Little Korea’s big threat
North Korea, classified as part of the Axis of Evil by our former president, has long been suspected of building nuclear weapons. While the threat exists with nuclear development, without a means to deploy these weapons with the greatest effect, all that has existed was idle tension.
This is no longer true.
North Korea detonated yet another nuclear weapon last week, according to ABC News, in its underground test facility, while also test firing short range missiles said to be able to reach targets up to 160 kilometers away.
All of this comes shortly before a North-South summit was to take place, with the economy on top of the agenda list, but all the attention (and anti-missile batteries) are now focused on the North.
South Korea has deployed thousands of troops near the demilitarized zone, which sits only 35 miles north of South Korea’s capital, Seoul. Anti-air missile batteries have been deployed, all aimed at the sky over North Korea.
Technically, the war between the two Koreas never ended, only stopping at a cease-fire half a century ago. Since then, some attacks by the North have been made from attacking a Korea Air jet to a foiled assassination attempt on the South Korean president in the 1980s. Overt measures have ceased, but that’s not to say all attacks have stopped.
As tensions escalate, the United States made it clear that it sides firmly with the South Korea. So, it appears with Iraq winding down, Korea may just be starting up.
Rob @ June 8, 2009