[News] North Korea to make 3rd Nuclear test; threatens U.S. with missile strike

[Livewire]

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North Korea has announces plans to carry out a third nuclear test as part of "upcoming all-out action" against America.

Defying a resolution issued by the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that condemned Pyongyang for test-firing a missile in December and tightened existing sanctions on the regime, North Korea's National Defence Commission said the new nuclear test would be part of its action against the "sworn enemy of the Korean people".

North Korea also vowed to push ahead with launches of more long-range rockets.

Describing the UN Security Council as "a marionette of the US," North Korean state media claimed the resolutions are "products of its blind pursuance of the hostile policy of the US.

"The UNSC should apologise for its crime of seriously encroaching upon the independence of a sovereign state ... and repeal all the unreasonable 'resolutions' at once," KCNA reported.

Pyongyang also declared that no further talks on removing nuclear weapons from the Korean peninsula are now possible and that a "nuclear test of a higher level" would be carried out.

Intelligence reports have suggested that the North has been preparing to carry out a new underground nuclear test after global condemnation of the successful launch of a missile on December 12. Pyongyang has claimed that the launch was of a rocket to put a satellite into orbit.

Disagreement within the UN Security Council - primarily a result of China, which holds a veto, insisting that retaliatory measures be watered down - meant that North Korea has had plenty of time to prepare for the inevitable responses.

Reaction to Pyongyang's declaration was swift, with Glyn Davies, the special representative for North Korean policy in the US government, urging North Korea not to go ahead with the test, saying it would be "a mistake and a missed opportunity."

The transition team for the incoming South Korean government, due to be sworn in on Friday, has also appealed to Pyongyang not to take any steps that would aggravate tensions in the region, while Japan is to launch a new spy satellite on Sunday with the express task of monitoring missile and nuclear tests in North Korea.

China, North Korea's sole significant ally, even come down against Pyongyang's intransigence, with Xi Jinping, the next president, telling a visiting delegation of politicians from South Korea that he opposes the regime developing nuclear arms or any weapons of mass destruction.

Hong Lei, a foreign ministry spokesman added: "All relevant parties should refrain from action that might escalate the situation in the region."

Beijing's influence on the new government of Kim Jong-un however appears to be waning.

North Korea separately expressed outrage at reports in the Chinese media that Mr Kim has undergone plastic surgery to make him more closely resemble his much-revered grandfather, the late Kim Il-sung.

Pyongyang's anger was aroused after the report was aired on a Chinese TV station, with state media describing the claims as a "smear campaign" orchestrated by South Korea "to tarnish the ever-more growing dignity and authority of the supreme headquarters of the DPRK."

**Provided they can get it in the air this time ;)


Being more of a 'negotiations + talks first, then warfare if only necessary' type of foreign policy guy, I'm on the fence with North Korea. We have ignored warning signs from hostile countries and parties before, like, you know, 9/11. Part of me wants this peacefully resolved, but I recognize there's literally nothing left to threaten North Korea with. The other part of me wants President Obama to push that red button and be done with it, so to speak.

Thoughts? This should alarm you, if they prove capable of launching an ICBM.

[QuilavaKing]

There's no way we'd ever use nukes against them, so if this does go to war, it'll be a long drawn out land battle in korea for who knows how many years. Doesn't sound very nice to me.

[CarcharOdin]

I always like to equate North Korea with that one kid in the class that tries to hide his inferiority complex by acting like he's a tough guy, but usually never goes around doing anything to actually prove it.

[Mr. X]

The only reason we haven't bombed NK back to the stone age is because China is protecting them.

Without China, NK would be nothing.

[Scarf]

I dunno. As crazy as some of the leadership in NK is I don't think anyone is really crazy enough to shoot a nuke at another country. I don't think even China would stand in the way of retaliation against that kind of aggression, and the US would pulverize NK if it came to war. This test is just an attention grabber, an attempt to get more aid and improve their standing internationally.

North Korea is slowly falling apart. Eventually they'll fall and be merged with South Korea and we'll have peace there.

[Went]

North Korea survives because a) China gives them political support and, more importantly, fuel and materials so they can live in houses with lighbulbs instead of in caves with bonfires and b) the US give them food (so they don't starve as often) in exchange for "good behaviour".

