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NBC: North Korean nuclear test could happen as early as tonight.
- Thread starter maquiladora
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shanshan310
Member
They don't want to share a border with a country full of US troops.
maquiladora
Member
shanshan310
Member
I don't know why people are laughing about how its going to fail. Even though the latest missile launch was a disaster they have successfully launched missiles and tested nuclear weapons before. I have no idea why they're testing more though, unless they've got a new design. Its hardly a power display.
Since not everyone runs on US time, I assumed it would be more logical to put it in Korean time. My mistake.
Since not everyone runs on US time, I assumed it would be more logical to put it in Korean time. My mistake.
BertramCooper
Banned
It's more a matter of China not wanting to deal with millions of North Korean refugees.
China is sick of North Korea's bullshit. They value their relationship with the U.S. far more than their relationship with the DPRK.
I live on the east coast, so no
Manos: The Hans of Fate
Banned
Obligatory.
So much gold.
They cant miniaturize it to put on a warhead. They would need to stick it on a flatbed truck. Hell they can't even get repeat successes.
We also owe China a lot more money than NK.
Are you saying the glorious concept of Juche isn't a significant contribution?
jchap
Member
krypt0nian
Banned
I will be SHOCKED if they blow themselves up.
What a failure of a country.
What a failure of a country.
shanshan310
Member
That's true.
I'd say they're both issues, though the refugee one probably more so.
shaowebb
Member
Geez...I just don't get North Korea. There's no way they'd ever get a nuke over their country out before it was shotdown given their situation, they can't win a ground war versus South Korea from all reports and opinions I've seen and winning a naval battle isn't even close to do-able. They can't even rely on allies since they're becoming a detriment to guys like China who seek things like foreign coal to build industry. Maybe if you didn't enslave your people for the crime of being born you might be able to build up into something.
You want a unified Korea? Sell to the South and give up already. Rattling swords will only drop the hammer on you. It wont win you any battles and you sure won't get any aid to pacify your tantrums. Didn't you learn that the last time?
You want a unified Korea? Sell to the South and give up already. Rattling swords will only drop the hammer on you. It wont win you any battles and you sure won't get any aid to pacify your tantrums. Didn't you learn that the last time?
Nintendo Ate My Children
Member
If North Korea didn't saber rattle every few months, the international community would forget they exist. They need to feel like they're an important part of the international community. Unlike South Korea, they have no other way to do so.
Their wealthy neighbors both have a vested interest in keeping the regime alive. Neither want millions of refugees swarming across their borders when the regime falls. South Korea wants a unified Korea in theory, but their leaders know that in practice it would be a disaster that would cost billions upon billions of dollars and take decades. It would make the German unification look like a cake walk.
maquiladora
Member
Having nuclear weapons protects them from foreign military intervention, also gives them the opportunity to sell the technology/expertise to the likes of Iran/Syria. And Seoul is within range of artillery. It could easily be targeted with a warhead on a short range delivery device fired amid a wider artillery/rocket barrage.
Lost Fragment
Obsessed with 4chan
This would be hilarious for about 5 seconds.
China has stopped returning North Korean refugees to North Korea:
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/04/19/2012041900780.html
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/04/19/2012041900780.html
D
Deleted member 8095
Unconfirmed Member
We're fucked!
The benefits would far outweigh the negatives. And I disagree that it would take decades. If done properly unification would be just as easy, if not moreso, than German unification.
SouthernDragon
Member
Perhaps they'll blow themselves into the ocean.
Phoenix
Member
They also don't want a big pro-West democracy sitting next door either.
SpectreFire
Member
Are you fucking kidding me? Tell me what are the benefits that would justify sending an entire nation into absolute destitute for decades?
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
It's not clear whether the DPRK has devices small enough to be delivered by anything other than cargo planes or giant trucks. Large bombs are much simpler to construct than smaller ones.
shanshan310
Member
At this stage basically none of the population is old enough to remember life before the Korean war, the population is incredibly uneducated with little to no understanding of the world or modern technology, a huge percentage of young people are mentally disabled as a result of the famine. It would be insanely hard to resettle all of them into South Korean society. The difference in the economies is huge. It would be so much more complicated than German reunification.
But in the long run, a unified Korea would be the best solution. Or at least a more open and democratic North. Of course, it depends on the circumstances. War on the peninsula would probably not be worth the unification.
Peace. The end of fear in Korea, China, Russia, Japan, Taiwan and the US, probably an end to conscription in South Korea, less money spent on military, the end of a military dictatorship, 26 million people not starving and living uneducated in an oppressed society. In the long run the world, and Korea in particular would be a much better place.
Phoenix
Member
According to the intelligence community they don't and are years away from having that capacity. Given how poorly they have been doing from a missile perspective, I'm inclined to agree that not only have they not perfected miniaturization - they lack a competent delivery mechanism and may do more damage to themselves in the short term than anyone else. All of their vehicles are big and surface launched - highly vulnerable to pre-launch strikes from a major nation state.
This is fucking fantastic news. Seoul Train made me so angry, I've never understood why there wasn't more international pressure for them to knock that off.
Escape Goat
Member
wouldn't NK be better off in developing suit case nukes. Any idiot can drive a van. North Korea isn't exactly overflowing with rocket surgeons. Though they're probably pretty short on Secret Agents too.
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
They would if they could. Building them small is difficult (and produces far less efficient devices per unit of fissionable material).
Phoenix
Member
Wow. Not even close.
Castor Krieg
Banned
You are wrong. By the time of German unification the difference in economic output was 4:1 for West Germany. In 2008 it was 13:1 for South Korea.
Unification will take decades, also because North Koreans are completely unsuited to live in modern, free-market economy. Unemployment among North Korean refugees in Seoul is ~80%.
Re-unification will be a terrible news for South Korea. Please educate yourself before you post.
German unification was everything but easy, you have no idea what you are talking about. 20 years later East Germany still lags in wages, productivity, industrial output. Unemployment is also higher in former DDR.
Fusion Pizza
Member
Ignorance is bliss.
SapientWolf
Trucker Sexologist
That makes it sound like NK is a giant prison.
shanshan310
Member
It is.
Guerrillas in the Mist
Member
The North Korean media has also threatened South Korea recently. Business as usual, I know, but it's a very specific threat against SK's leadership and Seoul, by "special action". They'll probably pussy out or fire some shells at an island again.
Castor Krieg
Banned
Can you leave prison? No. Can you leave North Korea? No.
Al-ibn Kermit
Junior Member
That's a pretty huge deal. Before, they would have to sneak all the way to Mongolia I believe.
Castor Krieg
Banned
But you cannot bully North Korea. However, you can bully Iran, which is what US is doing right now.
Also - no, they didn't have problems detonating the nuke, although it is unknown if they actually have the means to launch it.
It is not a huge deal, the number of North Koreans escaping is still very low, mostly from towns and settlements bordering China.
I just fucking lost it. Good thing I'm sitting in a room by myself at 1:21 AM!
Al-ibn Kermit
Junior Member
It is a huge deal if you made it to China.
I'm more impressed by the change in policy, I don't expect to see a surge in how many refugees are escaping.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
I always thought that would be a good thing for a country in a similar position. you would have huge bases of American soldiers in range so the US would be hesitant to do anything aggressive to them.
North Korea is propped up by China. China does not want US troops anywhere near its border. Rinse, repeat.
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