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The “success” of the Sunshine Policy continues. From the Chosun Ilbo:

North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that “the field of scientific research” in the North will conduct a nuclear test in the future “under conditions where safety is firmly guaranteed.” The statement was published simultaneously via Korean Central Television Station, the North’s only nationwide TV network, the official Korean Central News Agency and Korean Central Broadcasting Station at 6 p.m. The ministry said the present situation, “in which the U.S. moves to isolate and stifle” North Korea has reached a stage “beyond extremity,” with the result that the North “can no longer remain an onlooker to the developments.” The statement says the U.S.’ “extreme threat of a nuclear war and sanctions and pressure compel [the North] to conduct a nuclear test, an essential process for bolstering its nuclear deterrent, as a corresponding measure for defense.”

It will be interesting to see what excuses the South Korean government comes up with next for the North Koreans. I’m sure it will be among the lines of, “It’s all America’s fault” and “Oh, yeah Japan too!”

Well here is what the US government has to say about this:

The United States warned a North Korean nuclear test “would pose an unacceptable threat to peace and stability” and the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations raised the issue during a Security Council meeting. The council agreed to hold further discussions on Wednesday after consulting capitals.

I wonder if all the so called former Clinton officials Korea experts will come out of the woodwork again and make the ridiculous demands that the US attack North Korea like they did before July’s failed missile tests?

Here is my some what informed opinion of what to do. I look at this declaration of conducting a nuclear test as a sign of success. Why you ask? Because it is causing the North Koreans to show their hand. If the US gave into the North Korean demands before July’s missile test the US would have never known how far behind the North Koreans were in developing a ICBM that could hit the US. Now the US does know. Plus the US gained a huge political win because the world could no longer deny North Korea’s hostile intentions and a new resolution was passed that placed additional sanctions on North Korea.

The US should take the same stand on the nuclear test, let them show their hand. Worst case scenario is that the test is successful and the US gains an even stronger political advantage on the North to even further isolate the regime. A nuclear test may even be enough for the South Koreans to finally quit making excuses for the North and finally scrap the failed bribery program Sunshine Policy. The best case scenario is that the test fails and American intelligence analysts can make a good determination of how far along in nuclear weapons development the North Koreans really are. Plus the US would still gain a stronger political position because a failed nuclear test is still a sign of hostile intentions which will still lead to increased isolation of the North Korean regime.

Now what about the timing of this? It was well known for the last couple of months that North Korea has been making preparations for a nuclear test. I think the announcement of Ban Ki-moon becoming the next UN Secretary General led to the North Korean announcement just to take Ban out of the international headlines. The North Koreans have a long history of doing this; just look at recent history. Seoul gets the 1988 Olympics and North Korea bombs a South Korean airliner. Seoul hosts the 2002 World Cup, North Korea attacks and kills South Korean naval personnel in the Yellow Sea. They could also be using this to test Ban about what stance he would take with North Korea on issues such as the nuclear program and human rights once he is the Secretary General.

However, with anything concerning North Korea who the hell knows what their up to, but I know one thing appeasement or a milistary strike would be playing right into Pyongyang’s hands.

You can read more on this over at the Marmot’s Hole as well as TKL.

Here is a weird story for everyone:

A man who scaled the back fence of Prime Minister Tony Blair’s residence on Downing Street was charged on Oct. 2 with assault on a police officer and possession of a knife, authorities said.

The 32-year-old man, who was arrested Oct. 1 night, struggled briefly with police before he was pinned and handcuffed, said a Metropolitan Police spokeswoman, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with department policy.

Police said Byung Jin Lee tried to lunge at an officer but was not wielding the large kitchen knife found in his possession. The man, who has no fixed address, was to appear in court in central London on Tuesday morning.

“The incident will prompt a review of security, as is routine,” a police spokesman said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with department policy.

The intruder was arrested before he could climb another wall into the gardens of the home, police said, adding that the prime minister was at home at the time but was not at risk.

Just goes to show that nut cases come in all shapes and sizes.

HT: Reader

For those who don’t know yet, Jeff the long time K-blogger at Ruminations in Korea was injured recently due to a motorcycle accident. He sure knows how to keep a good attitude about things even though he sustained some pretty serious injuries. If you haven’t already, stop by his site and wish him a speedy recovery.

Korea’s profile in global sports is about to raise:

Korea is to host its own Formula One Grand Prix from 2010.

Formula One Management President Bernie Ecclestone, South Jeolla Province Governor Park Joon-yung, and Chung Yung-cho, the president of Korea Auto Valley Operation, which will be organizing the event, unveiled plans for the 2010 F1 World Championship Korean Grand Prix on Monday.