Obviously, North Koreans can be as indoctrinated as you want (which is easy if you start brainwashing all your citizens from day one), and their leaders may be crazy commies, but they certainly aren't insane. If they attack China, they'll be invaded in a matter of hours. If they attack a random third country, the US will cut down on food supplies and the Chinese would have it harder to support them at the UN. And if they attack the US or any of their allies, they know they'll wiped out of existence before lunchtime. As with Iran, when you are given a country to take care of, it's much less likely that you'll try to attack a giant than if you are a free-roaming terrorist, detached from all and any responsibilities. And since North Korea has no random countries around them they could possibly attack without making too much of a fuss, chances are they will never attack anybody.

In other words, as Scarfy said, this is just a shout for attention, a "hey, I'm here and I'm strong APPEASE ME OR I CAN DO BAD THINGS RAWR". Nothing more.

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by Scarf

North Korea is slowly falling apart. Eventually they'll fall and be merged with South Korea and we'll have peace there.

I'd see them merging with China over reuniting with South Korea.

[gimmepie]

On one hand this really has little to do with me because I'm Australian (except for the whole ANZUS thing) so I don't know if my opinion is even valid, but screw it I'm giving it anyway.

Whilst this is probably just another WE HAVE NUKES SO BE NICE kind of a deal it is still fairly frightening even for me all the way down here. The possibility of nuclear war just doesn't give me warm fuzzies and although I'm fairly confident in the USA's military and in Obama I still don't like to think of the casualties that could occur. It honestly makes me wonder why everyone always has to play the "we have a big bomb" card right of the bat instead of aiming for a non-violent, diplomatic solution that doesn't involve threatening to start World War III.
*Cue loud playing of "Why Can't We Be Friends"

From the perspective of my own country, if you guys went to war we'd be in one hell of a predicament because we have very strong relationships with both the USA and China right now. If North Korea goes to war with you ANZUS basically forces Australia and New Zealand to assist you but China is also an ally of Australia at this point in time and they are very supportive politically of North Korea. So things could get very weird down here and our politicians would probably go insane.

Well there's the general perspective and how I feel it relates to my own country (because I bet people really care about the second one when they could possibly be getting nuked).

[Blade_of_darkness]

Originally Posted by Went

North Korea survives because a) China gives them political support and, more importantly, fuel and materials so they can live in houses with lighbulbs instead of in caves with bonfires and b) the US give them food (so they don't starve as often) in exchange for "good behaviour".

Obviously, North Koreans can be as indoctrinated as you want (which is easy if you start brainwashing all your citizens from day one), and their leaders may be crazy commies, but they certainly aren't insane. If they attack China, they'll be invaded in a matter of hours. If they attack a random third country, the US will cut down on food supplies and the Chinese would have it harder to support them at the UN. And if they attack the US or any of their allies, they know they'll wiped out of existence before lunchtime. As with Iran, when you are given a country to take care of, it's much less likely that you'll try to attack a giant than if you are a free-roaming terrorist, detached from all and any responsibilities. And since North Korea has no random countries around them they could possibly attack without making too much of a fuss, chances are they will never attack anybody.

In other words, as Scarfy said, this is just a shout for attention, a "hey, I'm here and I'm strong APPEASE ME OR I CAN DO BAD THINGS RAWR". Nothing more.

To further add on to your post, Went, a really good way to shut these people up is for the US to work with China to deprive the North Koreans of their essential goods. If they keep threatening everybody around here, we'll be saying, "Let's see if you can do anything to the world around you with only Stone-Age technology!"

Really, the North Koreans need to be reminded about who's sitting in the big boy's chair, not them, but us.

[Pinkie-Dawn]

You guys are underestimating North Korea's power here. What if they actually succeed in sending their missiles to the U.S. (probably somewhere on the west coast) and proven themselves to be worthy adversaries? The guys from Deadliest Warrior are aware of North Korea's power, and their data showed that their military is about the same ranks as the U.S. military based on the weapons the use and how many kills they could make.

[twocows]

Originally Posted by Pinkie-Dawn

You guys are underestimating North Korea's power here. What if they actually succeed in sending their missiles to the U.S. (probably somewhere on the west coast) and proven themselves to be worthy adversaries?

