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Kcna Via Kns / AFP - Getty Images
A North Korean military spokesman announcing the end of the armistice that ended the Korean War in 1953.
South Korea's military said it will strike back at North Korea and target its top leadership if Pyongyang launches a threatened attack.
A top North Korea general, in a rare appearance on state television on Tuesday, threatened military action against the U.S. and South Korea because of military drills between the two western allies countries that began March 1.
Tensions have ratcheted higher across the Korean peninsula since the North, under youthful leader Kim Jong Un who took office just over a year ago after the death of his father, launched a long-range rocket last December.
The youngest son of Kim Jong Il succeeded his late father in 2011, becoming the third member of his family to rule the unpredictable and reclusive communist state.
He followed this with a third nuclear test on February 12, triggering the prospect of more U.N. sanctions that are due to be formally announced on Thursday after the United States and China, the North's one major diplomatic ally, struck a deal to punish Pyongyang.
At the same time, North Korea has stepped up its military threats against South Korea and the United States, prompting the terse warning from Seoul on Wednesday that it would not stand idly by if its territory was attacked.
"We have all preparations in place for strong and decisive punishment, not only against the source of the aggression and its support forces but also the commanding element," Major General Kim Yong-hyun of the South Korean army told a press conference.
North Korea's bellicose rhetoric rarely goes beyond that, although in 2010 it sank a South Korean naval vessel, killing 46 sailors and in the same year shelled a South Korean island, killing civilians.
South Korea's new President Park Geun-hye had pledged to engage with the North if it dropped its nuclear plans but now faces the prospect of a hostile challenge early in her 5-year term.
The proposed fresh sanctions would explicitly ban the sale to Pyongyang of items coveted by North Korea's ruling elite, such as yachts and racing cars, a U.N. Security Council diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
In 2009, Italian authorities blocked the sale of two yachts worth more than $10 million that they believed were headed for Kim Jong Il, the current Kim's father, who enjoyed copious amounts of luxury brandy and fresh sushi in a country where a third of the population is malnourished.
The new sanctions will target North Korea's financial transactions, which often involve using cash couriers that make them hard to trace, and its criminal activities such as drugs and counterfeiting.
North Korea continues military drills and exercises in support of a top general's threat to back military action against South Korea and the United States. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
North Korea was slapped with sanctions in 2006 that banned the import of a range of luxury goods from jet skis to Harleys following its first nuclear test in a bid to hit the high-life of the Kim family and its hangers-on.
The impoverished country, whose economy is smaller than it was 20 years ago, has been subject to sanctions of some kind from the United States for almost all of its existence and since 2006 has seen U.N. sanctions imposed for its long range rocket and nuclear tests.
Despite the sanctions Pyongyang now has a nuclear stockpile sufficient for around half a dozen warheads, has made substantial progress in developing a long-range missile and is working towards miniaturizing a nuclear warhead for an intercontinental ballistic missile.
China has backed all rounds of sanctions and fell into line with the latest move in the Security Council, risking relations with its prickly ally.
About 200,000 Korean troops and 10,000 U.S. forces are expected to be mobilized for their "Foal Eagle" exercise, under the Combined Forces Command, which goes until the end of April. Separate computer-simulated drills called "Key Resolve" start on March 11.
Related:
Kerry dismissive of Rodman's North Korea visit
Huge military exercise highlights 'rebalancing of US policy toward Asia'
North Korea's propaganda poets stay true to their muse
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Leave a Comment:
Please just stick a missile in the Dough Boy's kisser once and for all. This little twerp has only been in power for a short time but he is as annoying as his father was. Oh yeah, take his wife and new child out at the same time. Gives us a little security going forward.
Don't think that'll happen. We're too busy trying to start a war with Iran.
I certainly hope these remarks are just "for internal use only" and that both sides are just playing to their constituencies. I certainly hope that is the case.
However, the ghoul in the dark is the prospect that the latest test done in N. Korea, was a test of Iran's bomb. The test indicated uranium, not plutonium. Iran's research is in making a uranium based bomb. N. Korea's bombs are based on plutonium. Imagine a world where Iran already has tested its bomb in Korea. Imagine the ramifications: Israel vs Iran, Egypt vs Israel. And now N. Korea vs S. Korea, all while Syria continues to burn and Yemen spirals more out of control.
