This week we explored the history, political culture, economy and military capacity of North Korea. In preparation for an in class seminar on Tues (0, D, E block) you will be reflecting on our Aim question in an editorial/ opinionated response. Directions - Summarize the articles from the "Seminar Prep Handout" (they are also linked below.) Reflect on the AIM question in a response of 250 words or more. INclude references to the articles and notes you ascertained from this week's class (use your graphic organizer and the Guardian data as well.) Be sure to include some evidence from our class sources and articles (linked below) in your response.
Additionally, bring two questions or comments prepared to support your participation in a seminar Tuesday.
Articles:
a) "THe Nuclear Threat is as Great Today as it has Ever Been" - London Express, April 6. 2013.
b)" Kim Jong Un Has Made a Decent Fist of Rattling the US" - UK Guardian, April 5, 2013
c) "On North Korea, Keep Calm and Carry On"US News and World Reports, April 11, 2013
Visuals - http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/datablog/2013/apr/08/south-korea-v-north-korea-compared (click on the thumbnail to see the chart full size)
Is North Korea a threat to Global peace and security?
ReplyDeleteNorth Korea is a threat to global peace and security based on many aspects. North Korea is a communist country and their dictator Kim Jong UN proves that he does not care about his own country, so why would he care about the rest of the world? North Korea has had many failed nuclear tests, but in the past few months they tested another nuclear bomb and it worked, which means that they are becoming closer to create successful bombs. North Korea is an anti-westernized nation, which means they don’t like America and don’t like America and don’t care what happens to us. North Korea also has the ability to attack South Korea and Japan, which puts threat to their nation. When watching a video on North Korea, we learned that North and South Korea is only divided by 1600 meter of military bases. It is amazing to realize how truly close they are to one another. Going back to North Korea’s economy, they spend 1/3 of there GDP on there military. However, due to the fact that they don’t have a lot of money, they only spend about 8.213 billion dollars on there military. The people who are sort of North Koreas allies are China, but for them they don’t want North Korea to start a war because they know that America will be better allies, and because America has one of the strongest militaries in the world. The United Nations has put stricter sanctions on North Korea, because they know that North Korea is becoming a threat because they aren’t the most civil individuals.
What can the rest of the world due in order to prevent a war from breaking out?
Do you think that North Korea would nuke the Unites States?
Skyler Malchiodi D-block
North Korea is truly an threat to global peace and security. North Korea has made threats directed at the U.S. Stephan Pollard reports that these were" direct threats about where it will attack- and how." North Korea moved missiles to it's east coast. This missile can hit a target 1,800 miles away. Japan is within this range, to close for comfort.North Korea has also made threats against Guam. The government is run by "mad men" Since 9/11 the U.S. has taken every threat seriously. Weather they are bluffing or not the U.S. is on edge to prevent any attack. When North Korea receives any kind of aid, the first recipients are members of the military. Women and children are starving because of the lack of food. This shows that the North Korean government is driven to improve their military . Korea wont let go of the idea that the nuclear program would make them " invincible"
ReplyDeleteWhy is North Korea so military based?
Do the families of the militants get food too?
