N.Korea launches more missiles

[efq]

North Korea has reportedly launched two short-range missiles off its east coast, heightening tensions in the wake of its nuclear test.


The Yonhap news agency cited unnamed government sources as saying the weapons have a range of about 80 miles.
One was a surface-to-air missile and the other was a ground-to-ship missile, reports said.
Kim Jong Il's rogue state said it had successfully detonated an atomic bomb for the second time in its history on Monday. It also launched three short-range missiles.
The test prompted unanimous condemnation from the UN Security Council (http://indepth.news.sky.com/InDepth/topic/Un_Security_Council).
Chinese and South Korean (http://indepth.news.sky.com/InDepth/topic/South_Korea) defence chiefs are to hold a rare meeting to plan their response to the escalating crisis.
North Korea (http://indepth.news.sky.com/InDepth/topic/North_Korea) said it was prepared for any attack by the United States following its announcement of the missile launch.
"Our army and people are fully ready for battle… against any reckless pre-emptive attack," the North Korea News Agency reported.
The UN is now starting work on a new resolution describing Monday's underground nuclear blast as a clear violation of a 2006 resolution banning such tests.




China has condemned the nuclear test, but it won't agree to sanctions it fears would destabilise the country, potentially triggering waves of North Korean refugees across its shared 800 mile border. (http://news/sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/North-Korea-UN-Security-Council-Must-Agree-On-Sanctions-That-Satisfy-Japan-Korea-And-China/Article/200905415288685)


South Korea has announced it will become a full member of a US-led initiative to curb the movement of weapons of mass destruction in and out of North Korea.
The North has previously said that Seoul's participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative would be seen as "a declaration of war".
Analysts say Kim Jong Ill is anxious to strengthen his political position within his regime before he can announce which of his three sons will succeed him.
"North Korea can only be hawkish this time because time is running out for Kim," said Jang Cheol Hyeon from the National Security Strategy Institute in South Korea.
"The recent military moves are yet another signal of trying to invite the US to negotiations."
N.Korea have guts, I'll give them that. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/North-Korea-Launches-Short-Range-Missiles-Off-Its-East-Coast-After-Nuclear-Test-Blast-Reports-Say/Article/200905415288624?lpos=World_News_Carousel_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15288624_North_Korea_Launches_Short_Ra nge_Missiles_Off_Its_East_Coast_After_Nuclear_Test _Blast%2C_Reports_Say

[Accipiter]

Are they serious?

I hate americans but srsly, america would stamp on them. America could just nuke them if they felt like it, korea can just try and detonate when its flying 10 foot infront of them, Gl.

[GrandTheftAudio]

All aboard for the nuclear war.

[Technologic]

North Korea is so awesome, when i grow up i want to be an authoritarian dictatorship

[Fez]

They can only send their missiles to their local neighbours and since America is 5 lightyears away from them, you can tell they'd sort things out before Mr.Dictator even got to taste his morning marmalade.

[UKIP]

As I have said before, North Korea is only the start of a potential crisis which could occur, say if the worst came to the worst and North and South became locked in a war against eachother, the United States and NATO would obviously support the South. That leaves the question that was answered in the 1950s, will the Peoples Republic of China become involved as the communist regime in North Korea collapses and NATO and South Korean forces near its borders, or like in the last Korean War, will the Peoples Republic of China send a few hundred thousand 'volunteers', or worse.

[Technologic]

China is different, there is too much at stake for them to support the DPRK, and the only reason they 'support' them is to stop the whole population of the country fleeing into China. They know for a fact that as soon as the government collapses everyone will leave, through China mainly. The fact is, the only way to rid of the government in the DPRK is to slowly pick it apart, not blow it up.

[UKIP]

The Peoples Republic of China supports the North Korean regime, because a united Korea would mean South Korea in control, and South Korea is a product of the United States, if the PROC had such a prosperous country on its border that has free elections and so forth, that would undermine the social communist policy within China, therefore making the country unstable. Add that with the fact that communist regimes are always paranoid, China certainly do not want America on its border.