This could just be trash talk, or it could be the beginning of something that has been in need of a definitive resolution for some time. Maybe that time is coming.
Yesterday NK was threatening/promising that if the US and SK had their military exercises next week that they would attack and the war would be on again. Now SK is responding.
NK is still yet further in trouble as China and others are joining up in the UN to go after them with sanctions, which is difficult when most of the world already doesn't want to do business with them, they starve their people and continuously build up their military, and all they show for it is a big hatted military leadership and missile tests on tv. Great setup Kim.
It brings me back to those good 'ol Albright days, sigh. That was when the US could "negotiate" with NK- giving them nuclear material and money if they'd just promise not to build nuclear weapons. Oh how the times change.
I think it would be a mistake on the part of North Korea to under estimate President Obama...
Any president that can laugh and smile, making jokes at Donald Trump, at a correspondence dinner, while at the same time, knowing he's got a direct shot at OBL and takes it... Well, the little fat Korean boy should keep looking to the skies for incoming drones...
@JoeNY
Exactly why she will always be Madam NotSoBright in my mind. An absolute, total, all encompassing, idiot.
Sorry, I just slandered idiots. My apologies.
Dennis Rodman can fix this.
Dennis, just tell them you'll autograph their wives ass for them. Take 'em out for dinner or something.
There, all fixed......
These guys figured out how to send a satellite into space and next thing you know, they're calling out the USA. Man, that would be the stupidest thing they could "evar", underestimate.
We need this like another hole in the head man.
You're right Creek Dog - I hope they wait until Rodman goes back.
They should just each send their best basketball team to settle this issue permanently, one game, winner take all. Or would it be more reasonable to make it a best of 7 series? The only question South would have to decide is whether Rodman can coach the North.
Oh, and of course, there would be the issue of North wanting to wear home jerseys for ALL games. Maybe Yao Ming and China can step in and help with hosting and officiating.
North Korea would make a nice parking lot.
To bad we never invented a bomb that kills only males.
Those Female soldiers are kind of hot and not a fatty in the lot.
The South Koreans haven't got any more sense than the North Koreans.
Great... like the world needs another stupid war...
Wife and child too???
Kim Yung Un is pressing his luck, especially with his nuclear missile plans.
Nuclear weapons, or any weapon of mass destruction, can not be ignored or tolerated.
I just hope we get to see him FRY on TV!
There is asaying. Walk softly, and carry a big stick. The reason NK is always acting like a spoiled brat is because they have no stick. They know what the outcome would be if they attacked, but by blustering it keeps them in power because of the ignorance of the general populace who feel that their dear leader is watching out for them. They have no idea that this punk kid looks and act like a fool to the rest of the world and if not for the fact that he is a spoiled brat most countries just laugh at him.
Could he attack? Yes if he were stupid enough. Personally I think not as he knows that one strike from the United States would create a hole in the ground big enough to bury their entire population. When that was done, the south would move in, and the North would no longer exist. The North's miniature robotic military was a formidable army 40 years ago, but with the weapons and technology of today, it is highly feasible that if they started a fight, it could be over in 24 hours. They just don't have the firepower to survive a major conflict with a major power such as the United States, China, or for that matter Russia, and I think they know it. They are bluffing in an effort to let the people think they are powerful, when they aren't. They are just the bully on the block who talks big and sooner or later they are going to miscalculate and when that happens, they will be gone in a flash.
Kim Jong Un,
Does the Saying "Stepping on the toe of a sleeping giant" mean anything to you?
- Tora, Tora, Tora!
Both sides are talking trash they can't back up. Let them sort it out amongst themselves. We've got our own problems right here at home.
Deal in reality. Commitments have already been made.
Barack needs to show just as much commitment to south Korea as we did Mubarak.
America is only as good as the word of our leaders.
If we can't have faith in the honesty and integrity of President Obama then we are up SH!T creek.
A man is only as good as his word.
Omama is a self acknowledged liar so guess we are up Sh!t creek as usual.
Dang, where did I put my can of
warrenTroll-be-Gone?Informing someone that you will defend your country if attacked is hardly "trash talk".
