South Korea says North Korea has launched an artillery attack on one of its border islands, reportedly killing two South Korean soldiers. South Korea has now returned fire as it slips into its highest non wartime alert. It's a "reckless provocation" accordingly to Professor Zhu Feng from Peking University, whilst Dr. Park Young believes this is North Korea flexing its muscles.
"Although I can't be certain of the rationale behind North Korea's attacks yet, I see it as North Korea's intention to turn this region into a conflict zone so that it can bring the concerned parties to the discussion table....By showing that it has nuclear capacity and by firing artillery shells today, I think it is trying to make a point that it is militarily capable and thus should not be lightly regarded. Ultimately, I think it is strategically seeking to tilt talks concerning the contested Northern Limit Line and the peace treaty toward its advantage." Is this attention seeking behaviour that should be ignored, or are South Koreans right to be concerned?
Bill emailed - South Korea, Japan, and the US should end the north korean threat by launching massive, unannounced, preemptive strikes against the north korean nuclear program, military, and government. Their repeated criminal acts and outright blackmail warrant nothing less.
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18:34
115377721
Shammua from Barbados. Most people don鈥檛 even know the history of the Korean situation. North Korea is Branded as the bad guy through carefully organized filtered news. What is the history of this tense situation, who created this problem, was it orchestrated by outside interest?
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18:31
114205246
Dut Gak in Rumbek Southern Sudan. North K. is a bad regime with foolish inhertanced ideas.
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18:32
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John in Lake Oswego on the blog - When I think of North Korea the image that comes to mind is of Josef Stalin doing an impression of Rodney Dangerfield
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18:32
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The recent provocative attacked by north korea is unaceptable, and at the same time i am apealing to the south to show maturity and remain focus to peace, shame on the america, from Alussein Chelsea in kailahun, sierra leone.@
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18:30
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Francis in Juba, south Sudan emails - such indiscriminate shelling is barbaric and unjustified. North Korea should be punished for trying to cause instability in the peninsula. This reminds me of what Northern Sudan was doing in South Sudan and Darfur.
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18:30
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Matt in Vancouver, Canada - What if China, Russia or even South Korea opened the border with North Korea and invited, and possibly even paid, North Korean soldiers to defect? Wouldn't North Korea simply collapse and could be re-united with South Korea? Is this plausible?
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18:30
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Wiamah Browne from Monrovia, Liberia emailed - North Korea has been constructing her nuclear weapons for a very long time. I think they are finding a way to unleash their weapons as a try to tell the world that they are prepare for any provocation.
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18:27
113631290
Francis from Juba, south Sudan, emailed - such indiscriminate shelling is barbaric and unjustified. North Korea should be punished for trying to cause instability in the peninsula. This reminds me of what Northern Sudan was doing in South Sudan and Darfur.
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18:25
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Pukar - Stop showing North Korea as a demon. Why is the whole world blaming North Korea only? Every action has equal and opposite reaction. So why is media not focusing on the role of South Korea in this conflict?
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18:23
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Elias on the blog - Continued appeasement only brings more confrontaton from the North. They should be told very clearly it is not acceptable and to appologise and pay restituion for their recent attack
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18:20
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Kate in Zambia - I'm a bit scared, sure. I believe the north koreans behave this way cos the rulers know they can get away with it. There's nothing anyone can do cos china will stand by them.
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18:20
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Chidozie in Nigeria - Of course, I am scared of North Korea as long as they enjoy the support of Mighty China. The US should take a backseat and let China take the lead in resolving the Korean crisis
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18:18
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Mark - Yes, I'm scared... nukes are involved, and it seems nothing can restrain their aggression.
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18:17
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Sanousi Sesay in Kenema, Sierra Leone - The world has to be careful in responding to the north/South Korea crisis. Flexing muscles and plying tough will only worsen the crisis in the region.
