North Korea - how serious should we take them?
Discussion
robinessex said:
I bet all their rocket stuff is either China or Russia supplied. maybe a mid-eastern country as well somewhere. Their entire defense budget is probably spent on uniforms, guns without ammo, and organizing marching routines. Plus medals for 1000's of ancient generals.
Less Russia and more Iran I think.JPJPJP said:
The opening ceremony to the latest parade. Not a bad do really
https://twitter.com/martyn_williams/status/1350124...
That all looked quite impressive. Like others have said, cardboard missiles, guns without bullets, population without food & medicine.https://twitter.com/martyn_williams/status/1350124...
Cybercrime, pimping out your population, illegal trading all pays off for some.
robinessex said:
Kim Jong Un signals plans to develop new nuclear weapons
https://www.ft.com/content/b4971c6e-8b89-43b5-93d2...
Kim Jong Un has signalled plans to develop new nuclear weapons and described the US as North Korea’s “biggest enemy”, moves that threaten to raise tensions with US president-elect Joe Biden. The North Korean leader’s comments, made at a rare gathering of top political officials in Pyongyang, marked the dictator’s strongest broadside against Washington since Mr Biden won the presidency in November’s election. “Our external political activities going forward should be focused on suppressing and subduing the US, the basic obstacle, the biggest enemy against our revolutionary development,” Mr Kim said, according to a translation by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. Analysts warn that North Korea’s nuclear weapons development represents a core foreign policy challenge for Mr Biden, who faces unprecedented domestic problems and a tumultuous transition of power. “It is quite clear Kim is sending Biden the signal that dealing with North Korea will remain a tough challenge — whether or not the administration chooses to prioritise the North Korean threat is irrelevant to Kim,” said Soo Kim, a former CIA North Korea analyst now at Rand Corporation, a US think-tank. The Kim regime has announced a series of weapons development plans, including shorter-range “tactical” nuclear weapons, a new nuclear submarine, and hypersonic missiles, according to a separate report released by North Korean state media.
Yet the North Korean economy is collapsing
North Korea: Kim Jong-un says economic plan a near-total failure at a rare political meeting
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/06/nort...
Ruler begins second Workers’ party congress by admitting strategy fell short in ‘almost all areas’
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during the first day of the 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang.
North Korea’s ruler, Kim Jong-un, has admitted that his economic policies have largely failed, and vowed to avoid a repeat of the “painful lessons” of the past at a rare meeting of the country’s ruling party. Kim told the congress of the Workers’ party that his five-year economic plan had failed to achieve its goals “in almost all areas to a great extent”, North Korean state media said on Wednesday. “We should further promote and expand the successes and victories that we’ve achieved through our painstaking efforts but prevent us from having the painful lessons again.” The congress, the first for five years, opened with Kim facing the toughest challenges of his nine-year rule, caused by what he called “unprecedented” crises. It is being closely watched for signs of a shift in economic policy, after a year in which North Korea was struck by natural disasters while contending with the knock-on effects of the coronavirus pandemic and international sanctions imposed in response to its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. While the regime continues to claim it has not recorded a single case of Covid-19, border closures and the suspension of international flights have strained an already fragile economy. Trade with China plummeted by almost 80% in the first 11 months of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019, according to Song Jaeguk, an analyst at the IBK Economic Research Institute in Seoul. North Korea’s GDP was estimated to have contracted by 9.3% in 2020, he added.
So where's the money for that totally ridiculous shopping list of advanced weapons coming from?
He's completely out of things to say, clearly. He runs a country which no one else in the world really gives two fhttps://www.ft.com/content/b4971c6e-8b89-43b5-93d2...
Kim Jong Un has signalled plans to develop new nuclear weapons and described the US as North Korea’s “biggest enemy”, moves that threaten to raise tensions with US president-elect Joe Biden. The North Korean leader’s comments, made at a rare gathering of top political officials in Pyongyang, marked the dictator’s strongest broadside against Washington since Mr Biden won the presidency in November’s election. “Our external political activities going forward should be focused on suppressing and subduing the US, the basic obstacle, the biggest enemy against our revolutionary development,” Mr Kim said, according to a translation by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. Analysts warn that North Korea’s nuclear weapons development represents a core foreign policy challenge for Mr Biden, who faces unprecedented domestic problems and a tumultuous transition of power. “It is quite clear Kim is sending Biden the signal that dealing with North Korea will remain a tough challenge — whether or not the administration chooses to prioritise the North Korean threat is irrelevant to Kim,” said Soo Kim, a former CIA North Korea analyst now at Rand Corporation, a US think-tank. The Kim regime has announced a series of weapons development plans, including shorter-range “tactical” nuclear weapons, a new nuclear submarine, and hypersonic missiles, according to a separate report released by North Korean state media.