Nancy Che Block E
ReplyDeleteMore recently than ever, North Korea is a threat to global peace and security. Despite being a young green-horn, the current North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un is not the “comical overgrown school boy” that he was mocked. It was stated in article A that “when madman make threats they sometimes mean exactly what they say.” In this case, Kim Jong-un may very well be a posing danger as he threatens the United States that his military forces are ready to attack the US using “’smaller, lighter, and diversified’ nuclear weapons.” Mad people are unpredictable and it is this reasoning that the nuclear threats should not be taken very lightly. With their military first policy, North Korean spent 22.3% of their GDP in 2008 on military expenditures and 1/4 North Koreans serve their military. Despite appearing to be preparing for a nuclear war, discussed in article B, “Kim John-un has made a decent first of rattling the US,” the North Korean’s motivation is not war but simply trying to uphold his family’s expectance of him as the next dictator. He aims to ‘unite the North Korean military and the people around his regime to win their rust’ quotes Jang Se-yul. Kim Jong-un has been desperate for economic aid in order to survive, but with the latest UN sanctions in place, North Korea is being forced back further into isolation than ever. He believes that in order to gain the people’s trust, he must retain a strong militaristic force against the world. Perhaps, little does he understand that the unattended starvation is what needs to be resolved in order to gain public trust. If he were to step back, he knows he will only prove himself to be unworthy. During his earlier days in office, what touched North Koreans and internationally the most was the hidden gentle side of their Great leader which he displayed by attending a “Disney-style show and staging photo opportunities with bemused children.” North Korea’s threat remains an urgent matter as Japan, South Korea and the United States are targeted. As neighboring nations, Japan and South Korea were able to put up with their obnoxious neighbor for decades. With the current threats, they both rely heavily on the protection and security of the US to protect them. South Korea spends on average a mere 2.6 percent of its GDP on military expenditures while Japan has made the effort to raise it to 1 percent recently. This shows that they don’t regard North Korea as a threat at all but being cautious is most wise since Kim Jong-un remains a mystery and unpredictable man. The factors that judge North Korea are relatively balanced, however more points are leaning towards a threat. Anyone in charge of nuclear warheads poses a threat to the global peace without a doubt. Their leader may have been scoffed at for appearing to be a comical overgrown schoolboy but for certain, no one will be laughing at him anymore when his threats become a reality because it was quoted that ‘the moment of explosion is near.’
Questions:
Why does Kim Jong-un want to further hurt their global relations?
If North Korea decides to change for the better and spend less on military expenditures, would the people still be starving?
Mark Magrone Block E
ReplyDeleteNorth Korea is a major threat to global peace and security. Kim Jong Un, the N. Korean leader, is not the “comical overgrown school boy” that he is teased as being in many internet videos such as “The Adventures of Kim Jong Un” and “Draw My Life: Kim Jong Un”. Article A stated that “when madman make threats they sometimes mean exactly what they say.” Kim Jong Un is posing a threat as he threatens the United States that his military forces are ready to attack the US using “’smaller, lighter, and diversified’ nuclear weapons.” He is unpredictable and it is this reasoning that the nuclear threats should not be taken very lightly. With their military first policy, North Korea spent 22.3% of their GDP in 2008 on military expenditures and 1/4 North Koreans serve their military. Despite appearing to be preparing for a nuclear war, discussed in article B, “the North Korean’s motivation is not war but simply trying to uphold his family’s expectance of him as the next dictator. He aims to ‘unite the North Korean military and the people around his regime to win their trust’ quotes Jang Se Yul. Kim Jong Un has been desperate for economic aid in order to survive, but with the latest UN sanctions in place, North Korea is being forced back further into isolation than ever. He believes that in order to gain the people’s trust, he must retain a strong militaristic force against the world. Perhaps, little does he understand that the unattended starvation is what needs to be resolved in order to gain public trust. If he were to step back, he knows he will only prove himself to be unworthy. During his earlier days in office, what touched North Koreans and internationally the most was the hidden gentle side of their Great leader which he displayed by attending a “Disney-style show and staging photo opportunities with bemused children.” North Korea’s threat remains an urgent matter as Japan, South Korea and the United States are targeted. As neighboring nations, Japan and South Korea were able to put up with their obnoxious neighbor for decades. With the current threats, they both rely heavily on the protection and security of the US to protect them. South Korea spends on average a mere 2.6 percent of its GDP on military expenditures while Japan has made the effort to raise it to 1 percent recently. This shows that they don’t regard North Korea as a threat at all but being cautious is most wise since Kim Jong-un remains a mystery and unpredictable man. The factors that judge North Korea are relatively balanced, however more points are leaning towards a threat. Anyone in charge of nuclear warheads poses a threat to the global peace without a doubt. Their leader may have been scoffed at for appearing to be a comical overgrown schoolboy but for certain, no one will be laughing at him anymore when his threats become a reality because it was quoted that ‘the moment of explosion is near.’
Questions:
Is Kim Jong Un going to declare war on a country/countries like America or Japan?
