Is anybody worried about North Korea ?

[Papaumau]

After the sudden death of North Korean leader Kim Jong il there is a risk that North Korea could fall into a state of dangerous flux. It was reported yesterday that Kim Jong un - the son of the leader - is expected to step into his shoes and bring stability to the country but as he is only 28 years old and the powerful army generals want the control this transition might not be as smooth as some would like.

It is a worry to me that such an unstable and heavily militarised country like North Korea - which incidentally has medium-ranged missiles and the capability to put nuclear weapons on them is controlled by such a sabre-rattling government.


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Anybody else concerned about this ?

[Dottie1943]

I am worried, I think they are even more dangerous than any Arab state!

I would be even more worried if they. Had something our government would want i.e. oil!!!

[Maisie]

No. Worry about it doesn't serve any purpose - there's nothing that I can do to affect the outcome.

[Papaumau]

Sorry Maisie, but that looks like the proverbial burying of one's head in the proverbial sand.

AS Dottie said: "because they don't have anything that we might want we are not going to see any Western country trying to help any time soon!"

The last time that the world was concerned about nuclear war was when the Russians tried to set up missile-bases in Cuba and it took the courage of a great American leader to shut that one down.

As North Korea IS still an ally of the Chinese it would take a pre-emptive nuclear strike on South Korea for the rest of the world to get interested. THEN, it would be too late.

[Maisie]

Not sure what you are suggesting ought to be done about the situation, Papa. But whatever happens, I still maintain that me worrying about it won't have any effect at all.

I feel that on the really big issues what the man on  the Clapham Omnibus thinks has little relevance to political leaders. You mention Kennedy, but he wasn't reacting to public opinion during the Cuban crisis - he was following the advice of his expert advisors. I'm happy to accept that on issues such as this those with a mandate have access to more information than me, and are wiser than me.

(At the end of the day, of course, there may not be anything to worry about, anyway). 

[Angelo]

Like most Comunist states I expect that big bad capitalism will overthrow them eventualy. So have patience !

[David G]

Am I worried about the ONE PARTY STATE of the Democratic ?? People's Republic of Korea ? not in the least.
As for ....Like most Communist states I expect that big bad capitalism will overthrow them eventually. So have patience !
Heaven forsake that should happen and destroy the paradise they inhabit at present, where their leaders are accepted as gods and when one of them dies the population burst into tears.
Just leave them alone in their robotic but happy ? existence. Just a thought, they couldn't possibly be living in fear could they? no, thought not.
P.S. not worried about Iran either.

[Maisie]

Am I worried about the ONE PARTY STATE of the Democratic ?? People's Republic of Korea ? not in the least.
As for ....Like most Communist states I expect that big bad capitalism will overthrow them eventually. So have patience !
Heaven forsake that should happen and destroy the paradise they inhabit at present, where their leaders are accepted as gods and when one of them dies the population burst into tears.
Just leave them alone in their robotic but happy ? existence. Just a thought, they couldn't possibly be living in fear could they? no, thought not.
P.S. not worried about Iran either.

[David G]

What part of my comment prompts you to say let's start a nuclear war? In case you didn't understand, I said leave them to it, they don't worry me, is that confrontational? it's the people they worry that are likely to start a war.

[Papaumau]

Sorry David but I cannot agree there as even although the people of North Korea have no democracy, the countries of the world that do should be able to encourage these rogue states to behave themselves.

The three points about North Korea that make me worry are 1), The country is ruled by a military junta. 2). It is not responsible to any other country in the world, ( other than maybe China, who do not want to be seen as interfering ). and 3). They DO have nuclear weapons and the capability to deliver them, and those three things together make them a very dangerous entity.

I don't think that they would ever use these nuclear weapons as if they did they would know that the act of  doing so could bring ten times what they could deliver raining down on their heads.

I do agree with Angelo that if we can just wait patiently the greed that is built into Capitalism will bring them down just as it did with the Soviet states and has started to happen already in China.

I just hope that we have the time to see this come about ! 

[David G]

I don't think that they would ever use these nuclear weapons as if they did they would know that the act of doing so could bring ten times what they could deliver raining down on their heads.

Exactly my point, the leaders know if they do use nuclear weapons they'll be well and truly annihilated, so why should I worry. Do I worry about the regime in their country? not at all, we can't and shouldn't force our ways on them as it'll backfire on us, it can only evolve over time.

[Angelo]

I am not so sure that they wouldn't use them in some fit of temprement. Clearly they have no feelings for their own people. You may remember how Mao and Pol Pot Hitler & Stalin dealt with their own people. Also Chinas Rhetoric, that they didn't fear a Nuclear War as they thought they could survive it. If the west wanted to survive it would have to get in quick and decisively. I cant see that happening ?
Woried NO ! i'm not worried,concerned yes.

[avalonmpk2]

They can't do anymore harm to Britain  than Gordon Brown and nobody seems to want to hold him to account - worried no China will squash them - and if China does not the Internet Will!!!

[Oldtimer]

I think we are looking at a nightmare scenario \the people of North Korea have been force fed propaganda for years.
If you saw the people and news readers crying at the loss of their Leader
was it real or was it false we will never know?
The military rules with an Iron fist no freedom of expression and we do not know about their leaders they could be perfectly ordinary every day Megalomaniac's.
A lot of the population are in the Armed forces and have been brought up on hatred for South Korea and the West.With the West at its weakest at the moment old enemies Eg Korea/Argentina can be trying to destabilize the |Western alliances.
A word to our leaders keep your eye on the ball do not relax for one minute!!

[Papaumau]

Yes Old Timer...  a lot of truth in what you say !

The thing is that if the capability IS there all it needs is for one nutter to be in power that has his finger on the button and then it will be too late.

Just like a trigger-finger the act of pulling it needs very little thought and once it is pulled it cannot then be un-pulled.

This is one time where I would be prepared to admit that the answer is in flagrant and complete Capitalism as all political philosophies fall in the face of the human greed that comes with Capitalism.

I think that eventually the riches that are being created in the South of the country will prove to be too much of a temptation for even the hardest line of the Northern old guard. In the meantime we just have to hope that that one "nutter" does not get his finger on that proverbial button.