Yet the North Korean economy is collapsing
North Korea: Kim Jong-un says economic plan a near-total failure at a rare political meeting
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/06/nort...
Ruler begins second Workers’ party congress by admitting strategy fell short in ‘almost all areas’
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during the first day of the 8th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang.
North Korea’s ruler, Kim Jong-un, has admitted that his economic policies have largely failed, and vowed to avoid a repeat of the “painful lessons” of the past at a rare meeting of the country’s ruling party. Kim told the congress of the Workers’ party that his five-year economic plan had failed to achieve its goals “in almost all areas to a great extent”, North Korean state media said on Wednesday. “We should further promote and expand the successes and victories that we’ve achieved through our painstaking efforts but prevent us from having the painful lessons again.” The congress, the first for five years, opened with Kim facing the toughest challenges of his nine-year rule, caused by what he called “unprecedented” crises. It is being closely watched for signs of a shift in economic policy, after a year in which North Korea was struck by natural disasters while contending with the knock-on effects of the coronavirus pandemic and international sanctions imposed in response to its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. While the regime continues to claim it has not recorded a single case of Covid-19, border closures and the suspension of international flights have strained an already fragile economy. Trade with China plummeted by almost 80% in the first 11 months of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019, according to Song Jaeguk, an analyst at the IBK Economic Research Institute in Seoul. North Korea’s GDP was estimated to have contracted by 9.3% in 2020, he added.
So where's the money for that totally ridiculous shopping list of advanced weapons coming from?
ks about (apart from possibly South Korea and China, and in the latter case only because he's a minor irritation to them) which has basically zero economy and has a half starving population. I don't think that anyone really cares that he has nuclear weapons. If he does have them then he has very few which are probably utterly undeliverable past a few miles. If he has ICBM's, or even a bomber fleet, then I'll eat my hat. I doubt that China has any desire to allow him to acquire any significant nuclear strike capability. The Yanks will never need to disarm NK because China will do it for them - if they ever let him get that far to begin with.
robinessex said:
I bet all their rocket stuff is either China or Russia supplied. maybe a mid-eastern country as well somewhere. Their entire defense budget is probably spent on uniforms, guns without ammo, and organizing marching routines. Plus medals for 1000's of ancient generals.
I think it's all ageing Chinese stuff. I cannot believe that China would ever allow him anything remotely "fun" though, to be quite honest. If he ever got anything remotely dangerous he'd get a massive bh-slapping from Beijing. His regime is "allowed" to exist by China. If he ever gets uppity he's fked. bristolracer said:
By not buying food or medicine for most of his population?
Have you seen the pictures of those missiles? I bet they are cardboard shells. Doubtless he is playing with nuclear toys but I bet the missiles are no more sophisticated than the German WW2 V1.
Have you ever bought a Samsung product, an LG, a Hyundai or KIA - pause for a moment and think - same group of people. They are very real, in the West a lot of subtle racial prejudice. This was how people thought about Japanese cars and in general anyone not white is considered primitive - this ladies and gentlemen is casual racism. Of course, anyone who is unbiased can see they can develop it just like they do in the South.Have you seen the pictures of those missiles? I bet they are cardboard shells. Doubtless he is playing with nuclear toys but I bet the missiles are no more sophisticated than the German WW2 V1.
Let look at this realistically, if they divide England into North and South - does one group actually become stupid and incapable of being a productive country?
DozyGit said:
Have you ever bought a Samsung product, an LG, a Hyundai or KIA - pause for a moment and think - same group of people. They are very real, in the West a lot of subtle racial prejudice. This was how people thought about Japanese cars and in general anyone not white is considered primitive - this ladies and gentlemen is casual racism. Of course, anyone who is unbiased can see they can develop it just like they do in the South.
Let look at this realistically, if they divide England into North and South - does one group actually become stupid and incapable of being a productive country?
Sorry but this is just utter tosh! Suggesting that calling NK out on being utterly inept and bankrupt is some sort of unconscious racism is just ridiculous. The place is fLet look at this realistically, if they divide England into North and South - does one group actually become stupid and incapable of being a productive country?
ked because it's been run by a succession of communist nutters who oppress and control their people. I'm sure that NK could be making stuff like Samsing or LG if it wanted to. It isn't though because it's run under some ridiculously infantile regime that doesn't want that and can't afford it. You can't just reply to everything these days with cos racism, innit.