And Blutowski is quite right; we can't just up and leave South Korea to their own devices.
We need to take our troops out of there. It is a total waste of our money. Let these a-holes settle their own scores.
"The youngest son of Kim Jong Il succeeded his late father in 2011, becoming the third member of his family to rule the unpredictable and reclusive communist state."
Of all nut cases, this N. Korea's one should be easiest to handle.
When these tin pot rulers don't solve problems at home, they resort to rhetorics.
Their rules are like castles built on sand! A slight push will over throw the rulers and their gangs.
Then please explain the last 60 years.
GM StonePipe
Way back in Vaudeville Days 60 years was unheard of and now it seems the dictators of NK have a "Family Affair" (Kim 1, 2 & Un) running much longer. And yes, it is still tragic, yet still has comedic rhetoric!
The only reason NK is around today is because Truman didn't want World War 3 with the Soviet Union and China.
Today Russia is a second tier power and is not going to war for NK.
Would China? Only under certain circumstances (such as US forced regime change).
So... status quo for now. Eventually NK will attack SK because they have no choice as a regime, or they'll just collapse. But either way could take another 60 years.
The four scenarios for North Korea:
1) Status qua. Continue to live in misery, making hilarious threats that only you "get".
2) Open up and reform, peacefully.
3) Peasants revolt.
4) Attack and turn to dust.
Place your bets!
We had better hope China doesn't go to war.
Besides the devastation caused our youth by not being able to get a new IPhone every year, China is a very real threat even without going nuclear.
stonepipe2: In life span of nations, 60 years is nothing.
Even nut case rulers do have followers, who keep their bosses going.
Just examine the cases of mafia gangs.
Actually Blutowski, China's military is quite undersized, untested, and almost entirely defensive. Aside from their nuclear capability, they have little ability to operate outside of their own country. They have one aircraft carrier and probably don't know how to use it.
China is unlikely to start a fight or get involved militarily in anything, but even if they did, they would probably lose, and badly.
Bluto..: China tried to grab with full force some Vietnamese territory after we left in eighties or so.
They got such a thrashing that they ran away from occupied territory.
In early 2000s or so they tried similar tricks with their "friend", Russia. There also they got thrashed.
But they are good at moving against very weak like Tibet or some Island near Japan.
They are also good at jumping into basket case nations like Pakistan and try to cook their own goose. Sometimes, they get badly thrashed.
However, they can't hold those places for long.
Chinese are experts and careful in picking fights. So they will be quite far from the US and allies like Britain and others.
Time to send Rodman back to diffuse the situation...LOL....
If I am not mistaken, didn't we see this same story yesterday but it was North instead of South??????
Duh. That's why this is called a response.
That's right, it's a tennis play. The ball goes back and forth. Sometimes we clap our hands.
Advantage South Korea.
Keep you eyes on the ball.
Use a predator to take out Rodman's boy toy first.
South Korea now has cruise missiles that can reach all corners of North Korea, so the promise of retaliation by South Korea is no idle threat. They won't spare Kim Jong Un's palace. When Kim's hide is roasted, the hungry people of North Korea will pick his bones clean.
Bla Bla Bla... Yap Yap Yap... All I can say is this is boring me to death... it is essentially SSDD (Same Shat Different Day). If these two want to duke it out, LET THEM... but bring our troops home from there, so we don't get drug into the middle of this on going family feud with the Koreans.
Like it not, we will be involved in any dispute between the two countries. For one thing, we're still technically at war with North Korea. For a second, we can't stand by while one of the world's largest economies (and a democracy) comes under attack. The disruptions to our own economy would be huge. Also, if North Korea were to defeat South Korea, the pressures on Japan to re-arm would be unstoppable. That would probably make its neighbors, and China, nervous. Let's remember what happened the last time the Pacific region became unstable.
Sometimes, keeping the peace is in American interests, too.
barry
Well technically, we have never been at war with NK.
You're right. It was a "police action". So, technically, the US and North Korea are not at war and not at peace.
So, is the United Nations still technically at war with North Korea? It was more than the US vs. North Korea, it was the UN vs. North Korea, due to the Russian abstention during the critical vote.
