide you (for free) with the Nuclear reactors.
2. We will open up our markets and allow free economic assistance and aid.

As a result of the deal, North Korea signs the NPT in 1985.

What went wrong:
1. The US delayed the constuction of the nuclear plants and did not provide the promised economic assistance (the US went even further by maintaining economic sanctions) - so N.Korea only mothballed its weapons and nuclear research and building programs, holding out until the completion of the plants.

In 1992, irritated by the delay and broken promises, N.Korea hands in its notice to withdraw from the NPT (its legal right).

Carter rushes in to sooth the pain and broker a deal, and the US offers an interim deal (signed two years later in 1994):

While said reactors are being built, we (The US, South Korea and Japan) will provide you with free fuel oil to power your fossil fuel plants.

Since 1994, the promised nuclear plants *still* have not been constructed (construction has barely moved) and N.Korea is *still* under economic sanctions from the US. Because the construction was sooo far behind schedule, N.Korea denies the inspectors regular (costly and time consuming) spot visits on the grounds that nothing has changed in those sites and that the inspections would lead to yet further delays (currently 6 years behind schedule). Another issue that North Korea was getting angry with was Washington unilateral addtional conditions being attached on the fuel shipments, notably on attaching budgetary conditions on the fuel aid (which in turn led to that being delayed too), and demands for 'political reform' (also outside the agreement).

Notwithstanding, North Korea did allow the sites to be monitored and did allow permanent monitoring equipment to be installed. It also allowed the international monitors a permenant office in the capitol.

Bill Clinton goes, Bush comes to office and 9/11 becomes reality. US policy towards N.Korea becomes even harsher calling it part of an 'Axis of Evil'.

One can only guess why N.Korea admits to its mothballed nuclear weapons program recently, but I would guess that it was to be a reminder to the US that the problem has not gone away - North Korea wants the US to fulfill its part of the 1994 agreement - the public 'disclosure' of the nuclear weapons program is there to remind it. (The US almost certainly knew of its existence).

Bush reacts (October) by withdrawing the fuel aid guaranteed by the 1994 agreement. After a month's delay and the fuel shipment not arriving, North Korea begins anew its nuclear plant construction itself. Guess it was tired of broken promises and brown-outs for 20 years...

Skunk, you very conveniently leave out all the reasons why things were done, ignoring actions and behaviours of North Korea as if they were honoring their ends of many bargains and were peacefully coexisting with their neighbors. I suppose you also think that it was entirley reasonable for North Korea to be abducting innocent tourists from Japan and elsewhere all along too?