North Korea: Threat or Blackmailer?

I think that if they feel isolated enough, and China apparently helped draft this newest sanction, they will reach out more to Iran, and Japan becomes a very effective "don't tread on me message". I'm not saying it will happen, but only that they could see a path where Iran feeds them nuclear material, and trade, and bolstered by that relationship they think they can get away with a nuke on Japan. It would not be the first time a closed regime misunderstood the way US policy gets made.

"Now our enemies are trying to make additional sanctions against us, but we can never accept this," said Ri Kum Il, a Pyongyang citizen at the rally. "We will make a preemptive nuclear attack against our enemies wherever they are and turn their strongholds into a sea of flames." Someone should have asked him: "What about decades of Juche? Was that all a lie to the people of NK?"

In the thread title I'd vote: Other. It's a tragedy.

nobody rattles the saber these days like DPRK. China would never let them fire a nuclear missle at us...all talk. My big problem with them is trading nuclear arms with terrorists groups.

I'd say that's everyones biggest fear.

Young inexperienced leader. Established military bureaucracy. Closed political system in which dissent is punished and information closely controlled. Economic dependency. Nine million active and active reserve army (1M active; 8M, active reserve).

Bad things my friends. Bad things.

Lots of 'em no doubt.
How professional they are is the question.

■The Reserve Military Training Unit consist of approximately 1.7 million persons (men 17-45 and unmarried women 17-30) who are not either in active duty or important rear area personnel. They are mobilized under supervision of provincial military units, for a total of forty days' training out of the year.
■The Worker-Peasant Militia is a combination of older men aged 45-60, along with men ages 17-45 and unmarried women ages 17-30 who are not included in Reserve Military Training Unit. They train for a total of thirty days out of the year. Their current numbers stand at 4.1 million.
■The Young Red Guards consist of 1.2 million male and female Higher Middle (High) School students aged 14-16. They are subject to a mandatory four-hour drill session every Saturday and a total of 160 hours of on-campus drills annually. A total of 450 hours of off-campus training is also mandatory.


Reserve Military Training Unit form the core of the reserves and are under the command of the Ministry of Defense in peace AND in wartime. Party Civil Defense Departments keep track of the Worker-Peasant Militia and the Young Red Guards in peace time, but the Ministry of Defense in contingencies.

Korean People's Army (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/army.htm)

My big problem with them is trading nuclear arms with terrorists groups.

It shouldn't be a fear. Nuclear material can be traced to its origin, so anything nuclear passed on to a terrorist would be traced back to NK in the event something were to happen. At that point, NK (or any other country) would be treated exactly the same as if they had launched the weapon themselves.

Take for instance, Pakistan. They are known supporters of terrorists, and hold nuclear weapons. Not a single solitary nuclear device or materials has ever been passed on. They know their existence would end if it did.

North Korea says 'prepare for war' following fresh UN sanctions - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/9917155/North-Korea-says-prepare-for-war-following-fresh-UN-sanctions.html)

I love North Korean propaganda videos. Hilarious.


NK is thumping its chest wanting attention like a spoiled brat. It most likely wants more "funding" from us to feed their starving people, even though they'd rather use that money for weaponry. I would dare those assholes to do something. China is fed up with them, as is the rest of the world. WE SEE YOU, NOW SIT THE **** DOWN AND SHUT UP. THANKS!

It shouldn't be a fear. Nuclear material can be traced to its origin, so anything nuclear passed on to a terrorist would be traced back to NK in the event something were to happen. At that point, NK (or any other country) would be treated exactly the same as if they had launched the weapon themselves.

Take for instance, Pakistan. They are known supporters of terrorists, and hold nuclear weapons. Not a single solitary nuclear device or materials has ever been passed on. They know their existence would end if it did.

Didnt know it could be traced, thats very interesting. I just dont think they would be the ones to fire the weapon, more likely to pass it off to another to use agaisnt us.

I think China would go absolutely ape-shit, they wouldnt want a US backed country up against their border. NK would cease to exist after they launch a nuclear missle.

It would be WW3, Europe, US, SK, Aust, Japan, would probably engage fairly quickly. China's hands would be tied, no way could they defend a pre emptive launch of a nuclear weapon.

Didnt know it could be traced, thats very interesting. I just dont think they would be the ones to fire the weapon, more likely to pass it off to another to use agaisnt us.

I think China would go absolutely ape-shit, they wouldnt want a US backed country up against their border. NK would cease to exist after they launch a nuclear missle.

It would be WW3, Europe, US, SK, Aust, Japan, would probably engage fairly quickly. China's hands would be tied, no way could they defend a pre emptive launch of a nuclear weapon.

I don't think it's as simple as them having some barometer showing "This is X's enriched uranium", but I positive they would be able to break down the composition and tell which reactor (and make) it came from, thereby narrowing down the possibilities.

Nuclear bomb debris holds clues to who planted it - science-in-society - 08 November 2010 - New Scientist (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19699-nuclear-bomb-debris-holds-clues-to-who-planted-it.html)


As far as NK goes, I wouldn't put it past China to invade NK before we could just so that scenario you mention didn't happen.

I don't think it's as simple as them having some barometer showing "This is X's enriched uranium", but I positive they would be able to break down the composition and tell which reactor (and make) it came from, thereby narrowing down the possibilities.

Nuclear bomb debris holds clues to who planted it - science-in-society - 08 November 2010 - New Scientist (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19699-nuclear-bomb-debris-holds-clues-to-who-planted-it.html)


As far as NK goes, I wouldn't put it past China to invade NK before we could just so that scenario you mention didn't happen.

Sounds more like you would have to make an educated guess at best. We could let Collen Powell present the evidence to the UN. I hear he is pretty good at that. You say don't fear it getting into the wrong hands but that's our goverments biggest fear and why we care who has the capability.