If North Korea decides to change for the better and spend less on military expenditures, would its people still be starving?
Sal Sicilia 0-Block
ReplyDeleteI feel North Korea is more of a threat than anything else. Kim Jong UN isn’t totally prepared to run a nation by himself. He moves more towards selfish actions rather than trying to help the people. He still isn’t fully trusted and may be too young and inexperienced to run such a powerful nation. He could easily help North Korea in many ways which would drastically help North Korea be removed as a threat. He won’t abandon North Koreas nuclear program which is a clear indication that we can’t just leave North Korea by itself. If North Korea didn’t leave the U.N with their nuclear treaty things would be a lot better for them. By them deciding to leave resulted in strict embargos which drastically hurt North Korea. There army is massive, billions of dollars have been spent to maintain and provide weapons. Yet their solders can’t even get a nutritious meal and the rest of the population of the North is poor and or in unsatisfactory living conditions. The North constantly threatens the United States. North Korea unveiling a long range ballistic missile that is capable of reaching the United States was one of them. That puts us in the position to restrict trade with the North and to keep a close eye on them. Overall North Korea is a strong threat that the United States has to keep a watch on and make sure nothing gets out of hand.
- Why would Kim Jong UN remove North Korea from the UN if it only helped the nation?
- Are the peoples interests really his concerns?
In my opinion Kim Jong Un is a serious threat to the United States. For decades his grandfather, father, and now himself has made serious threats towards America but now the threat is nuclear. Although may not have the capacity to launch a direct attack on America they could very easily attack one of our alias. Kim is a fanatic who is made out as a oversized school buy by the media but seems poised to make his country run again. Since taking the rains of North Korea he has made major headlines by verbally assaulting the United States and its friends. Over the years North Korea has made many enemies and they have been all but cut off from international trade so I wonder if they do launch a strike could they sustain and all out war? Secondly I wonder would the prime locations they have targeted make it much simpler to stop a nuclear strike?
ReplyDeleteChris Morabito
ReplyDeleteE Block
Recently, Kim Jung Un of North Korea has been voicing threats towards America. The nation’s Great Leader is threatening America with “cutting edge” nuclear weaponry. However, there is much debate over the sincerity of these threats and over whether or not North Korea truly is a threat to global peace. In recent years, North Korea has devoted a great deal of focus on nuclear weaponry and the nation has held anti-American sentiments since the nation split from the south. North Korea’s current leader, Kim Jung Un, has certainly added to those sentiments since he gained control of the nation. North Korea is also a country that is greatly focused on increasing its military power, spending almost a quarter of its GDP towards the military. However, very few people seem to be threatened by the claims coming from North Korea. In part this is due to North Korea’s ill performing economy. North Korea relies on aid from other nations, especially China, and that too is beginning to slow to a halt. The claim that North Korea has nuclear weapons that can reach America is a bluff and no one is concerned about it. The real concern however, lies with South Korea and Japan, as both nations are in the reach of the weapons North Korea does have. In fact, Kim Jung Un just declared an end to the armistice between North and South Korea. There are currently American soldiers deployed in both of these nations under threat by North Korea. If Kim Jung Un were to declare war on either of these two nations, American involvement would be inevitable. America undoubtedly has a stronger military and would be able to win a war against North Korea, but it would likely be long and with great numbers of casualties on both sides.
-Why is North Korea suddenly showing a greater focus on America?
-What would be the result of North Korea launching a nuclear missle?
Tiffany Eng
ReplyDeleteA Block
North Korea in my opinion is a threat to Global peace and security. According to the political cartoons we viewed in class, Kim Jong Un is not providing enough food for his country but it providing nuclear weapons. From the New York Times Article “In Focus: North Korea‘s Nuclear Threats”, North Korea has been issuing near-daily threats against the United States and South Korea. Some of the missiles can hit South Korea or Japan. The United States and South Korea tried to decrease the tension level with North Korea by offering concessions, including aid, in return for North Korea to end their attacks. Since 2006, there has been three nuclear tests and could possibly become four. The country now has medium range missiles and is developing longer range missiles. The longer range missile can a more dangerous impact. In April 2013, there was a nuclear threat to the US from North Korea. From article A) ”The nuclear threat is as great today as it has ever been”, there is a usage of “smaller, light and diversified” nuclear weapons. This attack not only impacts the US but is also in range with Japan. Even though smaller weapons are being used, the impact will still be destructive. As we can see from the visuals of the comparison of North and South Korea, the infant mortality rate is higher in North Korea. This could be because of how much food soldiers are receiving verses citizens. The article “Kim Jong-un has made a decent fist of rattling the US” states two-thirds of North Korea's 24 million people face food shortages. King Jong Un needs to provide less for the military and provide more for his people.
