Peace in Korea

hopefully the peace can last longer than 68 years....

Let's think about this for a minute. SK has the tech and the economic infrastructure. NK has nukes, short-range ballistics, and a huge army. They are about to go in bed together. Then one wonders why Japan - which hasn't been nice to Korea in the previous century - is getting very nervous as of late.

Peace? Hmmm. Right.

-cb

They haven't signed anything yet. They've agreed to starting talks on peace. So, anything could go wrong. Progress, yes, a fair bit even. But nothing concrete.

^^^^ This. Everything else I've seen has said that any outcome might take years to broker. I'll have a little lot more faith when it happens.

As long as Kim remains in total control of NK, I remain in total skepticism about the success of "peace" there. This feels itchily like Neville Chamberlain smiling and waving that piece of paper he got from Hitler.

caw

blacbird said:

This feels itchily like Neville Chamberlain smiling and waving that piece of paper he got from Hitler.

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Same feeling of deja vu.

-cb

Alessandra Kelley said:

North Korea may be in deep trouble about its nuclear testing.

Not with any other nation. With its own homegrown possible radioactive catastrophe.

http://www.iflscience.com/policy/th...ea-halted-nuclear-testing-and-its-terrifying/

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Yea, I have another bit about it.

Reading this after the great announcement left me feeling... un
happy, I guess, about not what was said, but what was not said, I guess. If nothing else, it would be great if N & S reunited (with Peaches & Herb?) and I would probably, finally stop watching MASH?@??!! Doh!

Research by Chinese geologists suggests that the mountain above North Korea's main nuclear test site has likely collapsed, rendering it unsafe for further testing and requiring that it be monitored for any leaking radiation. The findings by the scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China may shed new light on North Korean President Kim Jong Un's announcement that his country was ceasing its testing program ahead of planned summit meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump.

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...na-nkorea-nuclear-testing-20180426-story.html

...said the spider to the fly.

More info: http://m.scmp.com/week-asia/geopoli...phoria-now-kim-jong-uns-real-test-come-donald

Also, did you notice Kim Jung-un's smile was not as sincere as Joong Mae-in's? Then again, I find both insincere.

Wonder if all the ranks of NK Generals are behind their leader on this.

And the outlook and attitudes and 'outside of the country' knowledge of the two peoples are miles apart.

Unification? Does that mean one president? Sure.

Neither country is going to give up their leadership or system of government, so I don't see how any of this could lead to a united Korea. If there's less saber rattling and cultural isolation, that may not be a bad thing. As steps go, I think this one is a baby step, and a fragile one at that, but at least it's not a step backwards.

Snitchcat said:

More info: http://m.scmp.com/week-asia/geopoli...phoria-now-kim-jong-uns-real-test-come-donald

Also, did you notice Kim Jung-un's smile was not as sincere as Joong Mae-in's? Then again, I find both insincere.

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I thought the clothing they wore spoke loudly: S Korea is suit-and-tie, modern world; and N Korea is holding firm to old communism clothing.

blacbird said:

As long as Kim remains in total control of NK, I remain in total skepticism about the success of "peace" there. This feels itchily like Neville Chamberlain smiling and waving that piece of paper he got from Hitler.

caw

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Exiled Thucydides knew
All that a speech can say
About Democracy,
And what dictators do,
The elderly rubbish they talk
To an apathetic grave;
Analysed all in his book,
The enlightenment driven away,
The habit-forming pain,
Mismanagement and grief:
We must suffer them all again.

Not that I quite feel this is gesture of appeasement or it will lead to a Very Bad War or anything, but this verse popped in my head for some reason.

I wonder how the Screamin' Cheeto refusing to renew the US's involvement in the Iran accord is going to play into this.

BenPanced said:

I wonder how the Screamin' Cheeto refusing to renew the US's involvement in the Iran accord is going to play into this.

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Time will tell -- but Korea just released 3 American hostages. That's a good start. But trusting Korea would be a mistake.

Gregg said:

But trusting Korea would be a mistake.

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Trusting Trump to negotiate directly with Kim is an even bigger mistake.

-cb

Yes. He's already ruled out the one place everyone would be well supervised, day and night.

Gregg said:

Time will tell -- but Korea just released 3 American hostages. That's a good start. But trusting Korea would be a mistake.

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Releasing these hostages was a cheap and easy trick for KJU. He is playing Bone Spurs the way Marc Knopfler plays a guitar.

caw

cbenoi1 said:

Trusting Trump to negotiate directly with Kim is an even bigger mistake.

-cb

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BenPanced said:

I wonder how the Screamin' Cheeto refusing to renew the US's involvement in the Iran accord is going to play into this.

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Have to say, I wonder both things too.

If NK/SK do achieve peace, Cheeto missed his chance to say, "Tear down this border!" (I confess, the irony of it not being a wall . . . )

Ah, but now he can say he was the reason the hostages were released. He's the hero. And his base will believe him. They'll look to the release of the hostages as Trump working his magic rather than Kim working Trump.

I think I know what Trump is doing - the old "speak softly and carry a big stick," thinking he can act tough and bring miscreants to the table - except if he goes too far (which he often does) it can be counter-productive. I'm sure he will take credit for bringing NK to the table but I suspect China had a lot more to do with what's going on. I'm old enough to remember the old Russia strategy of two steps forward and one step back - but I doubt if Trump is even aware of that. Not trying to be funny here, but Trump's strategy seems to be yell loudly and carry a big shtick.

porlock said:

I think I know what Trump is doing - the old "speak softly and carry a big stick,"

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Except that he NEVER EVER EVER "speaks softly". And we really don't know how big his stick is.

caw