The UN cannot go to war with anyone (technically). It is not a nation and has no military.
But we have treaties obliging us to come to South Korea's aid if they were attacked. Fighting them is the same as fighting the United States.
Actually, the UN can basically declare war per Chapter 7 of the charter... articles 42 & 43 are particularly illuminating.
Article 42
Should the Security Council consider that measures provided for in Article 41 would be inadequate or have proved to be inadequate, it may take such action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security. Such action may include demonstrations, blockade, and other operations by air, sea, or land forces of Members of the United Nations.
Article 43
1.All Members of the United Nations, in order to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security, undertake to make available to the Security Council, on its call and in accordance with a special agreement or agreements, armed forces, assistance, and facilities, including rights of passage, necessary for the purpose of maintaining international peace and security.
2.Such agreement or agreements shall govern the numbers and types of forces, their degree of readiness and general location, and the nature of the facilities and assistance to be provided.
3.The agreement or agreements shall be negotiated as soon as possible on the initiative of the Security Council. They shall be concluded between the Security Council and Members or between the Security Council and groups of Members and shall be subject to ratification by the signatory states in accordance with their respective constitutional processes.
United Nations Resolution 83 of 27 June 1950:
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3b00f20a2c.html
- For Korea, the vote was taken and the UN "recommended" support for South Korea. This allowed member states to legally go to war against NK without having to declare war themselves. It is still basically in effect today.
This is nothing unusual:
Resolution 678 (1990) Adopted by the Security Council at its 2963rd meeting, on 29 November 1990:
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3b00f16760.html
- Authorized Gulf War I
Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) [on the deployment of international civil and security presences in Kosovo]:
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3b00f27216.html
-The UN authorizes the use of force in the former Jugoslavia.
Security Council resolution 1510 (2003) on ISAF, Afghanistan:
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3f8d30c54.html
- Authorized the current Afghan War
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 (2011)[on the situation in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya]
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?page=search&docid=4d885fc42&skip=0&query=United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 (2011)
-Authorized the use of force in Libya.
I'm sure there are others, but given the Soviets never walked out of the voting again I'm sure most of them aren't between 1950-1991.
Of course, that should go without saying.
Your right, and nothing has changed with these statements over the past 60 years. This should not even be a news story...NBC has had some pointless ones lately.
That's the first thing I thought!
I never thought of reading a line: "South Korean leaders today, announced that if attacked by the North...they'll start a badminton tournament at the local fairgrounds. They promise no cheating this time".
However, I was hoping to see a US military response from one of our boys and girls that are there.
meh, more bs from n. korea. the over arching question is: what do they want? this usual type of rhetoric happens around this time of the year because their winter food stocks are running out and rather than act like adults they act like children to get food aid. So they cry wolf yet again. Meh.
The military industrial complex would be much poorer if NK had not existed
Sometimes, an olive branch when it is least expected does so very much.
Of course you will defend yourselves if you are attacked.
I was stationed in South Korea - love the country and the people. But we have to remember that the people in South Korea and North Korea are essentially the same - separated by a political boundary.
It isn't the people of North Korea that are saber rattling - it's the regime. In truth, the only thing preventing unification of the 2 sides is that the leaders of North Korea are....rich - and want to stay that way - it's pretty obvious when you see how they live in opposition to their people. It's all about power and to hell with everyone else.
I live in the US - so, you would think I would be happy right - wrong. We have a bunch of tards in Washington that have ZERO clue. They forgot LONG ago that government works for the PEOPLE and not the other way around - they should ALL be fired. Our government - needs an enema.
Unfortunately, it's more than an arbitrary political boundary that separates North and South Korea. 60 years of life going in completely different directions has created vast cultural differences as well. North Koreans that escape to the South are not looked at as brothers who escaped to safety, but backwards refugees; poor, malnourished, uneducated and helpless.
Apparently you underestimate China and its capability. In case you were sleeping during history class: The US and South Korea were on the verge of defeating the north during the Korean War. That was until the Chinese came to the aid of the North and slapped us silly. We should be very afraid of China and its ability to wage war. They are a very disciplined military unlike ours.
