politics

U.S., Japan, S Korea warn of unparalleled response if N Korea holds nuclear test

23 Comments
By Kiyoshi Takenaka

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Obviously, no country will accept payment in the North Korean currency. NK needs hard currency offshore and an ability to transfer that money. Also, NK still conducts economic activities in many countries, particularly SE Asia, to earn hard currency. These can be stopped, leaving NK solely dependent on the goodwill of China and Russia. China is not eager to see NK acquire nukes, and Russia is a bit preoccupied to be of much help (though it does seem to be purchasing NK weapons for use in Ukraine).

There is much the West can do to make life uncomfortable in Pyongyang.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

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if this continue, we will have a book about it.

yup. you know it. US is not one of them. even though started the war provocations. having most of the weapons and armies.

of course. it is for the "support"

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

There is much the West can do to make life uncomfortable in Pyongyang.

thats not the West want.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I wonder if the US will come to defend the Senkaku Islands when China invading them.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

What the US, Japan, SKorea have to say will have no effect on NKorea's decision regarding doing another nuclear test. What China and Russia have to say is what really matters. But I suspect in today's climate, China would be like "No don't do it" and Russia would be "Do it! Do it!".

0 ( +2 / -2 )

UdondashiToday  05:34 pm JST

I wonder if the US will come to defend the Senkaku Islands when China invading them.

There is no need to wonder. That the defense of the Senkakus falls under Article 5 of the US-JPN Mutual Defense Treaty has been affirmed countless times, including by multiple Secretaries of State, Secretaries of Defense and the POTUS. he Senkakus are part of Okinawa Prefecture which houses the largest US military presence in Asia and serves as a gateway to regional operations.

Which is why China will not invade the Senkakus.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Is it just me or is the world freaking owned right now by a bunch of nuclear armed, grumpy old losers making threats because they're not getting their own way over irrelevant ideologies?

I feel like the "humans" of the world, if there are any left, really need to start making plans to get these dudes behind bars ASAP .

We've forgotten there are young peoples futures involved here, it's absolutely abhorrent the way we have to keen reading about threads of war, and especially nuclear war, it just needs to be tabled.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

lets see here,

Test #1 it was probably an earthquake, never mind.

Test # 2 Oh wait a minute, did N Korea just conduct a Nuke Test? or what?

Test #3 We now believe that N. Korea just conducted a Nuke Test, but more verification is needed.

Test #4 We can now confirm without any doubt that N. Korea has just conducted a Nuke Test,

Test #5 North Korea now has the capabilities to carry out a Nuke attack and has the means to deliver it too.

Test #6 North Korea now has the capabilities to deliver a nuke bomb across the Atlantic.

Test #7 we will take "unparalleled" scale of response !!!!??

Test #8 TBD

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I have zero doubt that China is behind this imminent test, or at the very least are allowing it. After all, they will look for any angle to unsettle The US, S Korea and Japan.

China is NKs puppet master.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

The fat little baby is having a temper tantrum as it seems he is not getting any attention lately!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

One black ops predator drone, and a direct hit on rocket man, would end NK and free it's people.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Red rag to a bull.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

One black ops predator drone, and a direct hit on rocket man, would end NK and free it's people.

His psycho sister would take charge and retaliate. It is a very big family.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

China and Russia does not want the fat guy to use a NUKE if he did, they better check the winds because the fallout will reach their borders and put them at risk. Believe it or not they too have a say in what the fat man does and they do not want that to happen.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

All these 'disruptors', Putin, Xi, Trump, Bolsanaro and Kim (amongst others) need to be removed one way or another. They are just people who have let power go to their head. Historically it never ends well for such people. Name one very powerful leader of a country who died naturally of old age! They're pretty rare.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

 I have zero doubt that China is behind this imminent test, or at the very least are allowing it. After all, they will look for any angle to unsettle The US, S Korea and Japan.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. China doesn't want anything to happen that could destabilize the Korean status quo and has in the past not been supportive of DPRKs nuclear weapons tests.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@Laguna, DPRK already has ample customer nations who are perfectly willing to violate UN sanctions. Their students attend high quality universities abroad, typically to study engineering and scientific disciplines that inform their many weapons programs. Remember Kim Jong Un and his Krypt Keeper sister are Swiss educated. A lot of nations could not care less about anything the UN sanctions. Nations look out for their own narrow interests in most cases, especially those which are non aligned. You will find there is a brisk trade in coal from DPRK that is transferred at sea to ships that never touch a North Korean port, accomplished with their AIS turned off so their movements are not tracked. Some of these ships are sometimes identified by maritime surveillance of various types, but ships change names and owners frequently making determining who the sanctions violators are more often than not very difficult to prove. So all of this leaves me wondering what "unprecedented" response the US, South Korea and Japan could mount? A naval blockade?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

No no no.

We don't speak like this.

Korea and Japan suddenly throwing threats around....very uncharacteristic.

North Korea are in the wrong absolutely, but I worry for Japan a little bit. Stirring the pot with Russia and North Korea. It may not end well for Japan

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I bet they don't do anything if there's a test.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

North Korea now has the capabilities to deliver a nuke bomb across the Atlantic.

Maybe look at a map? NK can't go across the Atlantic. OTOH, the Pacific is still a problem, but so is 200 kms.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The whole US led security apparatus really is in hyper overdrive imaging every possible threat as imminent. North Korea is already sanctioned. Russia is not to agree to any new sanctions, nor China at this moment. I can't say I'm happy about N Korea's continue nuclear weapons development but what more can be done about it? Kim isn't going to nuke anyone anytime soon. That is a death wish for him and the Kim dynasty.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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