Are you scared of North Korea?
| Tuesday, 11 Nov. 2010 | 18:06 - 19:00 GMT
South Korea says North Korea has launched an artillery attack on one of its border islands, reportedly killing two South Korean soldiers. South Korea has now returned fire as it slips into its highest non wartime alert.
It's a "reckless provocation" accordingly to Professor Zhu Feng from Peking University, whilst Dr. Park Young believes this is North Korea flexing its muscles.
"Although I can't be certain of the rationale behind North Korea's attacks yet, I see it as North Korea's intention to turn this region into a conflict zone so that it can bring the concerned parties to the discussion table....By showing that it has nuclear capacity and by firing artillery shells today, I think it is trying to make a point that it is militarily capable and thus should not be lightly regarded. Ultimately, I think it is strategically seeking to tilt talks concerning the contested Northern Limit Line and the peace treaty toward its advantage."
Is this attention seeking behaviour that should be ignored, or are South Koreans right to be concerned?
Your comments
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Bill emailed - South Korea, Japan, and the US should end the north korean threat by launching massive, unannounced, preemptive strikes against the north korean nuclear program, military, and government. Their repeated criminal acts and outright blackmail warrant nothing less.
Comment sent via SMS
Shammua from Barbados. Most people don鈥檛 even know the history of the Korean situation. North Korea is Branded as the bad guy through carefully organized filtered news. What is the history of this tense situation, who created this problem, was it orchestrated by outside interest?
Comment sent via SMS
Dut Gak in Rumbek Southern Sudan. North K. is a bad regime with foolish inhertanced ideas.
Comment sent via BLOG
John in Lake Oswego on the blog - When I think of North Korea the image that comes to mind is of Josef Stalin doing an impression of Rodney Dangerfield
Comment sent via SMS
The recent provocative attacked by north korea is unaceptable, and at the same time i am apealing to the south to show maturity and remain focus to peace, shame on the america, from Alussein Chelsea in kailahun, sierra leone.@
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Francis in Juba, south Sudan emails - such indiscriminate shelling is barbaric and unjustified. North Korea should be punished for trying to cause instability in the peninsula. This reminds me of what Northern Sudan was doing in South Sudan and Darfur.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Matt in Vancouver, Canada - What if China, Russia or even South Korea opened the border with North Korea and invited, and possibly even paid, North Korean soldiers to defect? Wouldn't North Korea simply collapse and could be re-united with South Korea? Is this plausible?
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Wiamah Browne from Monrovia, Liberia emailed - North Korea has been constructing her nuclear weapons for a very long time. I think they are finding a way to unleash their weapons as a try to tell the world that they are prepare for any provocation.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Francis from Juba, south Sudan, emailed - such indiscriminate shelling is barbaric and unjustified. North Korea should be punished for trying to cause instability in the peninsula. This reminds me of what Northern Sudan was doing in South Sudan and Darfur.
Comment sent via Facebook
Pukar - Stop showing North Korea as a demon. Why is the whole world blaming North Korea only? Every action has equal and opposite reaction. So why is media not focusing on the role of South Korea in this conflict?
Comment sent via BLOG
Elias on the blog - Continued appeasement only brings more confrontaton from the North. They should be told very clearly it is not acceptable and to appologise and pay restituion for their recent attack
Comment sent via Facebook
Kate in Zambia - I'm a bit scared, sure. I believe the north koreans behave this way cos the rulers know they can get away with it. There's nothing anyone can do cos china will stand by them.
Comment sent via Facebook
Chidozie in Nigeria - Of course, I am scared of North Korea as long as they enjoy the support of Mighty China. The US should take a backseat and let China take the lead in resolving the Korean crisis
Comment sent via Facebook
Mark - Yes, I'm scared... nukes are involved, and it seems nothing can restrain their aggression.
Comment sent via Facebook
Sanousi Sesay in Kenema, Sierra Leone - The world has to be careful in responding to the north/South Korea crisis. Flexing muscles and plying tough will only worsen the crisis in the region.