Questions:
1)How would the United States, South Korea or Japan react if North Korea attacked?
2)What would we need to provide in order for North Korea to not attack us?
I think that North Korea is a threat to Global Peace and security. North Korea has become more open with its Nuclear Technology. Also, North Korea has said that they don't want war, they want to ensure survival. North Korea has declared that the Armistice treaty is invalid. Kim Jong Un is the Great Leader of North Korea. He refuses to abandon the Nuclear Program; that demonstrates that North Korea will not heed to reason and will disrupt Global Peace and Security. North Korea wastes more money on their Military force than South Korea. South Korea is evacuating many foreigners in their Country in case North Korea decides to attack. The Great Leader of North Korea wants to unite Korea under one government and that is Communism. North Korea is being isolated even further now that they express their nuclear weapons, through UN sanctions. China who is a trading partner with North Korea has decided that North Korea is a threat and wants to cut off all access with North Korea. China has even taken North Korea's seat in negotiations in fear that North Korea could attack them. North Korea’s economy spends 1/3 of their GDP solely on their military force. North Korea's missile can hit a target 1,800 miles away and Japan is within this range. North Korea has also made threats against Guam and many concerns are beginning to arise. North and South Korea are divided by a 1600 meter military bases but isn't very secure due to only different floors seen through a military base.
ReplyDelete-Does Kim Jong Un know that citizens are dying of starvation?
-Will North Korea declare official war with America and lead to World War III?
Is North Korea a threat to Global peace and security?
ReplyDeleteAfter studying North Korea's economical, political and social features I've come to a conclusion that North Korea is a threat to global peace and security. I feel this way because after years of nuclear testing and launching, they most likely have built a nuclear weapon that has the power to wipe out cities. With a new leader in place that is willing to secure his position and respect, I feel that he will go to great lengths to prove he is worthy of some respect. Now that the armistice treaty has expired between North and South Korea, anything could happen within the next few weeks or months. In great interest I quote a line from the first article that basically sums up what has been going on, "Yesterday North Korea moved to its east coast a missile that can attack up to 1,800 miles away, putting Japan within its range." This quote shows that North Korea is willing to create a problematic situation with any nation. Because Kim Jung-Un is young a unpredictable, the matter has been at its most serious point in the last 20 years. Also, in class we looked at some demographics of North Korea and South Korea. What was most interesting to me is that South Korea according to the demographic, spent more on their military than the North did. Oddly enough, North Korea has a military first policy..It leads me to believe that they lied about the information and could be plotting very secretively. Something about North Korea makes the world uneasy and it isn't a coincidence. Because of its new leader and weak position in the economic and political word today, I feel that Kim will do anything in his power to gain the respect without worrying about consequences nor the repercussions. Anything could happen because anything is possible. But, I feel like any nation can be a threat to global peace and security if they wanted to be.