Edit: actually one of my grandfather's would never buy anything Japanese. It wasn't to do with racism though, more to do with the fact that he was on a ship during the war which evacuated some of the survivors of the Burma railway and various Japanese prison camps and decided that he wasn't going to support a society which harboured such values.
Edited by AJL308 on Monday 18th January 12:44
DozyGit said:
bristolracer said:
By not buying food or medicine for most of his population?
Have you seen the pictures of those missiles? I bet they are cardboard shells. Doubtless he is playing with nuclear toys but I bet the missiles are no more sophisticated than the German WW2 V1.
Have you ever bought a Samsung product, an LG, a Hyundai or KIA - pause for a moment and think - same group of people. They are very real, in the West a lot of subtle racial prejudice. This was how people thought about Japanese cars and in general anyone not white is considered primitive - this ladies and gentlemen is casual racism. Of course, anyone who is unbiased can see they can develop it just like they do in the South.Have you seen the pictures of those missiles? I bet they are cardboard shells. Doubtless he is playing with nuclear toys but I bet the missiles are no more sophisticated than the German WW2 V1.
Let look at this realistically, if they divide England into North and South - does one group actually become stupid and incapable of being a productive country?
Are you calling me racist?
Any race creed or colour can develop nuclear missiles given
1) the resources
2) the money
I have no doubt that the North Koreans (or anyone else) could develop missiles given the above.
Given that he has not much of either, I believe his missiles are all show rather than go, but I dont for one minute believe that he cannot build them given resources and money.
DozyGit said:
bristolracer said:
By not buying food or medicine for most of his population?
Have you seen the pictures of those missiles? I bet they are cardboard shells. Doubtless he is playing with nuclear toys but I bet the missiles are no more sophisticated than the German WW2 V1.
Have you ever bought a Samsung product, an LG, a Hyundai or KIA - pause for a moment and think - same group of people. They are very real, in the West a lot of subtle racial prejudice. This was how people thought about Japanese cars and in general anyone not white is considered primitive - this ladies and gentlemen is casual racism. Of course, anyone who is unbiased can see they can develop it just like they do in the South.Have you seen the pictures of those missiles? I bet they are cardboard shells. Doubtless he is playing with nuclear toys but I bet the missiles are no more sophisticated than the German WW2 V1.
Let look at this realistically, if they divide England into North and South - does one group actually become stupid and incapable of being a productive country?
Happy and productive days abound.
DozyGit said:
Have you ever bought a Samsung product, an LG, a Hyundai or KIA - pause for a moment and think - same group of people. They are very real, in the West a lot of subtle racial prejudice. This was how people thought about Japanese cars and in general anyone not white is considered primitive - this ladies and gentlemen is casual racism. Of course, anyone who is unbiased can see they can develop it just like they do in the South.
Let look at this realistically, if they divide England into North and South - does one group actually become stupid and incapable of being a productive country?
This sort of idiocy actually promotes racism. Pointing at everything and constructing a faux racist veneer around it weakens attempts to identify real bigotry.Let look at this realistically, if they divide England into North and South - does one group actually become stupid and incapable of being a productive country?
NK is in a parlous state because of inept and corrupt leadership.
eldar said:
DozyGit said:
Have you ever bought a Samsung product, an LG, a Hyundai or KIA - pause for a moment and think - same group of people. They are very real, in the West a lot of subtle racial prejudice. This was how people thought about Japanese cars and in general anyone not white is considered primitive - this ladies and gentlemen is casual racism. Of course, anyone who is unbiased can see they can develop it just like they do in the South.
Let look at this realistically, if they divide England into North and South - does one group actually become stupid and incapable of being a productive country?
This sort of idiocy actually promotes racism. Pointing at everything and constructing a faux racist veneer around it weakens attempts to identify real bigotry.Let look at this realistically, if they divide England into North and South - does one group actually become stupid and incapable of being a productive country?
NK is in a parlous state because of inept and corrupt
Stan the Bat said:
105.4 said:
DozyGit said:
Let look at this realistically, if they divide England into North and South - does one group actually become stupid and incapable of being a productive country?
Have you ever been to Barnsley?
Edited by robinessex on Tuesday 19th January 09:28
bristolracer said:
I have no doubt that the North Koreans (or anyone else) could develop missiles given the above.
Given that he has not much of either, I believe his missiles are all show rather than go, but I dont for one minute believe that he cannot build them given resources and money.
They're reputed to have pretty good missile tech actually. Exports are booming......Given that he has not much of either, I believe his missiles are all show rather than go, but I dont for one minute believe that he cannot build them given resources and money.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/kim...
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