North Korea (Superthread)

[CougarKing]

A test of Japan's BMD capabilities?

International Business Times

Japan orders military to prepare to destroy North Korea missile
by AFP
January 30, 2016

Tokyo, Japan – Japan has ordered its military to be ready to destroy any missile fired by North Korea that threatens the country, local media reported Friday, as concerns mount that Pyongyang is preparing a rocket launch.

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani issued the order, the Nikkei daily and Kyodo News reported, after reports of suspicious activity at Pyongyang’s main satellite complex fuelled speculation a launch could come as early as next week.

A Japanese defense ministry spokeswoman declined to confirm the report when contacted by AFP, saying that ‘’would reveal our strategy.’’

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[CougarKing]

Perhaps Xi's anti-corruption drive in China actually improved their corruption ranking compared to North Korea:

Diplomat

Report: North Korea Has World's Worst Corruption

North Korea tied for the worst score in Transparency International’s report, but South Korea has its issues as well.

By John Power
January 29, 2016


North Korea was perceived to have the most corrupt public service last year along with Somalia, while neighboring South Korea was ranked 37th least corrupt, a report by Transparency International showed.

North Korea scored an abysmal 8 points out of 100, the same as 2014, while South Korea scored 56, a one-point improvement from the year before.

Despite the negligible rise in its score, South Korea rose six places on the list of 168 countries and territories that were assessed.

While North Korea’s ranking was predictable given its opaque and repressive political system, South Korea also ranked poorly relative to its democratic peers. Its rank placed it 27th among the 34 nations of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, and behind Asian peers Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

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[CougarKing]

More tensions as the launch date approaches:

Defense News

Anger, Sanctions Threats Greet North Korea Rocket Launch Plans
Agence France-Presse 9:58 p.m. EST February 2, 2016

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea and Japan on Wednesday echoed US warnings that North Korea would pay a heavy price if it pushes ahead with a planned rocket launch just weeks after conducting its fourth nuclear test.

Urging Pyongyang to drop its plans for a launch as early as next week, the government in Seoul said the move would be a serious breach of UN resolutions and a “direct challenge” to the international community.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned what he called a “serious provocation” and clear violation of Pyongyang’s international obligations.

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[tomahawk6]

The North Korean launch appears to have been a success putting a payload into orbit.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/02/06/pentagon-confirms-north-korean-missile-launch-launch-system-appears-to-have-entered-space/

 

[jollyjacktar]

I thought Japan was saying that they would shoot down any NK missle launch.

 

[CougarKing]

The satellite launch wasn't the real reason why this was success for Pyongyang, since it's more because the rocket used to launch the satellite showed that their ballistic missile technology now has the range to hit the continental US:

And in other news, this launch has made South Korea more eager to discuss a BMD/THAAD system with the US and Japan.

BBC

North Korea fires long-range rocket despite warnings

    7 hours ago
    From the section Asia

John Sudworth: North Korea's thinking behind launch might be to get increased leverage over US and China

North Korea has fired a long-range rocket, which critics say is a test of banned missile technology.

A state TV announcer said that North Korea had successfully placed a satellite in orbit.

The launch was condemned by Japan, South Korea and the US, who have requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council later on Sunday.

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Senior defence official Ryu Je-Seung said if the THAAD missile system - considered one of the most advanced in the world - were deployed it would be only to counter the threat from the North.

'Fascinating vapour'

In a statement, the North Korean National Aerospace Development Administration said earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong-4 had entered orbit about 10 minutes after lift-off from the Sohae space centre in North Phyongan province.

Announcing the launch on state TV, a newsreader said it had been ordered by North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un and said the country planned to launch more satellites in the future.

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[CougarKing]

More brinksmanship from the North Korean Navy:

Reuters

World | Sun Feb 7, 2016 8:40pm EST
Related: World
North Korean patrol boat crosses to South, retreats after warning shots
SEOUL

A North Korean patrol boat crossed into South Korean waters early on Monday and retreated after the South Korean navy fired warning shots, a South Korean military official said.

The incursion came amid heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula, a day after North Korea fired a long-range rocket carrying a satellite into space, a launch that South Korea and other countries consider to be a missile test in disguise.

The patrol boat crossed the Northern Limit Line, which North Korea does not recognize, in the Yellow Sea to the west of the peninsula, at 6:55 a.m. (21:55 GMT) near Socheongdo island, the official said.

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[tomahawk6]

The US will equip the ROK with THAAD.Maybe Japan will also receive THAAD batteries ?

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/north-korea-now-reportedly-americas-173724466.html

 

[CougarKing]

The cycle of brinksmanship and nuclear blackmail continues:

Hill Times

US spy chief: North Korea restarted plutonium reactor

By Julian Hattem - 02/09/16 10:34 AM EST

North Korea has restarted its plutonium nuclear reactor and could be recovering spent fuel in coming weeks, the United States's spy chief said on Tuesday.

“We assess that North Korea has followed through on its announcement by expanding its Yongbyon enrichment facility and restarting the plutonium production reactor,” Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said in a statement prepared ahead of his appearance at two hearings on Capitol Hill.

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[The Bread Guy]

Internally, meanwhile ...

The chief of North Korea's military was executed this month on corruption and other charges, sources familiar with North Korean affairs said Wednesday.

Army Gen. Ri Yong-gil, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, also faced charges of pursuing personal gains, the sources said.

According to one source, Ri was executed last week around the time North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a joint meeting of the North's ruling Workers' Party and the military ...

:tsktsk:

 

[tomahawk6]

Round after round of executing top officials cant go on.Stalin killed alot of his comrades until one day the inner circle decided that it was time for Stalin to go.I dont think young Kim will be able to stay in power.IF the PRC decides to back a replacement then he will be history.