Questions:
1. Because there is a "military first" policy, how does North Korea calculate its GDP?
2. What would be the repercussions of North Korea actually launching a missile targeted at Japan or the United States?
Samantha Escobedo
ReplyDeleteGovernment Block E
I don’t believe North Korea is necessarily a threat because according to the article Keep Calm and Carry On, North Korea is more of a “beggar state” with no capability of launching a nuclear weapon. North Korea is simply looking for attention and trying to demonstrate that they as well have technological and military power. It is also said that it is unclear if Pyongyang’s embryonic nuclear program has even developed a deployable weapon. Since North Korea is not up front with their nuclear status, it becomes hard to believe that they have nuclear weapons strong enough to even reach the United States. Also, according to article The Nuclear Threat is as Great Today as it has Ever Been, the author also stresses the fact that North Korea is not a stable economy that can handle the creation of nuclear weapons since while it is time consuming, it is also very costly for North Korea to afford it. In turn, yet again it is extremely hard to take Kim Jong Un seriously after so many past claims and threats of a nuclear bomb being deployed. Lastly, according to an editorial Kim Jong Un Has Made a Decent Fist of Rattling the US, the North Korean army distrust their leader Kim Jong Un and therefore claim they are not willing to act on instructions that he may give them on the future. They don’t agree with his position that he is taking on having nuclear weapons. As well as North Korea’s regime is finding it more and more difficult to raise money since economically North Korea has not progressed as compared to South Korea. All three sources show that North Korea is not a threat to the United States, but merely a country that is looking for attention and attempting to be nuclear advanced like other countries.
Questions:
1. Should North Korea be placed such harsh sanctions by the U.N. just because they are making nuclear weapons like any other country?
2. Is North Korea right in thinking/ attempting to make nuclear weapons?
North Korea has been a big problem to many countries for their threats and requests to get concessions and supplies. North Korea is threatening the United States with nuclear attacks so that North Korea can get supplies from us. Due to unilateral sanctions we can’t give them supplies because they give the supplies to the military first. North Koreas people are mal nourished because of the lack of food they get from their government. According to article A Kim- Jong Un does not bat an eye to the idea of starving his people to death. North Korea spent more than 1/5th of their GDP that went to the military. North Korea tends to play the squeaky wheel gets the oil game with these threats, and considering they only have short and mid ranged nuclear weapons. If North Korea were to attack us they would go for the U.S armed bases in South Korea and Japan. Article B says North Korea creates more “speculative heat than analytical light.” Meaning North Korea only has been making threats instead of launching missiles at other countries which hopefully would earn them concessions. Actually, article A states that North Koreas military wouldn’t even be ready for an attack and that the military doesn’t really support or trust the government. The lack of transparency in North Korea makes most of the people not believe in the government and losing the peoples support. Kim-Jong Un is trying to gain trust in his people by using these tactics which article A describes as “a mad regime.” Finally, North Korea isn’t a country to leave off to the side and many of the threats should be taken seriously but they aren’t much of a threat due to a pattern and a track record of a country that does not bite when it barks.
ReplyDeleteQuestions:
1) Will North Korea ever change and be considered a peaceful country?
2) Will North Korea starve more citizens if further sanctions cut off imported resources?
Diana Estrada d block
ReplyDeleteI believe that North Korea can now be considered a global threat. Although they have had nuclear weapon failure they are now becoming more successful. This country is communist and not in favor about how American is run. The leader they have could not think twice about the people suffering and starving at his name, why would anyone believe he could have mercy on any other part of the globe. North Korea believes strongly in their “military first” state of mind. This poses many threats to peace.
Jessica Dunn
ReplyDeleteD-Block
North Korea has recently been threatening to use nuclear weapons. The author in article A believes that North Korea is seen as a joke by other nations because in the past they have made general threats about what they would one day do. Now, however, North Korea is making direct threats, which they have the capacity to fulfill. The rulers of North Korea are so ruthless that even a country as powerful as the U.S. is taking North Korea’s nuclear threats very seriously. Article B explains how North Korea does not have the funds that it needs to carry out nuclear attacks. After the nuclear tests, many Chinese businesses have stopped trading with North Korea, which is making it more difficult for North Korea to get the money it needs. The economy in North Korea is getting worse and worse. Although Kim Jong-un promised to raise living standards for his citizens, he still uphold the “military first” policy. He raised hopes for international peace, but is still young and very unpredictable. His unpredictability makes it hard to figure out what his true plans are. According to article C, North Korea ended the armistice. This is troubling to the U.S. and South Korea because North Korea had launched a nuclear test in February and a ballistic missile launch in December. It is unclear though if North Korea even has one deployable weapon. I don’t think that North Korea is truly a threat to global security because I don’t believe that it has the resources to launch nuclear weapons across the world to the United States. I believe that North Korea only launched those nuclear tests because it wants to be taken more seriously. North Korea’s leader wants other nations to be afraid of him so that he can feel like he is in control of them.
