North Korea under martial law: “Be ready for war

[genmirajborgza786]

North Korea under martial law: “Be ready for war”


By Julian Ryall, London Daily TelegraphJanuary 31, 2013 9:20 PM



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is believed to be moving ahead with a third nuclear test.
Photograph by: KNS, AFP/Getty ImagesNorth Korea has been placed under martial law and Kim Jong-un has told his front-line troops to “be ready for a war,” according to South Korean media reports.

In an emergency meeting of his top defence and security officials on Saturday, the North Korean leader issued a series of orders that included the conclusion of preparations for a new nuclear test, the Joongang Daily reported.

North Korean state media has also reported that Kim ordered his officials to take “effective, high-profile state measures”.

While it has been anticipated that Pyongyang will go ahead with what will be the regime’s third nuclear test, in spite of international pressure to refrain from doing so, analysts had predicted that the blast would be timed to coincide with the birthday on Feb. 16 of Kim Jong-il, the former leader who died in late 2011, or the inauguration of the new government in South Korea nine days later.

The reports now suggest that the demonstration of North Korea’s nuclear prowess is more imminent.

In March 1993, North Korea placed the nation under martial law shortly before it announced it was withdrawing from the Treaty in the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The regime also ordered its troops to be ready for war.

Pyongyang’s preparations have been corroborated by South Korean government officials and sources in Beijing, with surveillance images.

North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in October 2006 and carried out a second underground detonation in May 2009.

This latest test is in direct response to international criticism of its launch of a rocket in December that Pyongyang claimed was for peaceful purposes. The United Nations Security Council concluded unanimously that it was a test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Lee Myung-bak, the president of South Korea, ordered the military to be ready to make a “strong response” to any provocation from North Korea.

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

http://www.montrealgazette.com/North+Korea+under+martial+ready/7902222/story.html

 

[genmirajborgza786]

U.S.: North Korean nuclear test 'soon'

By Barbara Starr and Elise Labott

The United States believes North Korea is ready "at any time" to conduct a nuclear test, American officials tell CNN.

"We think they are preparing for a test," one U.S. official told CNN Wednesday. "We are watching it all as closely as we can."

U.S. officials say they are bracing for a third test by Pyongyang "soon," although they caution it's near impossible to predict the timing.

READ: How close is North Korea to a nuclear missile?

"One thing for sure," a senior official told CNN. "They will definitely test a nuclear weapon. But the tricky thing is, nobody can tell you for your day planner that is when it will be."

One official explained the United States is not certain about the timing of a test because it would happen underground and the final preparations can't be observed by satellite.

But a level of activity has been seen at the site in recent days, including movement of people and equipment that typically would be expected ahead of a test, one of the officials said.

Last week, North Korea said that it planned to conduct a new nuclear test and carry out more rocket launches after the U.N. Security Council voted to tighten sanctions on the secretive regime. The U.N. action was in response to North Korea's successful launch of a three-stage rocket last month that put the satellite Shining Star-3 into orbit on the first anniversary of Kim Jong Il's death.

The launch also signaled that the North's long-range missile program now puts the United States within reach.

"If you go by what little activity we see and by their rhetoric, which is usually consistent with their actions, it's a good bet they will do (a test) soon," the senior official said. "The trash talk has reached such a crescendo that by their own ego, we don't see how they back down. But let me be clear, the physical signs don't show imminence, because the major activity is underground."

Declaring the sanctions to be tantamount to "a declaration of war," North Korea's threats of more missile and nuclear tests are part of what it said is a new phase of confrontation with the United States.

Pyongyang didn't say when it intends to carry out the nuclear test, which follows previous underground detonations in 2006 and 2009.

Satellite imagery shows activity at the Punggye-ri site, where those previous nuclear tests were conducted. The images were analyzed by 38 North, a website maintained by researchers at the U.S.-Korea Institute at John Hopkins University. According to their analysis, the roads surrounding the site have been kept clear of snow for the past month and suggest that the North Koreans may have been sealing the tunnel into a mountainside where a nuclear device would be detonated.

Officials say they, too, have also seen the imagery, but say it does not indicate whether the activity is a "real" intention to test, or how soon it could be done.

The administration is not sure if Pyongyang's announcement threatening further tests is an official announcement of an impending launch or a preliminary statement to be followed by announcement of a window of time during which the test will be conducted.

Even announcements of such windows are not always reliable. Last month North Korea extended its original window for the rocket launch, only to launch it before the new time frame.

"The North Koreans are experts at keeping the world guessing," one senior official said. "It's really impossible to tell beforehand" when they will act.

The North Korean's recent launch of a satellite into space caught U.S. intelligence somewhat off guard in that they were under the belief North Korea had delayed the launch a bit for technical reasons.

It is believed that North Korea put out the story of technical issues in order to throw off monitoring of its activities.

But knowing the exact timing of the nuclear test, while helpful, is not critical from a strategic or tactical point of view, given the United States is not trying to physically stop the test, some in the U.S. government argue.

Post by: By CNN Foreign Affairs Reporter Elise Labott, By CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr

U.S.: North Korean nuclear test 'soon' – CNN Security Clearance - CNN.com Blogs

 

[El Weirdo]

May be the news is true , but I have my doubts if its coming from US.
Just saying!!!

 

[genmirajborgza786]

 

[Yeti]

Very worrying for sure I just do not understand why so much hatred when they are the same people who have the same blood!


His son seems more hawkish compared to even his late father or is it the military men behind him calling the shots?

