North Korea fires artillery on the South

[Chaos]

For starters, the new nuke plant they're building could be turned into a pile of rubble.

After which they turn a sizeable chunk of Seoul into rubble. Congratulations, you just got a lot of innocent people killed.

 

[RenaissanceBiker]

If the US stopped buying cheap Chinese crap, it would seriously harm their economy.

As well as our own. Close all the Wal-Marts?

And the USN CVBG(s) that would be in the middle.

No, in exchange for us just sailing away to the Yellow Sea, China would shut down their border with North Korea and let the Kim family fall. That was my proposed solution.

 

[dtugg]

As well as our own. Close all the Wal-Marts?

Anything that China produces could be produced elsewhere. And if it were in the USA that this stuff was produced, it would be a help to the economy. Yeah, stuff in Wal-Mart would be a little more expensive but I think it would be worth it overall.

No, in exchange for us just sailing away to the Yellow Sea, China would shut down their border with North Korea and let the Kim family fall. That was my proposed solution.

Oh, I guess I wasn't following too closely.

 

[Undesired Walrus]

One would have thought this news would have eclipsed all others. But no, I pick up my London Evening Standard yesterday and the first nine pages are devoted to the wedding of William & Kate! Who was designing the latter's dress was of more importance than a potential war in the Korean peninsula but whatever.

 

[paiute]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40329269/ns/world_news-asiapacific

I seriously doubt if the residents of this Island will ever return. North Korea disputes ownership of this Island.

North Korea is Best Shot Korea!

 

[WildCat]

Actually, if China decides to call in American debt, we will all be working in a laundry next year.

How do they "call in the debt"? Treasury bonds don't work that way.

 

[Captain.Sassy]

One would have thought this news would have eclipsed all others. But no, I pick up my London Evening Standard yesterday and the first nine pages are devoted to the wedding of William & Kate! Who was designing the latter's dress was of more importance than a potential war in the Korean peninsula but whatever.

UWdude is abrasive but he's not 100% out to lunch, eh?

Anyways, hopefully this just gets added to the long list of provocations and skirmishes on the peninsula.

 

[WildCat]

After which they turn a sizeable chunk of Seoul into rubble. Congratulations, you just got a lot of innocent people killed.

"South Korea’s president says Seoul will unleash an “enormous retaliation” should North Korea attack again."

If that's what they're going to do, may as well take out the nuke plant while they're at it.

 

[Captain.Sassy]

but please, present your peaceful solution to the problem.

What about a mutual draw-down of SK and NK forces in the region into defensive postures? NK sounds like it relies on artillery as a first step in a strategy to capture Seoul, but keeping its artillery pointed at Seoul could be considered a defensive deterrent. This kind of drawdown could be coupled with the US guaranteeing it will come to SK's defense if and only if SK is attacked by the North, and China guaranteeing it will come to NK's defense if and only if NK is attacked by the South, with both China and the US declaring they will not give any assistance if there is not a clear aggressor. At the same time, get both sides to agree to stop military tests and drills in near the DMZ or on any disputed border. Keep building on SK investments into NK and let China slowly lean on NK and push it to reform (read somewhere that CHina had been doing gentle prodding towards reform in both NK and Burma).

I dunno.

 

[DC]

What about a mutual draw-down of SK and NK forces in the region into defensive postures? NK sounds like it relies on artillery as a first step in a strategy to capture Seoul, but keeping its artillery pointed at Seoul could be considered a defensive deterrent. This kind of drawdown could be coupled with the US guaranteeing it will come to SK's defense if and only if SK is attacked by the North, and China guaranteeing it will come to NK's defense if and only if NK is attacked by the South, with both China and the US declaring they will not give any assistance if there is not a clear aggressor. At the same time, get both sides to agree to stop military tests and drills in near the DMZ or on any disputed border. Keep building on SK investments into NK and let China slowly lean on NK and push it to reform (read somewhere that CHina had been doing gentle prodding towards reform in both NK and Burma).

I dunno.

yes and we continue to feed the people of north korea with our taxmoney, while kim is living in luxury.