1. Is there any way to find out how many deployable nuclear weapons North Korea has?
2. If North Korea uses nuclear weapons on the U.S., South Korea, or Japan, would it be acceptable for those nations to retaliate using nuclear weapons on North Korea?
North Korea is not a threat to global peace and security. Although is appears that the country is preparing for war; it is safe to say that "it's bark is worst than it's bite". North Korea is in possession of nuclear weapons; but their missiles aren't as powerful as the bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. North Korea's missiles range doesn't reach the U.S. and in the event of an attack it'll probably aim it's weapons at Japan and South Korea, which are protected by U.S. military officials. If North Korea does launch missiles the counter-attack against them will be more sever and more powerful. North Korea doesn't have the means to supply a war; and it takes money; which it's lacking. North Korea can't feed it's population of 24 million, because of food shortages. North Korea's army is one of the largest in the world; however the 1.1 million soldiers aren't physically capable of combat, because they aren't receiving proper nutriment. The country's economy has been hit due to sanctions and trade restrictions. North Korea might have the weapons, but it doesn't have the money or the supplies to start a war.
ReplyDeleteJohn Donofrio A block
ReplyDeleteNorth Korea is truly a threat to global peace and security. However, the stand to lose more than they would gain if they attacked or seriously upset on other nation. The Kim regime uses its military presence to protect their stranglehold on North Korean citizens, ensure continued aid from foreign nations, and repeal many nations trade sanctions hurting the North Korean economy. Defected top officials confirmed those two ideas in the guardian article.
His motivation is not war, but simple regime survival, top-level defectors in the South have told the Guardian. And he wants his future, says one of the regime's former fundraisers, to be guaranteed by largesse from the same country the North recently threatened with nuclear annihilation: the US.
North Korea has nuclear capabilities, and a very large military with more than 1 million currently serving members. Both of these pose a serious threat to global peace and security if used in a hostile manner on any neighboring nations, because it would force a response from the US military or the UN... Which since Kim Jong Un is focused on survival, that not a course he desires to travel. North Korea is merely threatening violence to protect their own survival. Therefore North Korea is not a threat to global peace and security because they have no interest in starting a war with nothing to gain, and everything to lose.
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ReplyDeleteNorth Korea is a threat to global peace and security, in some ways and in others not so much. Following after his father’s footsteps, Kim Jong-Un, as it states in the article, “Kim Jong-un has made a decent fist of rattling the US” is anti-America and is taking any precautionary steps and threats to ensure his belief in that ideal. His motivation is not war, but simple regime survival, top-level defectors in the South have told the Guardian. He also claims he wants his future to be guaranteed “by the largesse from the same country the North recently threatened with nuclear annihilation: the U.S.” With such threats and evidence that North Korea indeed is developing nuclear weapons with their February trial, Kim’s strict regime seems deadly and ready to fight battles on key. However, Article A expresses a different view on North Korea – how the rest of the world views them as a joke for taking a poke at the United States, one of the world powers. On the contrary, the author does not dismiss the point that in fact “this is a mad man and a mad regime having nuclear weapons.” The unpredictability of his actions as the leader of North Korea is what makes him more of a threat. North Korea’s military-first policy has driven the citizens of the North down into the ground, spiraling into malnourishment and scarce food supplies – with aid from China going firsthand directly to the military. Article A states Kim Jong-Un wouldn’t even “bat an eye” to the idea of his people starving. He seals off North Korea from the rest of the world and lack of transparency within their own government is at extreme high levels. His vengeance over world power is one of the major ways North Korea is a threat to the U.S. but at the same time the likeliness of starting a war is not substantial enough to access that North Korea is an actual threat to global peace and security. Kim Jong-Un is ruthless perhaps and unpredictable but he is also young and inexperienced with the dealings of nations that have been through rigorous wars before. So all in all, North Korea is a threat, in some aspects, to global peace.