[Technologic]

Yes but you're only talking about the politics of it all, Who is China's largest customer? The US. The economy will always be too large an issue to go to war. If China goes against the west they lose virtually ALL commerce.

Also, nobody would dare strike the DPRK anyway, like half the population is in the armed forces

[UKIP]

None of that matters to communists, take the USSR and USA from 1945 to the 1990's, the USSR was prepared to block, invade and even launch nuclear strikes on the United States. They don't care about their people, just take the Japanese Empire as an example in World War II, they refused to give up, despite massive casualties and promoting suicide missions amongst their soldiers. That is the way it works in that part of the world.

If China feels the United States/South Korea are a threat to the regime then it will act. As for numbers of armed forces, Iraq had a large army yet NATO pushed it out of Kuwait when its army was at its strongest. Numbers aren't everything. The chances of North Korean armed forces joining the South Korean forces would be quite strong, as many want a united korea and once they see the different between socialist north and democratic south it would certainly make most of the soldiers whose people are in poverty, think who their alligences are with.

[Technologic]

I still have my doubts that china would fight for the DPRK, the fact is China was exactly like the DPRK in the 50's during he war but it's completely different nowadays.

Also you might find this interesting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujtp-70zQME&feature=related

It's an educational program on how to use protractors

[Frodo13.]

I agree with UKIP on this one. China is a ruthless state who will do whatever to maintain it's power and influence. If that means war with the West, then so be it. Tibet is a prime example of this.

[Technologic]

China may still be strict and authoritarian but i tell you it is nothing like it was.

[UKIP]

It has loosened up yes, but only economically mostly as its economic policy is now capitalist and is no longer communism/socialist, hence the immense wealth that has poured into China. However they will still hang on to power, hence why any uprisings are put down and the fact that China will not hestitate to invade Taiwan if Taiwan declares independance or even signs treaties such as joining NATO. Taiwan being such a important friend to the United States, if China are prepared to invade Taiwan then i'm sure nothing will put them off supporting a collapsing Norht Korean regime.

[alexxxxx]

China wouldn't dare support the North Koreans. Would not dare. Tens of thousands are losing their jobs a day in China because of the downturn, US/EU put sanctions on them, stop importing, it'll only get worse for them. The Chinese are barely communist these days, with their free economic areas. Why should they give a damn about N Korea, it's smaller than Wales and has nothing....

Oh and China and Taiwan's relationship is slowly turning to the good side, there are now direct flights from China to Taiwan. It's not like China have really done THAT much the Hong Kong or Macau after taking over them either, they still have elections and still are self-governing.

[UKIP]

China wouldn't dare support the North Koreans. Would not dare. Tens of thousands are losing their jobs a day in China because of the downturn, US/EU put sanctions on them, stop importing, it'll only get worse for them. The Chinese are barely communist these days, with their free economic areas. Why should they give a damn about N Korea, it's smaller than Wales and has nothing....

China would dare to invade Taiwan, a key friend of the west if Taiwan declared independance, they are serious. China do give a damn, hence the reason why the North Korean regime has lasted as long as it has. If China didn't give a damn then they wouldn't of pushed back the Americans in the last Korean War, and if they didn't give a damn, they certainly wouldn't be supplying North Korea with basic needs that it requires, because without China the regime would of collapsed a long long time ago.

As for Taiwan, China may be doing all of this air flights to and from China, the fact still remains they have their sights on taking back Taiwan eventually. Hong Kong cannot be touched by China as when we handed it over in 1997 we made sure Hong Kong was free from mainland chinese rule for at least 50 years, China are bound by that promise and therefore cannot abolish the elections in Hong Kong as it is a special province.

[Technologic]

Like i said, the only reason they support North Korea is so they dont have to deal with their issues.