 

[WildCat]

What about a mutual draw-down of SK and NK forces in the region into defensive postures? NK sounds like it relies on artillery as a first step in a strategy to capture Seoul, but keeping its artillery pointed at Seoul could be considered a defensive deterrent. This kind of drawdown could be coupled with the US guaranteeing it will come to SK's defense if and only if SK is attacked by the North, and China guaranteeing it will come to NK's defense if and only if NK is attacked by the South, with both China and the US declaring they will not give any assistance if there is not a clear aggressor. At the same time, get both sides to agree to stop military tests and drills in near the DMZ or on any disputed border. Keep building on SK investments into NK and let China slowly lean on NK and push it to reform (read somewhere that CHina had been doing gentle prodding towards reform in both NK and Burma).

I dunno.

The US started pulling most of its troops out of the DMZ back in 2003: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/06/w...mz-to-cut-war-risk.html?scp=3&sq=korea&st=nyt

Doesn't seem to have helped anything.

 

[Undesired Walrus]

What about agreeing with China how many North Korean refugees individual countries would take (Germany 2%, Russia 5% etc) if the regime imploded, rather than them all fleeing to China. That's their biggest reason to keep the regime stable, is it not?

 

[Captain.Sassy]

What about agreeing with China how many North Korean refugees individual countries would take (Germany 2%, Russia 5% etc) if the regime imploded, rather than them all fleeing to China. That's their biggest reason to keep the regime stable, is it not?

Definitely a big concern. Read a SK diplo quoted as saying that SK didn't want a NK implosion either. Someone else in this thread also mentioned NK as a buffer.* Not sure how relevant this is now i.e. how concerned China is with the military implications of having NK as an ally. Also read an assessment somewhere that China liked NK as a lever in discussions with US but not sure how much credence I give that view these days.











*let's get rrrrrready to rrruuummmmmmbbbblllleeee

 

[Captain.Sassy]

The US started pulling most of its troops out of the DMZ back in 2003: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/06/w...mz-to-cut-war-risk.html?scp=3&sq=korea&st=nyt

Doesn't seem to have helped anything.

That's a good point, but the reduction is not completely unambiguous:

"Several aspects of the security relationship are changing as the U.S. moves from a leading to a supporting role. In 2004, agreement was reached on the return of the Yongsan base in Seoul--as well as a number of other U.S. bases--to the R.O.K. and the eventual relocation of all U.S. forces to south of the Han River. In addition, the U.S. and R.O.K. agreed to move 12,500 of the 37,500 U.S. troops out of Korea by 2008. At the same time U.S. troops are being redeployed from Korea, the U.S. will bolster combined U.S./R.O.K. deterrent and defense capabilities by providing $11 billion in force enhancements in Korea and at regional facilities over the next four years. "

Still, like I said, a good point.

 

[WildCat]

According to this story of the 170 shells NK fired, 90 of them landed in the water. Not very accurate shooting.

155mm shells fired by SK in retaliation apparently were quite accurate, and destroyed most of the NK guns. Only 20 shells were fired by NK after the SK guns responded.

 

[NWO Sentryman]

Here's how i would deal with Best Korea.

I would send a message to Pyongyang telling them that any further attacks would mean a B-52 will come along and deploy JDAMs on a North Korean military target. Meanwhile, work out a deal with China to mollify them and get them to play ball.

Any further attacks and all of North Korea's military infrastructure is fair game for retaliation.

 

[timhau]

Here's how i would deal with Best Korea.

He said it! I must... resist... must.... NOOOOO!!!

 

[Undesired Walrus]

I'd guard against the West being too overconfident in condemning China for their alliance. It's not that unusual for the Western powers to also make alliances with repellent regimes for their own benefit.

 

[timhau]

According to this story of the 170 shells NK fired, 90 of them landed in the water. Not very accurate shooting.

155mm shells fired by SK in retaliation apparently were quite accurate, and destroyed most of the NK guns. Only 20 shells were fired by NK after the SK guns responded.

Heh. Of course, that's SK military talking, but perhaps the Northern artillery isn't quite as up-to-date as they'd want.

BTW, you just gots to love the way South Koreans name things:

The K9 is a South Korean self-propelled howitzer developed for the South Korean military by Samsung Techwin.

With K-9 artillery made by Tech-Win, fail is not an option.

 

[NWO Sentryman]

One thing i never understood. Why didn't South Korea pull an Operation Opera like Israel did back in 1981.