On the verge? We kicked the North's ass all the way to the Yalu river, where our dumbass gerenals put Americans on the river banks instead of South Koreans. As soon as the Chinese saw Americans across the Yalu it was all over. We were public enemy number one to the Chinese at this point, remember we backed Chiang Kai Shek and the Nationalist and gave them all of our left over hardware from WWII and even help the nationalist with one of the larget troop movements of Soldiers and equipment from the South to the North where Mao, conveniently surrounded and killed hundreds of thousand of Nationalist troops at Tientsien. Not to mention Macarthur was already talking about nuking China, and why he was relieved of duty. The worst retereat in the history of the American army was retreating from the Chinese once they entered the war with 1 million plus troops.
If the North attacks the South, the outcome won't end in a truce. The North will be distroyed by the combined forces of the US and the South.
Harry you are correct. Unfortunatelythe south will also be destroyed. Both Koreas will probably be irradiated by the nuts from the north.
I see NK throwing down it's weapons and jumping the wall first chance they get if war was to (re)occur. The wild card remains China's action's / response.
South Korea arose from ashes and near total invasion to the modern, prosperous country it is today. The barbarian leaders of the north can only watch in envy and hope to capture and exploit South Korea for its wealth.
Psy's "Gangnam Style" was a defiant middle finger gesture to North Korea. The new South Korea is strong and knows what's at stake. They won't flinch when the battle starts and their goal is to re-unify Korea as a totally free country.
Mao's Grandson Calls on N.Korea to Abandon Nukes
Mao Xinyu gives an interview with the press after the National Committee of the
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference meeting in Beijing on Sunday.
/Xinhua-Newsis
Mao Xinyu, the only grandson of Mao Zedong and a major general in China's
People's Liberation Army, has clled on North Korea to abandon its nuclear
ambitions.
"North Korea must go towards denuclearization and peaceful
development" the state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Mao as saying on Tuesday.
He added that denuclearization in North Korea "is a cherished wish of the
Chinese people."
Mao is an outspoken member of the National Committee of
the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
A diplomatic
source in Beijing said, "The fact that Mao Xinyu, a prominent figure among the
children and relatives of the Chinese revolutionaries, mentioned
denuclearization of North Korea reflects the very high level of frustration
among Chinese people about North Korea's third nuclear test."
China's
next leader Xi Jinping is also one of the so-called "princelings" in that
group.
Mao Xinyu is the only son of the Great Helmsman's second son
Anqing. Some 24 princelings are part of the 2,237-member Chinese People's
Political Consultative Conference, a political advisory body intended to
represent a wider range of opinions than the Communist Party.
Obama needs to do a Vulcan mind meld with Kim Sung II. That ought do it.
Barack couldn't Jedi master a Tuna Melt.
Who is "Kim Sung Il"????
We need to send in Colonel Braddock........
Blutowski 0.0 banned, rereg of multiple accounter would-I-lie.
I congratulate S. Korea for standing up to these despotic bullies in the north.
And for you people who think the U.S. should pack up and leave--a N. Korean attack on the south or on Japan would destabilize the whole region and greatly hurt the U.S. economy and other interests--is that enough reason for you to spend tax dollars to meet our treaty obligations? It should be enough that the U.S. is what keeps these ruthless dictators in check.
Sorry Dan, but the money that we would save from leaving would balance out with whatever economic effects that would be felt here at home. We spend untold billions each year on protecting other countries, let them defend themselves and if they can't then they should fall and be taken over by someone who can defend themselves, it's a Jungle out there for sure but that's reality.
Harleman, you forget that Kim Jong Un's missiles are pointed at the USA and he considers the USA as his main enemy. He will not attack only South Korea. The North Koreans boast that they can reach the USA with missiles and they have released two videos showing their goal to reduce the USA to flaming ruins.
I'm afraid you're quite mistaken, HarleMan. The economic disruption would not be balanced by the paltry savings on a few military bases. Losing a trade powerhouse like South Korea would reverberate throughout the world economy. And that's just the pure money effects. I certainly don't think it's okay to let cruel, dictatorial states invade other countries and just shrug our shoulders and say "well, I guess the best nation won". To say nothing of the loss of influence and respect we would suffer from looking the other way.
