North Korea: History Will Judge Us Harshly

[rory_20_uk]

The biggest problem was in the Korean War when the Allies went too close to China.
The second has been letting North Korea amass such a lot of weapons. And it is only getting worse. Each time we give in with aid they use this to maximise resources spent on weaponry to wring the next lot of freebies out.

The "best" long term option would be to neutron bomb the whole place. Mass murder now to prevent worse later on. I do not see those in charge divesting themselves of weaponry willingly.

[HopAlongBunny]

China has no good reason to do anything with regard to NK.

It maintains a "friendly", weak client state. The military in NK might be large but it is 0 threat to China.

I can't see any reason for China to wish for a change. I see very few levers that could be used; China is the West's source of bargain goods, many of which we have given up producing. I would love to hear from someone with sophisticated knowledge of China/Asia, but from my limited perspective there is no reason for China to desire a change.

[Beskar]

The thing about China is that it doesn't want the refugees from North Korea which it will get in outbreak of any kind of war. Best China can do in its interest is to control Korea from the top and since North Korea needs China far more than China needs North Korea, China can influence the direction it takes, especially under its new leader who may be convinced to do things more favourably to them.

[Lemur]

In related news, The Onion names Kim Jong Un "sexiest man alive," and China's People's Daily reports it as fact. Previous winners: Bashar al-Assad, Bernie Madoff, Charles and David Koch, Ted Kaczynski.

U.S. website The Onion has named North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un as the "Sexiest Man Alive for the year 2012".

"With his devastatingly handsome, round face, his boyish charm, and his strong, sturdy frame, this Pyongyang-bred heartthrob is every woman's dream come true. Blessed with an air of power that masks an unmistakable cute, cuddly side, Kim made this newspaper's editorial board swoon with his impeccable fashion sense, chic short hairstyle, and, of course, that famous smile," it said.

"He has that rare ability to somehow be completely adorable and completely macho at the same time," said Marissa Blake-Zweiber, editor of The Onion Style and Entertainment.

[Montmorency]

The task of integrating the North into a unified Korea will be orders of magnitude more costly than East Germany

Most estimates are what, $1-5 trillion?

One factor that may make the South Korean govt eager to 'acquire' North Korea is the potential of cheap labor and a huge boost for Korean construction, etc. Lot of work to do on the infrastructure, etc. The ideological indoctrination of the populace may be a problem for this, perhaps - but AFAIK North Koreans have no problem with their cousins. After a few years of unification, I don't see why one should expect hostility and intransigence from a "liberated" North Korean people.

And does China really want a unified, western-friendly Korea on it's doorstep?

Perhaps guarantees of no American military presence beyond the established boundary?

[Beskar]

Perhaps guarantees of no American military presence beyond the established boundary?

Pakistan. Osama.

[Montmorency]

If we desired to perform drone strikes or black ops in China, we probably could do so now. A divided Korea isn't what's stopping us...

The point being, China has concerns of us violating their national boundary should we get all of Korea to walk on. Not in the small-time sense of the above - it's the strategic position of having combat-ready brigades right along their border. Just in case there's war, of course.

[drone]

Perhaps guarantees of no American military presence beyond the established boundary?

I was thinking more on the lines of a unified Korea being a serious industrial competitor. After unification, I imagine the US military presence on the peninsula will decrease greatly.