• North Korea sends rare announcement to all Koreans, calls for unification
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[U][B]North Korea sends rare announcement to all Koreans, calls for unification[/B][/U] [url]https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-southkorea-kcna/north-korea-sends-rare-announcement-to-all-koreans-calls-for-unification-idUSKBN1FD33I?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews[/url] [QUOTE] SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea sent a rare announcement addressed to “all Koreans at home and abroad” on Thursday, saying they should make a “breakthrough” for unification [B]without the help of other countries[/B], its state media said. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE] It added joint military drills with “outside forces” has shown to be unhelpful for the development of relations between North and South Korea. North Korea did not provide details why the meeting had been held but the statement said it was aimed to support leader Kim Jong Un’s remarks regarding unification from his New Year’s address. It said this year is meaningful for both North and South Korea as it is the 70th anniversary of the founding of North Korea while South Korea will be hosting the Winter Olympics next month. [/QUOTE]
Something tells me "no outside help" means they're planning the opposite of what they intend.
*must be united under North Korean leadership
[QUOTE=Sombrero;53078959]Something tells me "no outside help" means they're planning the opposite of what they intend.[/QUOTE] This could be a hallow gesture meant to cause a divide between SK and USA for several reasons: At surface value, this could just be a gesture just to make US look like the aggressors with rumors of a "bloody nose" preemptive attack being planned, while North Korea "works towards peace" with the Olympics and the proposed reunification. (And, also, it could make the US look like they are losing their standing by not being involved in the peace talks.) If they reunite, however, North Korea could try to assert leadership over the reunited Korea and try to strong-arm out the US presence in South Korea. South Korea has so far shown reconciliatory gestures towards NK during the Olympics planning, taking on somewhat of a subservient position to not escalate tensions towards nuclear war. Plus, if NK tries anything stupid in the future while united with SK, SK would be in the position of either trying to play along with North Korea so as to not speak out against their newly integrated allies, or they [I]could[/I] speak out but cause tensions within the newly reunified Korea while also not having the backing of the US presence in SK. (That, or any say SK has could just be vetoed.) China would probably stand to benefit from this too; with the US presence being booted from SK, they would be the ones to help North Korea engage in modernization and become more integrated into the global economy. Plus, in the event of regime change or the fall of a united Korea, China would no longer have to worry about a US military presence at their border in SK.
The best option would be for North Korea to “thaw” and become Diet China. The process would take two decades at least, and would strain the DPRK significantly. With that, we could have two Koreas, much like how we have two Chinas.
[QUOTE=Zillamaster55;53079190]The best option would be for North Korea to “thaw” and become Diet China. The process would take two decades at least, and would strain the DPRK significantly. With that, we could have two Koreas, much like how we have two Chinas.[/QUOTE] For some reason Diet China was really goddamn funny
[QUOTE=Luni;53078962]*must be united under North Korean leadership[/QUOTE] "We'll accept all the south's money, aid, technology, and social standing, in return we will share God Emperor Kim and his glory with them."
I think they've done this before, a couple of years ago. There was even a thread on facepunch about it.
I can see Kim being serious about this. America is not the biggest threat to him. Neither is South Korea, or China. The thing I'd be afraid of more than anything else, if I was him, would be my own people. The country is failing and dictators can't keep their grip on a collapsing country forever. Eventually, there will be either a coup, or an open revolt. Kim's done a pretty thorough (paranoid) job of eliminating anyone who might start a coup... so all that's left is a revolt. He has measures against that, too - the classic hold of the military, special bodyguard units specifically trained for fighting lightly-armed mobs. Honestly, I think it's more likely his nukes are aimed at North Korea than at any other country. A revolt ends badly for him. They're not just going to shoot him. If the revolution is successful, if they get their hands on him... it's going to be ugly. It's going to be painful. If I were Kim Jong-un, about now I'd be looking to trade whatever I could, even the whole country, in exchange for some kind of getaway. Reunification, combined with him stepping down, spoils the whole motive for a peasant revolt. He steps down, gives up the nukes, the sanctions and embargoes end, he gets remembered as the man who gave up power to do the right thing, and now nobody wants him dead anymore. Go retire to a mansion in China or somewhere.
Just to add on to this [url]https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/01/23/unified-korea-possible-if-its-peaceful-chinese-ambassador-cui-tiankai/1059209001/[/url] [quote]Cui said China would support reunification if it is the will of the Korean people. “As long as it's peaceful, it’s independent (and) by the Korean people, China will support it,” he said.[/quote] The big thing to note here is that a [b]Chinese[/b] politician is saying it, which means he had to clear it first with the government. This is important, because it means China is finally backing off from supporting North Korea and their disapproval of reunification, which is why the sudden change of heart from North Korea now makes sense.
[QUOTE=BeardyDuck;53080025]Just to add on to this [url]https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/01/23/unified-korea-possible-if-its-peaceful-chinese-ambassador-cui-tiankai/1059209001/[/url] The big thing to note here is that a [b]Chinese[/b] politician is saying it, which means he had to clear it first with the government. This is important, because it means China is finally backing off from supporting North Korea and their disapproval of reunification, which is why the sudden change of heart from North Korea now makes sense.[/QUOTE] They got a functional nuclear missle system now. I think that is the prime reason why they feel far more secure for opening up for cooperations.
I think the "without the help of other countries", might be as a response to the tweet Trump sent in which he attributed the "willingness" of N.K to talk with S.K to his own actions.
[QUOTE=Luni;53078962]*must be united under North Korean leadership[/QUOTE] [url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-feffer/korean-reunification-the_b_7597430.html]This article[/url] shows how some North Koreans actually think about reunification and what system a unified Korea should adopt. They talked to 100 North Koreans in China who aren't defectors, but are spending time in China either working or "visiting relatives." If you guys don't wanna read it all then here's the most important part: [QUOTE]Like South Koreans, the North Koreans showed a lot of interest in reunification: 95 of them said that it was necessary, largely for economic reasons. An overwhelming number believed that they would personally benefit from reunification. ... When asked about the system that a reunified Korea should adopt, the answers were even more startling. Only 14 opted for North Korean socialism, and 26 chose a compromise between the two systems. On the other hand, 34 respondents preferred the South Korean system and 24 others didn’t care which system the unified country adopts. [/QUOTE] Of course these 100 people don't represent the opinion of the whole country and certainly not the government, but it's really the best idea we have on what North Koreans actually think about this stuff.
Tis the start of Homefront guys, they'll join together and form Greater Korea, start making and selling better tech to the rest of the world with kill switches fitted then boom, turn them on and raid everyone while they're fucked.
It's wild how the narrative on North Korea has been swinging around fairly widely lately - lots of moves that seem to stick out from the expected stories of previous years. Who knows if its just a temporary detente but maybe it can signal good things in years to come?
[QUOTE=Trebgarta;53080335]People always exaggerate "indoctrination".[/QUOTE] No way, North Korea really is [I]exactly[/I] how it's portrayed by media outlets in hostile nations with literally incalculable investments in keeping the DRPK open as a political punching bag or war profiteering opportunity, the subversion and sabotage of non-capitalist states worldwide, the suppression of war crimes, and the prevention of foreign powers from gaining the ability to defend themselves from imperialist influence. If anything, western journalism [I]under[/I]-reports the atrocious depravity there I'd say.
[QUOTE=Luni;53078962]*must be united under North Korean leadership[/QUOTE] This is the main point. No one was ever against a unified Korea. It was always a matter of saying "great! Just sign here and you'll become a part of us and..." "Wait a minute... Part of you? No, you become part of [I]us.[/I]"
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