North Korea - how serious should we take them?

[Efbe]

Cobnapint said:

The only way the US won't have a leg to stand on in SK is if the North and South sign a peace agreement officially ending the war between them. Looking at all the backslapping going on between Moon and Kim in the DMZ, I'm surprised this hasn't happened yet.

at a guess Kim will play this for all he can.
maybe use that as a bargaining ship to get more money, maybe wait until he can get some other deals done, then use that for another round of fund raising.

Kim may have to write a book about this: Art of beating Trump's deal.

I reckon Kim's nukes will still exist. He's probably selling them to Trudeau right now :P

[TheJimi]

As I see it, Kim has played the long game, and has used his nuclear & ICBM capabilities (such as they are) to leverage himself into the position he now finds himself in.

Early days and all that, but he may well have played a blinder, imo

Edited by TheJimi on Wednesday 13th June 09:47

[KTF]

TheJimi said:

Early days and all that, but he may well have played a blinder, imo

I agree. Trump really needs to keep his mouth shut and leave the negotiations to people who know what they are doing before he gives away everything for nothing in return.

[LoonyTunes]

His Nukes have achieved exactly what he would want them to achieve - parity.

He was/is never going to use them in anger unless attacked himself.

From his POV the ICBM's have paid for themselves already.

[Cobnapint]

Looks like NK may be taking everybody for a ride.

http://news.sky.com/story/north-korea-deceiving-us...

https://www.38north.org/2018/06/yongbyon062618/

[Evangelion]

Honestly guys, didn't we all know this would happen?

There's an old saying: "If you want to help someone, tell him the truth. If you want to help yourself, tell him what he wants to hear."

Which is what Kim has done to Trump.

[mko9]

Cobnapint said:

Looks like NK may be taking everybody for a ride.

http://news.sky.com/story/north-korea-deceiving-us...

https://www.38north.org/2018/06/yongbyon062618/

Meh. That 38north.org article basically says nothing. It is pretty much a status check on the facility. I don't doubt the North Koreans' ability or desire to deceive the US, witness the Agreed Framework where they agreed to shutdown their plutonium production but had a covert uranium enrichment program running the whole time. I just think it is way to early too know one way or the other what is going on or how this will shake out.

Edited by mko9 on Monday 9th July 15:43

[anonymous-user]

I think trump would likely react vigorously if it was shown that Kim was taking the piss

Let’s see

[anonymous-user]

JPJPJP said:

I think trump would likely react vigorously if it was shown that Kim was taking the piss

Let’s see

Trump is China'ds puppet, he won't do fall without there say so.

[Cobnapint]

Now it looks like they don't like the 'complete, verifiable and irreversible de-nuclearisation' bit. Which is the whole point isn't it...?

http://news.sky.com/story/north-korea-talks-with-p...

[gadgetmac]

Cobnapint said:

Now it looks like they don't like the 'complete, verifiable and irreversible de-nuclearisation' bit. Which is the whole point isn't it...?

http://news.sky.com/story/north-korea-talks-with-p...

Do we know what the deal was on both sides?

We think we know what NK has to do but what has the US to do? Is it written down anywhere?

[Robertj21a]

gadgetmac said:

Do we know what the deal was on both sides?

We think we know what NK has to do but what has the US to do? Is it written down anywhere?

It will be on Twitter somewhere.........

[gadgetmac]

You can be sure that the US have to do something in return for NK denuclearising or whats in it for Kim?

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

gadgetmac said:

You can be sure that the US have to do something in return for NK denuclearising or whats in it for Kim?

Lifting sanctions I guess?

[gadgetmac]

Dr Doofenshmirtz said:

gadgetmac said:

You can be sure that the US have to do something in return for NK denuclearising or whats in it for Kim?

Lifting sanctions I guess?

Which they haven’t even started to consider doing yet.

It would have to be parallel to NK denuclearising surely. Can’t imagine Kim trusting the big bad Satan to come through with their end some time in the future should he clear the country of nukes today.

[sugerbear]

Does this mean the Trump Hotel and Golf course in NK are likely to be delayed?

[Cobnapint]

gadgetmac said:

Which they haven’t even started to consider doing yet.

It would have to be parallel to NK denuclearising surely. Can’t imagine Kim trusting the big bad Satan to come through with their end some time in the future should he clear the country of nukes today.

Sanctions will of course be part of the negotiations, as will ending joint military exercises with the South. But until Kim commits to, and begins, verifiable de-nuke, nothing can happen.

All he's done up to now is make all the right noises, destroy the entrances to an already usless test site, and blown a few oversized garden sheds to smithereens.

[Toaster]

gadgetmac said:

You can be sure that the US have to do something in return for NK denuclearising or whats in it for Kim?

along with China who probably have at least as big an influence or bigger

[ReaperCushions]

JPJPJP said:

I think trump would likely react vigorously if it was shown that Kim was taking the piss

Let’s see

Not a chance, this is his shot at the Nobel peace prize (in his mind) and the only thing outside of the economy that will rescue him in 2020. He’ll see it through as far as he can, then blame the Dems or Clinton when it doesn’t happen.

[minimoog]

KOREA: North Korean delegation did not show up at planned meeting with U.S. at Demilitarized Zone on Thursday to discuss repatriating remains of Americans killed in Korean War. There was no call or explanation.

Well there's a surprise.