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They may still have the ultimate goal of reuniting the Korean Peninsula under their rule. It sounds crazy to us, but I'm not sure they've gotten the memo about

They may still have the ultimate goal of reuniting the Korean Peninsula under their rule. It sounds crazy to us, but I'm not sure they've gotten the memo about war for territory being obsolete. Put yourself in the Pyongyang frame of mind, and at least the dream of taking "back" the south almost has to be alive. Edit: This dream of course might be second (or third) after regime survival.

kuschku 9y ago
The war for territory is not obsolete yet, Israel and Russia are annexing more land from their neighbors every day.
- dogma1138 9y ago
  Russia is annexing land primarily to to counter outside influences. People might not like it but Russia wasn't about to give up its only warm water port. Georgia wasn't a clear cut case either. Israel hasn't annexed any land since 1967.
  - kuschku 9y ago
    > Israel hasn't annexed any land since 1967. Except for the settlements, which are annexations in all but name.
    - dogma1138 9y ago
      On land they de facto already control since 1967, they also haven't expanded settlements outside of Area C (they demolish "illegal" settlements in Area B all the time), which according to the Oslo accords is under Israeli control.
RobertoG 9y ago
I have not doubt that the supreme leader of the DPKR would like to be the supreme leader of the planet Earth. We all have dreams, but what counts is the hard reality. I didn't get that memo neither, by the way ;-). I can't think a war that it's not, in its root causes, about territory.
- malloryerik 9y ago
  The hard reality is what's changing. My problem with the "they just want deterrence for regime survival" story is that they already have fantastic deterrence, the ability to wipe out Seoul at will. Therefore, the nuclear program is harder to see as some purely defensive measure, especially considering its cost and various opportunity costs. What, they'll do all this for... some _extra_ deterrence? Seems possible to me that they seek to neutralize the U.S. by holding it nuclear hostage. Then someday maybe take the South. They've even been talking about EMP blasts, a very useful offensive strategy for them.

kuschku 9y ago

The war for territory is not obsolete yet, Israel and Russia are annexing more land from their neighbors every day.

dogma1138 9y ago
Russia is annexing land primarily to to counter outside influences. People might not like it but Russia wasn't about to give up its only warm water port. Georgia wasn't a clear cut case either. Israel hasn't annexed any land since 1967.
- kuschku 9y ago
  > Israel hasn't annexed any land since 1967. Except for the settlements, which are annexations in all but name.
  - dogma1138 9y ago
    On land they de facto already control since 1967, they also haven't expanded settlements outside of Area C (they demolish "illegal" settlements in Area B all the time), which according to the Oslo accords is under Israeli control.

RobertoG 9y ago

I have not doubt that the supreme leader of the DPKR would like to be the supreme leader of the planet Earth. We all have dreams, but what counts is the hard reality. I didn't get that memo neither, by the way ;-). I can't think a war that it's not, in its root causes, about territory.

malloryerik 9y ago
The hard reality is what's changing. My problem with the "they just want deterrence for regime survival" story is that they already have fantastic deterrence, the ability to wipe out Seoul at will. Therefore, the nuclear program is harder to see as some purely defensive measure, especially considering its cost and various opportunity costs. What, they'll do all this for... some _extra_ deterrence? Seems possible to me that they seek to neutralize the U.S. by holding it nuclear hostage. Then someday maybe take the South. They've even been talking about EMP blasts, a very useful offensive strategy for them.