I think perhaps you underestimate the US' military and political power. Every first-world country in the world (and a good portion of the rest of the world) is our ally and we have the strongest military in the world by a wide margin. If North Korea launched so much as a paper airplane at us, NORAD would shoot it down in seconds. We currently have at least three separate anti-ballistic missile systems in place, with the latest and most advanced launched only a few years ago. Our military is not only the strongest in the world, but the most advanced.

North Korea, on the other hand, develops most of its weaponry internally with no collaboration from the world at large, with a small portion imported from countries without trade agreements with the US (places like Iran, among others) and maybe China. If their weaponry is at the level of Iran, they're able to shoot down ballistic missiles made fifty years ago. Not a proper defense against the combined military might of the strongest country in the world and its allies. And if you think China would come to North Korea's aid, you're very mistaken; they would remain neutral (or even possibly move to occupy NK to expand their own influence), as their status as a rising economic power in the world is derived almost entirely from exporting goods to the US.

The guys from Deadliest Warrior are aware of North Korea's power, and their data showed that their military is about the same ranks as the U.S. military based on the weapons the use and how many kills they could make.

My data shows I'm the king of earth. I hardly consider them a legitimate source on... well, anything, really.

The United States government is many things, but unprepared for threats abroad it is not.

[droomph]

oh, north korea.

When will you realize that we don't caaaaaaaaaare.

Make something cool for once, like Starcraft 3, and awesome hour-long dramas.

Or maybe like Japan, and make awesome animes.

I don't know, stop acting tough. We already know you aren't. (remember last time?)

Oh, and one more thing. The more you make your citizens say "KIM JONG __ IS SUPER GOOD" the less believable it becomes.

Signed,
All of us

In all seriousness, though, I doubt they have the capacity to succeed, considering most of their population is in a serious case of the poors and if their leader wasn't so scary to them they would've been torn to shreds by everybody inside already.

[CarcharOdin]

Like I said, a kid with inferiority complex.

Also, Pinkie, sorry if this sounds harsh, but you may want to start looking at other sources besides TV shows for information.

[von Weltschmerz]

Normally I wouldn't say that this is much of a threat, but... North Korea has been pretty persistent with this even despite how much it is looked down upon upon. While I don't think they could do any significant damage to us as a country... it would be intolerable for even just one life to be claimed by their madness. As Davies said... it would be a mistake, and there is not really any other way to put that.

[LilJz1234]

If NK DOES launch a nuke on US and US retaliates, you think other countries would join in and make a WWIII?

[Livewire]

Originally Posted by Pinkie-Dawn

You guys are underestimating North Korea's power here. What if they actually succeed in sending their missiles to the U.S. (probably somewhere on the west coast) and proven themselves to be worthy adversaries? The guys from Deadliest Warrior are aware of North Korea's power, and their data showed that their military is about the same ranks as the U.S. military based on the weapons the use and how many kills they could make.

We have enough nuclear firepower to blow them to oblivion a hundred times over and make that godforsaken peninsula uninhabitable by any living organism for thousands of years, If we so choose. They can barely feed their own citizens.

[Went]

Originally Posted by LilJz1234

If NK DOES launch a nuke on US and US retaliates, you think other countries would join in and make a WWIII?

No. I think the US alone would be enough to wipe any living cell in that country out of existence in a few hours. And if they are insane enough to attack the US, nobody in the world would dare to support them. Mostly because SK is an US ally and China is a nominal NK ally but would never, never, never, get into a world war to support such a useless state. As Twocows said, China depends on selling goods to the rest of the world, specially the US. A war against them would kind of destroy their economy for a long while without giving them much in return- what good does NK means for them? Nothing. It's just an "extra border" between them and SK. And a political rule is: never go to war over someone else casually stepping on you on the street.

If the Cold War didn't cause a WWIII, a Drôle de Guerre like this would never manage such a feat.

[Airbourne Bubblun]

Is the game "Mercenaries" gonna actually come true here?

But yeah, if a war envelops, then it could go on for quite a long time, possibly years, if not, decades. Probably might be worse than the Vietnam war back in the mid 50s to the mid 70's (1955-1975(thanks Wikipedia)).

[MegamanDX]

Originally Posted by droomph

oh, north korea.

When will you realize that we don't caaaaaaaaaare.

