U.S., allies prepare for tougher response to N.Korea

[Adsos Letter]

Source: Reuters/Yahoo

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The United States and its Asian allies could look at tougher responses should diplomacy fail to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear program, officials at a security conference said at the weekend.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told his counterparts from South Korea and Japan on Saturday that while diplomacy was preferred, other steps may be considered if it failed.

"Six party talks are the preferred course of diplomacy," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said, referring to the now defunct talks among the two Koreas, China, Russia, Japan and the United States to disarm the North.

"But given that the six-party talks haven't produced the results we're looking for, Gates also made the point that while we pursue that course, we have to look at other options ... to improve our defenses, if that becomes necessary," he told Reuters


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090531/ts_nm/us_korea_north

[BunkerHill24]

1. What N.Korea wants is a security guarantees that they will not be attacked

Why can't we guarantee we will not attack them, sign peace agreement with them and normalize relations?
The Obama administration would be wise not to follow the same failed tactics the Bush administration tried with N. Korea. They have not worked in the past and they will not work now. The so called "Six party negotiations" is a failure. I think we should sit down with the N. Koreans face-to-face and alone, and listen their concerns.

[Adsos Letter]

2. US to Reaffirm Provision of Nuke Umbrella to South Korea

Source: KoreaTimes

Leaders of South Korea and the United States are expected to discuss ways of deterring North Korea's nuclear threat as a main topic at their June 16 summit talks in Washington, government officials said Sunday.

A clause pertaining to Washington's provision of an ``extended nuclear umbrella'' to South Korea may be stipulated in a joint statement to be issued at the end of the summit between Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Barack Obama, they said.

The move comes amid growing concern across the globe over North Korea's May 25 nuclear test, the second of its kind, and subsequent test-firings of short-range missiles.

The United States has promised since 1978 that it will provide necessary nuclear deterrence capabilities to South Korea against North Korea's nuclear threat under the auspices of the mutual defense treaty in the annual Korea-U.S. defense ministers' meetings. But the issue has not been discussed at summit level.


Read more: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/116_45980.html

[Tim01]

3. They are going to put up a really big wooden sign on the border.

It will say "We firmly don't approve of what you are doing".

That'll fix them.