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Or they could spend some of their treasure on feeding their own people instead of pursuing weapons of war. Anyone looking for a fight will eventually find one.

by itbeho 9y ago

Or they could spend some of their treasure on feeding their own people instead of pursuing weapons of war. Anyone looking for a fight will eventually find one. http://www.newsweek.com/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-starving-his-people-pay-nuclear-weapons-573015 http://www.newsweek.com/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-starving-hi...

btilly 9y ago
The problem is that on the path from "our people's lives suck" to "our people have good lives" there is an inevitable step where "our people learn how badly their rulers have screwed them over". NK leadership doesn't think that they'll survive that step.
- jethro_tell 9y ago
  Another issue, is that China and Seoul, and by extension the US, would be a lot more willing to step in and probably help with reunification or a regime change with open borders if it didn't also mean a massive financial effort/refugee crisis on the border.
  - btilly 9y ago
    My understanding is that it is all China. China's two concerns are avoiding a refugee crisis, and not having a US ally directly on such a sensitive border. Seoul would certainly face hardship, but is currently willing to help. (Plus they would be happy to have solved their fear of immanent invasion.) However allowing Seoul to help would leave a US ally directly on China's border. However Seoul's support is faltering as memories fade. In public polls, 56% of South Koreans think that supporting reunification as "essential", but support is much stronger among older generations. If the stalemate lasts a couple more generations, the two countries may not want to reunite.
    - jethro_tell 9y ago
      >Plus they would be happy to have solved their fear of immanent invasion. This may be fixed with the regime change method with open borders. I'm sure you are correct that the memory will fade and in turn, the desire to help, when there are no longer families that have to meet across the border.

by itbeho 9y ago

btilly 9y ago

The problem is that on the path from "our people's lives suck" to "our people have good lives" there is an inevitable step where "our people learn how badly their rulers have screwed them over". NK leadership doesn't think that they'll survive that step.

jethro_tell 9y ago
Another issue, is that China and Seoul, and by extension the US, would be a lot more willing to step in and probably help with reunification or a regime change with open borders if it didn't also mean a massive financial effort/refugee crisis on the border.
- btilly 9y ago
  My understanding is that it is all China. China's two concerns are avoiding a refugee crisis, and not having a US ally directly on such a sensitive border. Seoul would certainly face hardship, but is currently willing to help. (Plus they would be happy to have solved their fear of immanent invasion.) However allowing Seoul to help would leave a US ally directly on China's border. However Seoul's support is faltering as memories fade. In public polls, 56% of South Koreans think that supporting reunification as "essential", but support is much stronger among older generations. If the stalemate lasts a couple more generations, the two countries may not want to reunite.
  - jethro_tell 9y ago
    >Plus they would be happy to have solved their fear of immanent invasion. This may be fixed with the regime change method with open borders. I'm sure you are correct that the memory will fade and in turn, the desire to help, when there are no longer families that have to meet across the border.