[alexxxxx]

China would dare to invade Taiwan, a key friend of the west if Taiwan declared independance, they are serious. China do give a damn, hence the reason why the North Korean regime has lasted as long as it has. If China didn't give a damn then they wouldn't of pushed back the Americans in the last Korean War, and if they didn't give a damn, they certainly wouldn't be supplying North Korea with basic needs that it requires, because without China the regime would of collapsed a long long time ago.

As for Taiwan, China may be doing all of this air flights to and from China, the fact still remains they have their sights on taking back Taiwan eventually. Hong Kong cannot be touched by China as when we handed it over in 1997 we made sure Hong Kong was free from mainland chinese rule for at least 50 years, China are bound by that promise and therefore cannot abolish the elections in Hong Kong as it is a special province.
Taiwan already DO say they are independant and until recently Taiwan said they were the rightful leaders of the PROC also. Taiwan is self-governing and is independant of the PROC.

They are bound to the promise, but if they are so hardline that they would dare to invade taiwan, why don't they break it and seize full control? It's because they have no need to and no need to with Taiwan either. They say HK should never have been given to us, we aren't exactly going to fly into hong kong and the portugese aren't going to fly down into Macau to rescue a few million people from them if they did abolish 'freedom' there.

[UKIP]

Taiwan already DO say they are independant and until recently Taiwan said they were the rightful leaders of the PROC also. Taiwan is self-governing and is independant of the PROC.

They are bound to the promise, but if they are so hardline that they would dare to invade taiwan, why don't they break it and seize full control? It's because they have no need to and no need to with Taiwan either. They say HK should never have been given to us, we aren't exactly going to fly into hong kong and the portugese aren't going to fly down into Macau to rescue a few million people from them if they did abolish 'freedom' there.

It has never declared formal independance, China have said if that ever occurs then it will result in them invading and rushing the 'One China' policy they hold. They have what they wanted, they have Hong Kong and Macau back in chinese hands. Maybe one day they will do that, depending on what direction the regime takes.

They have achieved their aim now, Macau and Hong Kong are now in the hands of China, they are deadly serious about Taiwan, they are hell bent on Taiwan being incorporated back into China, thus why Taiwan dares not to declare formal independance.

[alexxxxx]

It has never declared formal independance, China have said if that ever occurs then it will result in them invading and rushing the 'One China' policy they hold. They have what they wanted, they have Hong Kong and Macau back in chinese hands. Maybe one day they will do that, depending on what direction the regime takes.

They have achieved their aim now, Macau and Hong Kong are now in the hands of China, they are deadly serious about Taiwan, they are hell bent on Taiwan being incorporated back into China, thus why Taiwan dares not to declare formal independance.

The Republic Of China call themnselves as a sovereign state whilst the PROC see them as a rogue area of the PROC.

I think that's close enough in my eyes. I don't think the ROC need to declare independance as they are independant already.

[UKIP]

The Republic Of China call themnselves as a sovereign state whilst the PROC see them as a rogue area of the PROC.

I think that's close enough in my eyes. I don't think the ROC need to declare independance as they are independant already.

They don't formally class themselves as independant though, and that makes all the difference as Chinas military is on standby for the moment they make that move.

[efq]

God I loved SkyNews presenter earlier, they were talking about it and they go "well if a war happened, here is the US jets and here are N.Korean jets, N.Korean jets are from the last war and will last about 6 seconds in the air" lmao

[Agnostic Bear]

This is a nuclear war I would support, Russia and China are condemning the attacks along with the rest of the world, it wouldn't be a nuclear holocaust, it would be the end of North Korea, something the world can do without.

[Agnostic Bear]

This is a nuclear war I would support, Russia and China are condemning the attacks along with the rest of the world, it wouldn't be a nuclear holocaust, it would be the end of North Korea, something the world can do without.
Launches! I meant launches and nukes. Although it's basically attacking.