 

[jollyjacktar]

I agree, one day there'll be a general revolt.

 

[cavalryman]

I agree, one day there'll be a general revolt.

By revolting generals, no doubt

 

[CougarKing]

More on the North Korean ICBM threat:

International Business Times

North Korea Develops New Unit To Deploy KN-08 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile: Report
By Sneha Shankar @SnehaShankar30 On 02/14/16 AT 2:15 AM

North Korea has created a new unit that can deploy a road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), sources told South Korea's Yonhap news agency on Sunday. The move comes as Pyongayang’s recent nuclear test and a satellite launch are being criticized by the international community.

The unit "KN-08 Brigade," which is named after the missile of the same name, is a part of the Strategic Force that supervises all the missiles in North Korea. Sources also told Yonhap that the move shows that North Korea may soon be able to field the road-mobile ICBM. The KN-08 was first revealed in April 2012 during the military parade to celebrate the 100th birthday of Kim Il-sung, North Korea’s founder and the father of the current North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

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[CougarKing]

Raptors in action over the Korean peninsula again:

Associated Press

US stealth jets fly over S. Korea amid N. Korea standoff
[The Canadian Press]
Lee Jin-Man, The Associated Press

February 16, 2016

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea - Four U.S. F-22 stealth fighters flew low over South Korea on Wednesday in a clear show of force against North Korea, a day after South Korea's president warned of the North's collapse amid a festering standoff over its nuclear and missile ambitions.

The high-tech planes capable of sneaking past radar undetected were seen by an Associated Press photographer before they landed at Osan Air Base near Seoul. They were escorted by other U.S. and South Korean fighter jets.

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[CougarKing]

North Korea's first airshow and beer festival...  With lower quality Soju than the one you can find in Seoul of course.  ;D

Popular Mechanics

North Korea Is Hosting Its First Air Show

​Airplanes, waterfalls, tae kwon do, and a beer festival await you​ in paranoid paradise.

By Kyle Mizokami
Feb 18, 2016
2.4k

If you've ever wanted to attend an air show in the world's most repressive and paranoid country, now's your chance: North Korea has scheduled its very first such event. The Wonsan Air Festival will feature North Korean military and civil aircraft of all types. It will happen this September.

The secretive North Korean regime traditionally keeps its military away from the prying eyes of the world, so it's more than a little unusual that the country would invite outsiders to see its air force. But paranoia or no paranoia, those space rockets and nuclear weapons don't grow on trees, and the country needs ways to extract hard currency from the outside world.

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[tomahawk6]

Here is an article that outlines North Korea's military capability.They have an obsolete force but has the numbers to gain headway in an invasion of the ROK.With limited fuel I suspect their intial goal would be to capture POL facilities intact.Just like the German offensive during the Battle of the Bulge.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/3-maps-outline-north-koreas-174400457.html

 

[CougarKing]

The US will equip the ROK with THAAD.Maybe Japan will also receive THAAD batteries ?

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/north-korea-now-reportedly-americas-173724466.html

And speaking of THAAD, even though its installation will complicate Beijing-Seoul ties as suggested below, South Korea will still be much more important to Beijing than North Korea ever will be, if I can recall correctly from what ERC said earlier.


Defense News

Envoy: US Missile System In South Korea Would Hurt Seoul-Beijing Ties
Agence France-Presse 7:51 p.m. EST February 23, 2016

SEOUL, South Korea — China’s ambassador to South Korea warned Tuesday that the planned deployment of a US missile defense system in the country could damage Beijing-Seoul ties, possibly irreparably.

Once damaged, it would be “hard” to normalize relations between the two former Cold War enemies, Ambassador Qiu Guohong said, according to a spokesman for South Korea’s main opposition Minju party.

Qiu made the remarks when he met Minju party head Kim Jong-In at parliament. A spokesman for the Chinese embassy said the Minju party’s briefing on the meeting to journalists was accurate.

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Defense News

South Korea Eyes THAAD Despite China’s Fear
By Jung Sung-ki, Defense News 9:52 a.m. EST February 14, 2016

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea is pushing for deployment on its soil of a US high-altitude air defense system as North Korean missile threats expand.

The move has stoked fears in China, which believes deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system could help Washington to expand its military power in the region.

South Korea is prioritizing THAAD deployment with US Forces Korea (USFK) rather than purchasing the weapon system.

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[CougarKing]

Poor student...being used by Pyongyang as a pawn in front of a kangaroo court...

Canadian Press

North Korea puts tearful detained American before cameras

Eric Talmadge And Jon Chol Jin, The Associated Press
The Canadian Press
February 29, 2016

PYONGYANG, North Korea - North Korea presented a detained American student before the media on Monday in Pyongyang, where he tearfully apologized for attempting to steal a political banner — at the behest, he said, of a member of a church back home who wanted it as a "trophy" — from a staff-only section of the hotel where he had been staying.

North Korea announced in late January it had arrested Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old University of Virginia undergraduate student. It said that after entering the country as a tourist he committed an anti-state crime with "the tacit connivance of the U.S. government and under its manipulation."

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[CougarKing]

Kim Jong Un throws his latest tantrum:

N. Korea fires short-range missiles after UN sanctions
by Agence France-Presse
March 3, 2016

North Korea fired short range missiles into the sea off its eastern coast on Thursday, South Korea’s defence ministry said, hours after the UN Security Council imposed tough new sanctions on Pyongyang.

“The North fired several short-range missiles into the East Sea (Sea of Japan) at 10:00am (0100 GMT),” ministry spokesman Moon Sang-Gyun told reporters.

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