subject: Why Does North Korea Continue To Threaten A Nuclear Attack [print this page] The Government of North Korea has begun a pattern of provocation and rhetoric which needs to be noted. They have attacked South Korea several times in the last few months. Both attacks have been unprovoked and have resulted in the deaths of fifty one South Korean servicemen and two civilians. The North Koreans claim that they were provoked on both occasions but that point is disputable. They attack, threaten an all out conflict, then show restraint when South Korea responds with a show of force. The moves always leave the South Koreans holding the bag because they are not left with a legitimate way to retaliate after all is said and done.
The first attack was the sinking of the South Korean naval vessel named the Cheonan. They torpedoed this ship and denied any action. The commission which was assigned to investigate determined that a North Korean torpedo was responsible but the North Koreans denied all involvement. They then proceeded to threaten an all out war if South Korea retaliated. South Korea and the US responded with a show of force close to the border but North Korea was too smart to allow it to escalate into anything more.
The most recent attack was the shelling of Yeonpyong Island which is close to the disputed waters of North Korea. The South Koreans responded with artillery fire but it was too little too late. The North once again threatened all out nuclear war if any provocative actions were taken. Once again the South conducted a large show of force and the North Koreans again did not respond to the subsequent actions of the South.
The attacks have left the South Korean government with the proverbial egg on its face because both times they were attacked in such a way that South Korea was not able to retaliate. The North Koreans must have an ulterior motive for their recent actions and whatever that motive is it must be important to them to cause them to risk an all out war by their actions.
We know that North Korea is in a famine and that they need aid to help to feed their population. Obviously their spending priorities are misplaced because they would rather spend their money on pursuing nuclear weapons rather than feeding their population. I believe that their actions are designed to draw the United States into negotiations with them so that they can add a foreign aid package to any settlement.
The country may very possibly be on the brink of economic collapse because of their impoverished situation and I would believe it is a good bet that the US and South Korea are sitting back and waiting on the economy of the north to implode.
The US and South Korea have both attempted to get the Chinese to reign in the North Koreans. China and North Korea are staunch allies and the Chinese are always slow to respond to any provocation by North Korea. As a matter of fact China is the reason that the UN failed to take any action against North Korea after the first attack. They would not allow the UN to put sanctions in place. They disagreed with the results of an impartial investigation which determined that North Korea was responsible for the sinking of the Cheonan but their reaction was more toned down after the last attack. North Korea seems to be desperate because of their actions and if I am correct in my analysis we will see one of two things in the near future. Either they will in fact implode or they will start another conflict on the Peninsula.Riceland Enterprises