 

[KingMamba]

Very worrying for sure I just do not understand why so much hatred when they are the same people who have the same blood!


His son seems more hawkish compared to even his late father or is it the military men behind him calling the shots?

I think he is trying to look like he is in charge to impress top generals.

 

[Yeti]

I think he is trying to look like he is in charge to impress top generals.

He is such a young man to be head of state I would have thought he would be more liberal in his thinking considering he was educated in Switzerland but showing weakness is not a option in front of the Military generals.


Is this a response to South Korea's recent satellite launch? how much pressure can China really exert to stop them from conducting a test? it is hard to know what really goes on behind such a closed country

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21231204


Analysis: What is driving North Korea's nuclear test plan?

 

[KingMamba]

He is such a young man to be head of state I would have thought he would be more liberal in his thinking considering he was educated in Switzerland but showing weakness is not a option in front of the Military generals.


Is this a response to South Korea's recent satellite launch? how much pressure can China really exert to stop them from conducting a test? it is hard to know what really goes on behind such a closed country

Once they declare they are going to do something they have to do it. If he backs down now he will show weakness.

 

[genmirajborgza786]

North Korea 'under martial law'
North Korea has been placed under martial law and Kim Jong-un has told his front-line troops to "be ready for a war," according to South Korean media reports.

In an emergency meeting of his top defence and security officials on Saturday, the North Korean leader issued a series of orders that included the conclusion of preparations for a new nuclear test, the Joongang Daily reported.

North Korean state media has also reported that Kim ordered his officials to take "effective, high-profile state measures."

While it has been anticipated that Pyongyang will go ahead with what will be the regime's third nuclear test, in spite of international pressure to refrain from doing so, analysts had predicted that the blast would be timed to coincide with the birthday on February 16 of Kim Jong-il, the former leader who died in late 2011, or the inauguration of the new government in South Korea nine days later.

The reports now suggest that the demonstration of North Korea's nuclear prowess is more imminent.

In March 1993, North Korea placed the nation under martial law shortly before it announced it was withdrawing from the Treaty in the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The regime also ordered its troops to be ready for war.
North Korea 'under martial law' - Telegraph

 

[Yeti]

The primary value of a nuclear test is more likely to be political through enhancing the prestige of the government, attracting international attention and allowing the North to enhance its bargaining leverage”


Might give North Korea more chips to play with and strike a deal in the future with better terms

Once they declare they are going to do something they have to do it. If he backs down now he will show weakness.

Oh I am in no doubt of that, when it will happen and what the internationa response will be would be intresting but what can they really do? apart from some more meaningless sanctions

 

[genmirajborgza786]

He is such a young man to be head of state I would have thought he would be more liberal in his thinking considering he was educated in Switzerland but showing weakness is not a option in front of the Military generals.


Is this a response to South Korea's recent satellite launch? how much pressure can China really exert to stop them from conducting a test? it is hard to know what really goes on behind such a closed country

BBC News - Analysis: What is driving North Korea's nuclear test plan?


Analysis: What is driving North Korea's nuclear test plan?

yes it looks to be the case of south Korea's satellite launch did provoke north Korea to react but to be honest i think its a part of the over all great game involving the situation in Syria viz-a-viz Korean peninsula where global powers are @ play
sort of a new form of cold war most probably

 

[Yeti]

yes it looks to be the case of south Korea's satellite launch did provoke the north Korea to react but to be honest i think its a part of the over all great game involving the situation in Syria viz-a-via Korean peninsula where global powers are @ play
sort of a new form of cold war most probably

I hope in my lifetime that Korea will become united as they really are the same people only this stupid ideological diffrence is what caused this mess and yes the big powers like USA, China and Russia played a role also.

 

[terranMarine]

I hope in my lifetime that Korea will become united as they really are the same people only this stupid ideological diffrence is what caused this mess and yes the big powers like USA, China and Russia played a role also.

Go f*ck off if you are accusing China for having any role in dividing Korea into two. It was the Americans and Soviet Union that were responsible for it right after the end of WW2. Want to know the truth? Go read it
Division of Korea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Had China not helped the Vietcongs kick the Americans out, Vietnam would probably still be divided just like Korea right now. Like i said before, after the Japanese surrender Korea should have been declared independent. Korea was an independent country before Japan occupied it. But hell no the Russians and Americans couldn't agree on certain things and divide it into two parts.

 

[beijingwalker]

Had China not helped the Vietcongs kick the Americans out, Vietnam would probably still be divided just like Korea right now.

now we have to admit we did it wrong,we should've supported the S.Vietnam instead of the North.

 

[anon45]

Go f*ck off if you are accusing China for having any role in dividing Korea into two. It was the Americans and Soviet Union that were responsible for it right after the end of WW2. Want to know the truth? Go read it
Division of Korea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Had China not helped the Vietcongs kick the Americans out, Vietnam would probably still be divided just like Korea right now. Like i said before, after the Japanese surrender Korea should have been declared independent. Korea was an independent country before Japan occupied it. But hell no the Russians and Americans couldn't agree on certain things and divide it into two parts.

China kept it divided for its own reasons, its part of the blame, and continues to be a factor in the Korea's division. Deal with the reality and accept it.


The US is also a factor in its division if you consider rule of the peninsula by North Korea an acceptable outcome.

Don't bother with strawmans, this is about Korea's division, and China without a doubt holds responsibility for it, arguably equal to or more than the defunct Soviet Union. The peninsula would be unified today under a likely prosperous democratic rule without the CCP's intervention.