Bad enough so many people view the United States as the world's biggest bully. We should at least honor our treaties and defend our allies, or we'll be the most useless, cowardly bully as well.
So Harleman, you would let a bully run your neighborhood, you would rather run from your front door to where you are going so the bully wouldn't kick your butt, really man...North Koreans are the most propogandized people on this planet, they really think truly that we are disgusting pigs that try to take over the world and make everyone bow to our will. Their propoganda is akin to the Japanese propoganda against us during World War II, do you know how many Okinawan civilians committed suicide in stead of be taken prision and killed by the Americans. The NK's have that same mentality fight to the death because us bad boy Americans will Rape your women and kill your kids before killing you. This is what they are told by their wonderful and transparent government. We are talking Hitler/Stalin evil here folks and NK needs to be kept in line. Even the Chinese are now willing to go along with the sanctions because they too are nervous about what NK will do.
Is it just me or I just really don't care about either North or South Korea, the US is starring in a dangerous game. Both these countries hate eachother, there will be no reconciling between them and sooner or later we will be plunged into the middle of a Civil War right back to 1953 again. When will we learn to stay out of other countries personal affairs.
We have so many problems going on here at home and the most important agenda of course is WAR, WAR with Iran, WAR with North Korea, WAR, WAR, WAR!! It's like we have stopped evolving and are now devolving, don't worry in about the next 150 years the world will catch up and we will all be plunged back to the stone age again, maybe the next time we will get it right and learn that we are all the same.
Did you happen to read that they were threatening us?
We'll we're technically still at war with the North and have various treaties promising to defend the South.
So it's not a game when we have so much to lose in foreign affairs, stability in the region, and our economy depending on stability between the two Koreas. If North attacks the South we will be involved.
Harleman, why don't you just move to Canada?
A war between North and South Korea would not be a civil war. They are completely unique and separate countries by now.
Harleman must not be a history major... England tried once to accommodate a fanatical dude, good ol PM Chamberlain let Hitler build up his military and even annex territories lost durign WWI without doing a thing. And where did that get us (the world). Now that we and our allies are being threatened by a fanatical pathetic county with nuclear capability you want to put out a peace flag as scream, why can't we all just get along...niiice, take Joe's advice and go find that little corner of the world where Utopia reins, or nobody wants, like iceland...Canada would fight along side us and we would along side them if either of us were attaked.
New are life.
Go to :
Let me get this straight. NK already HAS nukes and missiles to get them places and has stated they will attack the USA. Iran does NOT have nukes nor have they said they will attack the USA.
So what direction is the USA looking in? Iran. This is how you get a 2 X 4 or nuke in the back of the head. When NK attacks us and the south I fully expect Israel to send most of it's military to help us. Right...
NK doesn't have a missile that can carry their nuclear warheads yet. Or at least, we don't think so.
Also, Iran is a lot easier to engage than North Korea, on account of them not being, you know, THE most isolationalist country in the world.
These guys are obnoxious.
If we were to need to find a reason to start a war, this would be that reason. (note: not for oil)
If they even touch another country, we need to bomb them into the dark ages.
North Korea has undoubtedly dug in every military unit they have to be self sufficient in case of another war, but they seem to miss the point that nobody is going to send troops in on the ground like last time.
Just send Dennis Rodman to take care of this.
Lil Kimmy is a home grown Goof. There is no other way to put it. Even China wants him to tone his mouth down. He is going to get his a44 handed to him if he keeps this up.
North Korea making a military threat is about as meaningful as a toad standing in the way of a freight train.
Notice who holds the wealth in these communist socialist countries while the population starves and not a peep from liberals screaming about the wealthy not paying their fair share yet this is exactly what Obama want's for America and for himself.
Huh?
dmallett, Take a valium and lie down until the delusions pass away.
Are you coming off a FOX news high?
Great point on dictator wealth. It was reported this morning the Hugo has a stash of about 2 billion and we was seen as a savior to the poor. How can any socialist have wealth like that and scold others with a straight face???
Actually, most liberals find Communism regressive and dictatorships apalling.
If you're wondering why there isn't a lot of leftist outpouring of sympathy for the North Korean poor, well, it just seems kind of redundant.
Dr. Sung-Yoon Lee in the video is a very well spoken man.