South Korea under volatile situation

[best2002]

According to RFA (Radio Free Asia) North Korea has ordered that even soldiers in the rear to sleep wearing military uniforms. North Korea is fostering a sense of war crisis within its military. I doubt that this is just a threat against South Korea.

North Korea is got to be up to something. North Korea may be preparing for a physical attack like past Cheonam sinking incident. Or it may imply that is in dire circumstances in need to raise tensions even in its rear bases. Whatever the reason, South Korea must observe North Korea's behavior closely and make a full defensive preparations.

www.asiae.co.kr/news/view.htm?idxno=2012100408355174351

[amandabeech]

1. Perhaps NK had a bad harvest and is in need of oil.

Posturing has worked in the past to convince the West to increase emergency aid.

Could this be the situation now?

Or are they just making noise because the problems between Japan and China have taken NK off the front page?

[best2002]

2. I think...

Posturing has worked in the past to convince the West to increase emergency aid.

Could this be the situation now?

Or are they just making noise because the problems between Japan and China have taken NK off the front page?



I think they want the West's emergency aid so they've threatened South Korea continuously(They think that this way should work to get aid becuase it's noticed well)

[davidpdx]

3. Much ado about nothing

I have live in South Korea for almost 9 years and the posturing is common for North Korea. There are two possible reason:

1) The Chairman of the of the US Joint Chief of Staff visited the DMZ yesterday:

The top U.S. military officer, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, caught some North Korean soldiers off guard earlier this week as he traveled to the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas, according to the Pentagon.

Several stories, carried Monday on the website of the Defense Department, gave detailed accounts of Dempsey’s visits to Seoul and the DMZ along with Army Gen. James D. Thurman, who leads the U.S. Forces Korea.

Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Thurman toured the Freedom House and a conference room at the truce village of Panmunjeom in the DMZ on Sunday.

“North Korean soldiers hurried down to the buildings with cameras when Dempsey and Thurman arrived,” a story read. “North Korean soldiers stared in the window as Dempsey walked to the northern side of the building.”

http://nwww.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20121113000763

2) South Korea has an election coming up on December 19th

There are three candidates: Park Geun-hye (the daughter of former dictator and president), Moon Jae-in (the liberal party), and Ahn Cheol-soo (the independent candidate). Moon and Ahn are talking about consolidating their candidacy to try to defeat Park.