ReplyDeleteEach article speaks about North Korea and how it can be a threat to the Us and other surrounding nations. In article A, Pollard mentions how North Korea has said where and how they would attack the United States. North Korea has also moved to it's East Coast missle that attacks up to 1,800 miles away, putting Japan in its range. In article B, McCurry mentions how Kim Jong Un (The Supreme Leader) is trying his best to offer peace talks with the US and other nations in order for survival. It also says that North Korea poses as,all thread to the Us. In article C, Carpenter says we should recognize North Korea for what it is: a beggar state with no capability to much nuclear attack against the American homeland. In my opinion North Korea can sometimes be a threat to global peace and security and not so much for other reasons. NK has the capability to harm nations around it but have yet to act to do so.
ReplyDeleteJuliana Zaloom
ReplyDeleteD Block
Based on the articles we read in class along with the data we observed, I think that North Korea is a threat to global peace and security. Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s present leader is an extremist and is doing everything in his power to ensure the success of North Korea as a nation. Citizens of North Korea have very limited freedoms, especially when it comes to media, speech, and expression. Although North Korea doesn’t have any nuclear weapons according to an inspection conducted by the UN in 2006, they had a test missile launch which caused a large earthquake. That raises the question of whether or not foreign aid money is going nuclear energy projects or the development of nuclear weapons. Since North Korea isn’t a part of the UN treaty restricting the development and storage of nuclear weapons, they can get away with testing missiles without extreme consequences following their actions, like what would happen to countries who agreed to the UN treaty. It is likely that North Korea might just be developing these weapons to strengthen boarder security between them and South Korea, but it is still a lingering threat to neighboring or even overseas countries. Even though North Korea is a distant country, it shouldn’t be looked over especially since it has a preexisting bad relationship with the United States. The only way that the US could avoid a potential national security threat involving North Korea is to keep a close eye on their actions, putting emphasis on nuclear weapon and military developments.
Questions:
What can the US do to prevent future national security threats involving North Korea?
What can the UN do to stop nuclear developments that break the non-proliferation treaty involving nuclear weapons that would in turn decrease North Korea's power?
North Korea is a big problem and is a big threat to the United States. North Korea is threatening the United States with nuclear attacks so that North Korea can get supplies from us. Due to unilateral sanctions we can’t give them supplies because they give the supplies to the military first. North Korea is also a country that is greatly focused on increasing its military power, spending almost a quarter of its GDP towards the military. However, very few people seem to be threatened by the claims coming from North Korea. In part this is due to North Korea’s ill performing economy. With their military first policy, North Korea spent 22.3% of their GDP in 2008 on military expenditures and 1/4 North Koreans serve their military. Despite appearing to be preparing for a nuclear war, discussed in article B, “the North Korean’s motivation is not war but simply trying to uphold his family’s expectance of him as the next dictator. He aims to ‘unite the North Korean military and the people around his regime to win their trust’ quotes Jang Se Yul. Kim Jong Un has been desperate for economic aid in order to survive, but with the latest UN sanctions in place, North Korea is being forced back further into isolation than ever. King Jong Un needs to provide less for the military and provide more for his people.
ReplyDeleteQuestions:
Why is North Korea so military based?
What would be the repercussions of North Korea actually launching a missile targeted at Japan or the United States?
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ReplyDeleteNorth Korea seems to be a global threat for the following reason; It has nuclear weapon capabilities, The leader of the country is crazy!, And a very large percentage of the countries wealth goes directly to the military. The leader wants to constantly be prepared for war, and even though this may be a wise strategy when you rule a country that almost everyone in the world hates, it isn't wise to let your people starve in the process. North Korea's militant capabilities can be seen through the reflection of its economy, political stand points, as well as the welfare of its people. Though the country can inflict great damage to the nations surrounding it, I don't believe it has the capability of wiping out an entire continent.
DeleteQuestions: Are North Koreas threats as true as they claim they are?
Would china back up North Korea if they got into a war with the United States?
Matthew Vainshtein
Delete