Make something cool for once, like Starcraft 3, and awesome hour-long dramas.

Or maybe like Japan, and make awesome animes.

I don't know, stop acting tough. We already know you aren't. (remember last time?)

Oh, and one more thing. The more you make your citizens say "KIM JONG __ IS SUPER GOOD" the less believable it becomes.

Signed,
All of us

In all seriousness, though, I doubt they have the capacity to succeed, considering most of their population is in a serious case of the poors and if their leader wasn't so scary to them they would've been torn to shreds by everybody inside already.

I find if kind of funny how these contrys threaten each other with this:"Well my nuke is better then yours,I'm going to wipe you out silly" nonsense...

Dud...If you guys hate each other that much,then why don't you guys just make a antimatter bomb? 1kg of antimatter equalls the most powerful bomb ever detonated...One pound of the antimatter stuff would vaporize the world and the moon maybe....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimatter_weapon

[Aquanova]

Originally Posted by Pinkie-Dawn

You guys are underestimating North Korea's power here. What if they actually succeed in sending their missiles to the U.S. (probably somewhere on the west coast) and proven themselves to be worthy adversaries? The guys from Deadliest Warrior are aware of North Korea's power, and their data showed that their military is about the same ranks as the U.S. military based on the weapons the use and how many kills they could make.

If they shot a nuke our way we could blow them to smithereens a hundred times. I really doubt they would actually do it, Im not sure they're crazy enough to try. They do this often it seems to try to scare people. "Look how big and scary we are we have nukes so dont piss us off" is what they're saying. You shouldnt believe everything TV shows tell you...

I really hope we don't get drawn into a war with North Korea. The last thing we need is another war.

[twocows]

Originally Posted by MegamanDX

I find if kind of funny how these contrys threaten each other with this:"Well my nuke is better then yours,I'm going to wipe you out silly" nonsense...

Dud...If you guys hate each other that much,then why don't you guys just make a antimatter bomb? 1kg of antimatter equalls the most powerful bomb ever detonated...One pound of the antimatter stuff would vaporize the world and the moon maybe....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimatter_weapon

Probably because antimatter is ridiculously hard to synthesize in useful quantities and even harder to keep stable until you actually want it to detonate.

[droomph]

Originally Posted by Pinkie-Dawn

You guys are underestimating North Korea's power here. What if they actually succeed in sending their missiles to the U.S. (probably somewhere on the west coast) and proven themselves to be worthy adversaries?.

Um, well considering their type of government has consistently been proven to be ineffective (Soviet Union, China, Vietnam) and have never been really strong (Soviet Union is just really big with a lot of manpower, after all), I don't think North Korea is going to be any different, unless the dictator is literally Scrooge McDuck there's not much of a chance that they have any different of abilities.

And once they open up, they're gonna see that capitalism isn't Satan's butthole (nor is it Jesus' chest hair) and forget about us and just move on to more important things, like eating. Or money.

Oh and you should like research it for yourself. North Korea has 1000 GDP per capita,28,000 GDP nominal, and 40,000 GDP purchasing power, and when your country is matched by your opponent 1,000 times, that's not a good sign of power. Let's put it this way - If US were Level 100, North Korea would need to be a hundred times bigger to be even barely Level 1. And let's face it - have you ever been able to beat a Level 100 with a Level 1, much less a Level 0.1? Even with the better moves, you wouldn't be able to. I dare you to try it, with just attacking powers, but not any "diplomacy" or status/status dependent moves (because we're going for the realism - and let's be real, hiding in a corner and shouting lame insults at the biggest guy isn't very diplomatic, is it?).

Again, unless Scrooge McDuck likes to also work shifts as Kim Jong __.

[Went]

Also remember that countries aren't isolated from the rest of the world. You can't start a war against someone else on your own as if this were the early years of the Cold War. As soon as NK dared to do something, they'd discover that a ridiculously huge amount of important countries in the world, starting with China (you know, the one that keeps them alive in general), would retaliate against them.

There is no Soviet Union to support them, and China is no interested on any nuclear wars going on in his backyard, I can guarantee you that.

[Mr. X]

[Supervegeta]

The only country that has to worry about this is Japan, because that's where the wreckage will fall when the missile fails to launch, and we all know they don't need anymore problems of their own.