The Korean Grand Prix will take place in South Jeolla Province for seven years starting from 2010. The 5.45 km track will be built on a 4.95 million sq.m site and will be the nation’s largest race car and motorcycle track. Construction will start in 2007 and be completed by 2009.

From the Stars and Stripes:

The top commander in
South Korea wants NFL football back on the only free American Forces Network channel on the peninsula, he said during an Area II command visit on Thursday.It’s not appropriate to tell a U.S. troop who “just got his ass shot off” while deployed to fight the war on terrorism that he can’t watch National Football League games for free because South Korean cable companies pirate the signal, said U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. B.B. Bell.(…)During an interview later in the day,
Bell called the issue a “big problem.” He said he needed additional details before making a decision on what to do.“My gut feeling is we’re going to turn the service back on and then phase it out” gradually so the community has adequate time to prepare, he said.“If we’re going to cut their service off for good and proper reason, and have them purchase service through another medium, we ought to give them advance notice,”
Bell said. “Months … so they can make their plans and accommodate the change.”

 The NFL on AFN-Prime controversy erupted because Korean cable companies were pirating the AFN-Prime signal and selling it as part of their cable packages including the NFL games.  Details of this controversy can be read by clicking here.Also the AFN Commander LTC Mike Lawhorn has also commented on this matter on my prior posting of this issue.  Here is the update provided by LTC Lawhorn:

Hey all!
Lt. Col. Lawhorn, the AFN Commander here, and I can definitely tell you that no decision has been made yet to as to whether or not to put any games back on. Also, NFL contract doesn’t allow for its games to be broadcast “over the open air” and since AFN Prime Pacific IS broadcast OTOA you can guess what that means.

However, you will see the BCS championship games, NFL playoffs, and the Super Bowl on AFN Prime Pacific..apparently the contract allows for those games. Also, any NFL game that happens on a Friday will be broadcast here at the same time (Sat morning).

If I find out anything else, I will definitely let you know. 

Bottom line is that good people are working on this issue and hopefully a resolution can be reached that benefits everyone. 

From the Stars and Stripes:

During a court-martial Thursday, Sgt. Luke S. Davis, Company A, 527th Military Intelligence Battalion, was sentenced on one count of maiming to eight months of confinement, partial forfeiture of his pay during that time and reduction to the military’s lowest rank.

Meanwhile, Pvt. Robert Kim of the same company and unit is anticipating more reconstructive surgery. He suffered second-degree burns over 15 percent of his body during a July confrontation with Davis, according to testimony and court proceedings.

Kim, who is Asian, has been counseled by his chain of command since the July 4 incident for his choice of words, according to court proceedings. Davis, who is white, said it was Kim’s racially charged story — which Kim testified was meant as a joke — that prompted him to lunge for Kim as he stood near a stove with a pan of hot water.

Read the rest of the article for the full story, but the whole incident was so stupid. By all accounts the SGT Davis was a good NCO, but let me tell you where he went wrong. First of all he was overly intoxicated which is never good and then secondly he was overly intoxicated and hanging out with lower enlisted soldiers. If you are an NCO you are putting yourself in a situation where nothing good can come from if you are overly intoxicated and hanging out with subordinates. Unfortunately for this NCO he has

It feels like 2000 all over again, when then Korean President Kim Dae-jung bribed his way to receiving a Nobel Peace Prize.  Now accusations are being made that the current Korean government is trying to bribe their way to winning the UN Secretary General position:

 India’s Shashi Tharoor’s bid for UN secretary-generalship may stand a chance with a report claiming that South Korea was spending millions of dollars in aid and offering other incentives to Security Council members to get support for its candidate Ban Ki Moon.

In its aggressive campaign on behalf of Ban, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the front-runner to succeed Kofi Annan, Seoul has been offering “inducements ranging from tens of millions of pounds of extra funding for African countries to lucrative trade agreements in Europe- and even the gift of a grand piano to
Peru,” The Times has reported.

Ban Ki-moon would actually be a perfect person to take the UN job because he is well trained obviously in corruption, overlooking human rights abuses, appeasing dictators, and bashing to US, which are all prerequisite skills for any UN Secretary General.   More on this over at TKL.

