Chinese proliferation in doubt

[Officer of Engineers]

Not likely, there are increasing ties between South Korea and Japan and both are firm US allies with US troops stationed in both.

And yet, neither South Korea nor Japan wants an alliance with each other nor any other military co-operation. And whenever Japan changes her history books or skim over the comfort women issue, screaming and rioting Koreans are only best by the Chinese and that's because Western media concentrates on China.

The Chinese wants the US to stay in Korea after a Korean unification to provide stability to the region. In other words, the Chinese wants the US to prevent a war between a united Korea and Japan.

[outcast]

Your post ignores global trade before both WWI and II. The globes major economies were linked before both those wars, yet those wars happened anyway. Trade simply is not a barrier to war, economics for what ever reason has failed to act as a deterrent to war.

If the US and China get into war, the other nations in the region will pick sides, they won't have a choice. What is Japan going to do when Chinese rockets rain down, or American aircraft take off? Is Japan going to tell the US no you can't use your airfields, depots and hospitals in Japan and ruin any chance of trade with America for years until the US public's anger subsides?

The problem with a US/PRC war is the elaborate alliance system in place. While not as formal as the scheme in Europe in 1914 its no less and possibly more binding in effects.

There are some major, major differences between now and then regarding nations attitudes towards war. Back then a nice war was considered to be a perfectly acceptable method of resolving disputes, and war was a common feature in Europe during that time. Every european country's leadership had itchy trigger fingers in 1914. Now with the advent of nukes, a war between two nuclear armed states is even less likely, otherwise NATO and the Soviets would have gone at it long ago (and I would think China at this point in time is far less agressive than the Russians were).

[zara]

The Chinese wants the US to stay in Korea after a Korean unification to provide stability to the region. In other words, the Chinese wants the US to prevent a war between a united Korea and Japan.

Surely there would be no prospect of that?

When the South eventually have to absorb the famine stricken north, it will plunge it into economic poverty - A unified Korea would be in no position to threaten Japan.

[Officer of Engineers]

Just as a famished North Korea should not be in a position to start a war against the South?

While the Japanese Navy could very well prevent a Korean invasion, a missile exchange and an air war is not out of the question.

[ArmchairGeneral]

When the South eventually have to absorb the famine stricken north, it will plunge it into economic poverty...

Food is cheap. Reunification would have some economic impact, but not anywhere near that drastic.

[zraver]

And yet, neither South Korea nor Japan wants an alliance with each other nor any other military co-operation. And whenever Japan changes her history books or skim over the comfort women issue, screaming and rioting Koreans are only best by the Chinese and that's because Western media concentrates on China.

The Chinese wants the US to stay in Korea after a Korean unification to provide stability to the region. In other words, the Chinese wants the US to prevent a war between a united Korea and Japan.

ROK sent a ship to the 50th B-day of the JMSDF, Japan and ROK have held a joint SAR training op going on a decade now. There is the joint declaration of 1998, the ROK-Japan-PRC declaration, 2008 ROK President says he wants a mature relationship with Japan...

The two are not formal allies, but the threats they are looking at are NK and the PRC. For the ROKN in particular the only reason for its naval expansion is the PRC. The biggest hindrance to alliance is not comfort girls but a group of rocky islets. However let the threat from China get big enough and that issue will fade.

[Officer of Engineers]

The two are not formal allies, but the threats they are looking at are NK and the PRC.

Seoul neither wants nor needs Japan's help against NK and Japan could do extremely little to help Seoul. However, Seoul does need Beijing when looking northwards. Both Seoul and Beijing need each other if they are going to keep North Koreans in North Korea. Japan could do extremely little in helping either.

For the ROKN in particular the only reason for its naval expansion is the PRC.

I would think NK subs are the biggest headaches for the RoKN. Not enough to stop shipping but those pesky commando raids demand more time from South Korean sailors than Beijing does.

The biggest hindrance to alliance is not comfort girls but a group of rocky islets. However let the threat from China get big enough and that issue will fade.

Until the North Korean issue is settled, China would never be a big enough threat for Seoul to rush for Tokyo's help and frankly, I doubt domestic politics would allow it.

Korean sons are still pretty p!ssed off that their mothers were raped again and again and a few coins and a bowl of rice was the supposed reason why they were prostitutes instead of rape victims.

[xinhui]

"South Korea and Japan’s island dispute lead to crazy times…"

South Korea and Japan’s island dispute lead to crazy times…
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“Islands row deflates Japanese condom sales drive in SKorea”—AFP

The AFP reported yesterday that South Korea’s subway system were forced to remove adverts for Japanese condoms amid increasing public anger over the Dokdo/Takeshima island disputes.

