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<p>[North</a> Korea’s Real Power, Kim Jong Un’s Aunt and Uncle - Yahoo!](<a href=“http://gma.yahoo.com/north-koreas-real-power-kim-jong-uns-aunt-152504442--abc-news-topstories.html]North”>http://gma.yahoo.com/north-koreas-real-power-kim-jong-uns-aunt-152504442--abc-news-topstories.html)</p>
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<p>Compared to the DPRK, the PRC is a land of dreams…</p>
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<p>Initially, they’ll be looking for food, since a collapse of the DPRK would end the meager food distribution system there. The ROK, US, and PRC would likely have as their top priority making sure that no nuclear weapons or weapons-grade U or Pu gets smuggled out. But even if that were solved, getting enough food into the DPRK if the people there stayed put would be a huge logistical challenge.</p>
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<p>The GDR held a free election in 1990, and its Volkskammer (parliament) later voted to dissolve the GDR and join the FRG. It is unlikely that the DPRK will wind itself down in that orderly a fashion. Economically, the differences were vast, as the former GDR needed substantial economic assistance after reunification. But those differences were small compared to those between the DPRK and ROK.</p>
<p>"SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Hackers apparently broke into at least two of North Korea’s government-run online sites Thursday, as tensions rose on the Korean Peninsula.</p>
<p>The North’s Uriminzokkiri Twitter and Flickr accounts stopped sending out content typical of that posted by the regime in Pyongyang, such as photos of North’s leader Kim Jong Un meeting with military officials.</p>
<p>Instead, a picture posted Thursday on the North’s Flickr site shows Kim’s face with a pig-like snout and a drawing of Mickey Mouse on his chest. Underneath, the text reads: “Threatening world peace with ICBMs and Nuclear weapons/Wasting money while his people starve to death.”</p>
<p>If this isn’t a hoax, Anonymous, you guys rock!</p>
<p>I did not know North Korea had a twitter account…</p>
<p>Hard to believe, isn’t it. But apparently they use it to tweet propaganda.</p>
<p>"Tweets on the North’s Twitter account said “Hacked” followed by a link to North Korea-related websites. One tweet said “Tango Down” followed by a link to the North’s Flickr page.</p>
<p>Uriminzokkiri, a North Korea government-run agency, opened its Twitter account in 2010. It has more than 13,000 followers. The North uses social media to praise its system and leaders, and to repeat commentaries sent out by North’s official Korean Central News Agency."</p>
<p>I don’t know if this has been mentioned, but I just remembered that in internal NK propaganda - see the book The Cleanest Race - they constantly refer to major victories in wars that never happened. They present their mobilization to the people and say the enemy backed down in fear. This becomes a great victory with monuments and all and becomes a way to justify - as I noted earlier in the thread - the amount of resources spent on the military. It also justifies their entire Juche program of total self-reliance and proves they are in fact the only pure people. The entire game is played for the benefit of the regime in front of its people.</p>
<p>if you haven’t seen this, you might find it interesting… the story of a North Korean woman fleeing the country</p>
<p>[Hyeonseo</a> Lee: My escape from North Korea | Video on TED.com](<a href=“http://www.ted.com/talks/hyeonseo_lee_my_escape_from_north_korea.html]Hyeonseo”>http://www.ted.com/talks/hyeonseo_lee_my_escape_from_north_korea.html)</p>
<p>speak softly and carry a big stick.</p>
<p>Perhaps the U.S. is paying too much attention to NK’s saber rattling this time around. We may be feeding the fire. Or perhaps NK sees a new Secretary of State and wants to give him a run for his money. I don’t know, but this time feels a little different. Has NK ever advised the Diplomatic community that they cannot guarantee their safety before? That caught my attention.</p>
<p>It’s interesting that they have 'warned" the diplomatic community while still hosting tour groups from around the world.</p>
<p>Unless this is all just a lot of noise about nothing…</p>
<p>NK doesn’t need to worry about “incoming” if there is nothing “outgoing”</p>
<p>I dearly hope it’s a lot of noise about nothing, given that my husband is currently on a business trip to Seoul. He’s scheduled to be there for one more week. He paid little attention to me when I asked him not to go, simply saying “It’s part of my job.”</p>
<p>Now I’m reading articles about the Supreme Leader blowing his generals to bits:</p>
<p>[North</a> Korean army minister ‘executed with mortar round’ - Telegraph](<a href=“North Korean army minister 'executed with mortar round'”>North Korean army minister 'executed with mortar round')</p>
<p>I’d rather read about fictional dystopias than the real kind potentially threatening the welfare of my loved ones.</p>
<p>what a coincidence, we can’t guarantee north korea and the KJU’s safety either.</p>
<p>The situation only seems to be escalating now, but hopefully it’s just shallow. One of my friends who’s south korean is pretty worried about possible attacks on SK. KJU will either have to go through with his threats and get annihilated or back down and go back on all the threats.</p>
<p>^^^^^
Agreed, but like I said in my OP, as a new leader I just don’t see how the latter is an option. Hence my concern.</p>
<p>The wild card is what would China do? I mean it’s not just us and sk. Japan will get involve too.</p>
<p>Sent from my LG-VM696 using CC</p>
<p>Descuff, my instincts tell me that China is quietly talking to other world powers on how to best get rid of this guy as quickly as possible. He is an embarrassment to China. He has backed himself into a no win situation. If he doesn’t launch then he loses face on the international stage. If he does launch and the U.S. shoots the missile down (which we will) then he also loses and looks ridiculous.</p>
<p>Isn’t the US in a position that if there is a missile strike made on SK that we can’t or don’t shoot down, it will either have to act (retaliate) or our present Asian allies can question our willingness/ability to respond and/or protect them from future NK attacks and/or military action by or on behalf of China?</p>
<p>I expect NK will stand down within a month and internally will declare victory in the 3rd or 4th great patriotic war.</p>
<p>I’m not sure 07DAD, but I think it was Napoleon who said “never interfere with your enemy when they are in the midst of making a mistake”. I think the U.S. would be wise to abide by this advice right now.</p>
<p>HarvestMoon1-- are you suggesting that we not attempt to shoot down any missile or not retaliate if we can’t?</p>
<p>I find it interesting that apparently China is trying to tie its cooperation on NK into having the US lean on US allies in the allies’ fishing rights disputes with China.
[BBC</a> News - China media: Debate on North Korea](<a href=“http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-22104024]BBC”>China media: Debate on North Korea - BBC News)</p>