Former Mayor of Seoul, Lee Myung-bak promised a greener Seoul while he was mayor and delivered by constructing the Cheongyecheon stream in the middle of Seoul.  However, this public art work project recently completed in Seoul has got to be the worst idea of all his time as mayor: 

For South Park Fans out there, this thing looks like Mr. Hanky the Chrismas Poo with some food coloring:

 

Yes shit happens and this thing is definitely crap. This thing is so bad that the artist who made it would not even take credit for it:

With the erection of a 20-meter-high bright blue and red snail-like object called “Spring’’ over the stream,
Oldenburg appeared yesterday at the Chonggyechon to look over the work and to say it wasn’t really his idea. In an interview as he sat in a car by the side of the stream, Oldenburg gave credit instead to his wife and long-time artistic collaborator, Coosje van Bruggen of the
Netherlands.`‘We work on large-scale projects together and get a double billing, but it was Bruggen’s idea to use the shell form and Korean color scheme,’’ Oldenburg said. “She mixed the colors herself.’’

 So any other words, this ugly monstrosity is all her fault.  It is also so bad that the artist would not even come to
Seoul to see his creation:

Oldenburg and his wife visited Seoul only once in 1996 and said they had seen the Chonggyechon restoration only through television news and a videotape sent by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, an umbrella organization of the Seoul government.

He was more than happy to take the money though:

Oldenburg and van Bruggen were chosen for the $4 million sculpture last year by the former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak with advice from the state-run Seoul Museum of Art. The artists were paid $600,000, and $3.4 million was spent on production, with the entire cost paid for by telecommunication conglomerate KT.

More on this at the Marmot’s Hole

The worst kept secret of the US-ROK alliance is out:

 The Eighth U.S. Army command, which is in charge of U.S. ground troops stationed in South Korea including the core Second Infantry Division, is highly likely to be disbanded, it emerged Friday. Asked about the chances that the Eighth will be dismantled, USFK Commander Gen. Burwell Bell did not deny the possibility and indicated it will undergo a transformation. He said its role has completely changed to RSOI (Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration) and is “radically different” than it was in the Korean War, when it served as fighting headquarters. Bell said no matter what decisions are made about the army’s future, they have nothing to do with conducting wartime operations on the Korean
Peninsula.

On top of this development if Korea wants to keep any presence at all the Pentagon is saying they better start paying their fair share:

 If Korea maintains its share in the upkeep of the U.S. Forces Korea at the current level, it will be unable to keep the number of USFK troops it wants stationed here,
U.S. defense department official Richard Lawless warned Wednesday. The Pentagon’s under secretary for Asia and Pacific affairs made the remarks at a hearing of the House International Relations Committee on Thursday, saying
Korea’s financial contribution is 10 percent short of what is required now. Lawless said the USFK was now being bled white despite already having shed excessive flab and some essential flesh. Korea and the U.S. annually renegotiate their share in the
U.S. forces upkeep and every year find it harder to narrow their differences.

 So the ball is really in the Korean’s court now because their amount of cost sharing is what is going to really determine how much of a US presence remains in Korea.   The Air Force will be staying though I think the recent compromise on the bombing range will be an issue again in the future.  Than as far as an presence General Bell made it clear that the only remaining combat troops on the peninsula the 2nd Infantry Division will be removed.  General Bell also made it clear that the mission of the US Army personnel that would be left in Korea would be for assisting the ROK in intelligence gathering and Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, & Integration (RSOI) or in otherwords support personnel responsible for maintaining the logistics chain of bases on the peninsula that would aid any US deployment of troops to Korea.  To train these logistics units left on the peninsula I see the military probably deploying Stryker Brigades and Marines to Korea on annual exercises to not only train the US support personnel, but also to maintain close contacts and training with the ROK Army.  Despite the political relationship between the US & Korea the military relationship has always remained strong and it is in the US’s interest to keep it that way.The current plan appears to be a solid one that would allow the US to free up more combat troops for world wide deployments while still keeping enough of a force presence on the peninsula to deter a North Korean attack.  Plus the remaining troops would be consolidated further south on Camp Humphreys and away from the DMZ and out of Seoul.  This moves all US troops outside of North Korean artillery range and out of the highly populated capitol city of Seoul. 

This plan will ensure continued US influence on the peninsula to ensure the stability of Northeast Asia overall.  There hasn’t been a war in Northeast Asia for the past 55 years because of one reason, the US military.  It appears Washington wants to keep it that way.  However, there is one wild card out there, the South Korean government.  Remember we may not have seen the last of the bombing range issue and the Camp Humphreys expansion hasn’t been completed yet either.  These are still issues that can flare up again that will require South Korean governmental leadership, and one thing that is in short supply in the current South Korean government is leadership. You can read more on this over at Nomad’s.