According to the report, 200 ads for Okamoto condoms, not depicting condoms but containing the slogan “No. 1 in Japan” were removed just five days after being posted.

“There were public complaints about promoting Japanese condoms and we immediately took action,” Seoul Metro spokesman Kim Jeong-Hwan told AFP. He says that there would not have been complaints had it not been for the island dispute issue flaring up again.

Obviously the fact that it was an advertisement for condoms is great for the media, with these newspapers and broadcasters having already picked up the story:

The Guardian
The BBC
RIA Novosti
AFP
Reuters
The Scotsman

However, an even gorier story appeared around the same time. According to The Standard, about 40 military veterans staged a protest outside the Japanese embassy by cutting off the heads of pheasants—Japan’s national bird. Apparently they then dripped blood onto Japanese flags and on pictures of PM Fukuda. It gets worse. The article claims that some of them even “battered birds to death with hammers. Others cut open bellies and ate the livers, shouting: “Dokdo is our territory!”

The Standard: Tech, Finance, Enterprise, IT, Web 2.0, Green, News & Online Futures | The Industry Standard.
"South Korea and Japan?s island dispute lead to crazy times?" | Japan -- Business People Technology | www.japaninc.com

[xinhui]

S Korean fury over island dispute
By Charles Scanlon
BBC News, Seoul

South Korean protesters burn a placard of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi during a rally Monday, March 14, 2005.
The row has inflamed old wounds over colonial history
Two South Korean demonstrators have each cut off a finger in protest against Japan's claim to a disputed cluster of islands.

Other demonstrators burned Japanese flags and scuffled with police.

South Koreans have reacted with fury as Japan has stepped up its claim to the uninhabited rocks, known as Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese.

Seoul says it considers sovereignty over the islands more important than good relations with Japan.

South Korea and Japan had planned to celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations this year. The governments wanted to emphasise their strong economic links and warming cultural ties.

But the goodwill has been swept aside in a furious Korean reaction to renewed Japanese claims to the disputed islands.

Map showing disputed islands
Protesters outside the Japanese embassy showed the depth of their feelings. An elderly woman sliced off her finger with a pair of garden shears and a middle-aged man followed suit using a meat cleaver.

The Japanese ambassador is currently in Tokyo briefing his government on the mood in Korea.

He helped provoke the outcry by claiming publicly last month that the islands are legally and historically Japanese.

South Korean marine police are stationed on the uninhabited outcrops, which are located midway between the two countries.

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | S Korean fury over island dispute

[astralis]

AG,

Reunification would have some economic impact, but not anywhere near that drastic.

you are right in that it would not be food issues persay-- it will be the effect of having millions of NKs that now have the ability to participate in a democratic system.

[zraver]

I would think NK subs are the biggest headaches for the RoKN. Not enough to stop shipping but those pesky commando raids demand more time from South Korean sailors than Beijing does.

Sir, have you looked at what the RoKN is building? Its not to counter commando raids and Soviet built versions of the Type XXI u-boats. The Chungmugong Yi Sunshin class and Sejong the Great class destroyers are not littoral combat ships. Likewise the RoKN is now building type 214 AIP powered subs. The Gumdoksuri class patrol vessel is the RoKN answer to the Norks.

Until the North Korean issue is settled, China would never be a big enough threat for Seoul to rush for Tokyo's help and frankly, I doubt domestic politics would allow it.

I never said rush for Tokyo's help, but the building programs of both countries is in direct relation to the modernizing of the PLAN.

[zara]

Food is cheap. Reunification would have some economic impact, but not anywhere near that drastic.

Im not so sure... despite its popular image south korea is still a poor country.

the almost inevitable civil war would keep Korea too busy bother Japan.

[zraver]

Im not so sure... despite its popular image south korea is still a poor country.

the almost inevitable civil war would keep Korea too busy bother Japan.

Huh? its the 15th biggest economy in the world with a amazingly low 3.2% unemployment rate and nearly a trillion in nominal GDP. South Korea leads or is among the leaders in multiple high tech industries. These include steel, electronics, IT technologies, digital equipment, ship and auto building etc.

[zara]

Oh.. stupid me

[Luke Gu]

Huh? its the 15th biggest economy in the world with a amazingly low 3.2% unemployment rate and nearly a trillion in nominal GDP. South Korea leads or is among the leaders in multiple high tech industries. These include steel, electronics, IT technologies, digital equipment, ship and auto building etc.

Don't Praised South Korea's weapons and equipment now，do you tell me what South Korea should do if North Korea Artillery assault on Seoul？And what do you think about North Korea missile？Is dvanced weapons really so important in the war？