North, South Korea "At The Brink Of War" As Loudspeaker Dispute Spirals Out Of Control (Again)

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Back in August, the Korean Peninsula nearly plunged back into war when Kim Jong-Un reached his limit with the anti-North propaganda being blasted across the DMZ by loudspeakers installed by the South.

For those who missed it, or for anyone in need of a refresher, here’s our account of what happened:

North Korea’s Kim Jong-un - the world’s sabre rattler par excellence - doesn’t like to stray too far from the spotlight when it comes to global conflict, which is why we weren’t terribly surprised when, a few days ago, the pariah state threatened to invade the US mainland and use "weapons unknown to the world."

 

Of course a lot of what goes on inside the country is "unknown to the world", much as the world is largely "unknown" to North Koreans and that’s just fine with Kim, whose regime depends on a combination of propaganda and censorship to keep the populace transfixed in a perpetual state of hypnotic hero worship. Of course the West and its allies - and now even China - have a tendency to dismiss Kim’s threats as the ravings of a delusional child, which is why occasionally, Pyongyang will actually fire a missile into the ocean or execute a member of the military top brass with an anti-aircraft gun just to remind everyone that the regime isn’t totally bluffing.

 

Given Pyongyang’s propensity for lobbing bombastic threats that, were they to emanate from virtually any other government on the planet would be met with a sharp rebuke, it’s something of a miracle that sour relations between Kim and US ally South Korea haven’t already produced an armed conflict. That may be about to change because as Bloomberg reports, the "maiming" of two South Korean soldiers along the DMZ and subsequent "blaring of propaganda through loudspeakers" by the South culminated in the exchange of artillery fire, marking the worst escalation between the two countries in five years.

In short, the South blamed the North for planting mines that injured soldiers and in response, persisted in the broadcasting of propaganda. Subsequently, The North threatened to "blow up" the speakers and eventually took a pot shot at one. Next came the artillery exchange and shortly thereafter, Kim declared a state of war. 

Tensions eventually eased in what Kim hailed as a kind of diplomatic victory for Pyongyang.

Fast forward four months and the North was busy conducting its fourth nuclear test. As we documented on Wednesday, Pyongyang "successfully" tested what it swears was an H-bomb on Tuesday, drawing universal condemnation from virtually every country on the planet. The North needs an H-bomb, Pyongyang explained, because the US "is a gang of cruel robbers."

Well, in the wake of the nuke test, the South resumed its propaganda broadcasts across the DMZ. The loudspeakers were fired back up on Friday just a day after reports indicated that South Korea is in talks with the US for the deployment of strategic weapons to the Peninsula. The broadcasts "are likely to infuriate" Kim, Reuters wrote.

Sure enough, the North now says the resumption of the broadcasts (which Pyongyang considers to be an "act of war") have brought the two countries to "the brink of war." Here's AP with the absurd details:

North Korea warned of war as South Korea on Saturday continued blasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda across the rivals' tense border in retaliation for the North's purported fourth nuclear test.

 

North Korean propaganda is filled with threats of violence, but the country is also extremely sensitive to criticism of its authoritarian leadership, which Seoul resumed in its cross-border broadcasts on Friday for the first time in nearly five months. Pyongyang says the broadcasts are tantamount to an act of war. When South Korea briefly resumed propaganda broadcasts in August after an 11-year break, Seoul says the two Koreas exchanged artillery fire.

 

Speaking to a massive crowd at Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Square, a top ruling party official said the broadcasts, along with talks between Washington and Seoul on the possibility of deploying in the South advanced U.S. warplanes capable of delivering nuclear bombs, have pushed the Korean Peninsula "toward the brink of war."

 

Pyongyang's rivals are "jealous" of the North's successful hydrogen bomb test, Workers' Party Secretary Kim Ki Nam said in comments broadcast on state TV late Friday.

 

South Korean troops, near about 10 sites where loudspeakers started blaring propaganda Friday, were on the highest alert, but have yet to detect any unusual movement from the North Korean military along the border, an official from Seoul's Defense Ministry, who refused to be named, citing office rules, said Saturday.

 

The South's Yonhap news agency said Seoul had deployed missiles, artillery and other weapons systems near the border to swiftly deal with any possible North Korean provocation, but the ministry did not confirm the reports.

 

Officials say broadcasts from the South's loudspeakers can travel about 10 kilometers (6 miles) during the day and 24 kilometers (15 miles) at night. That reaches many of the huge force of North Korean soldiers stationed near the border and also residents in border towns such as Kaesong, where the Koreas jointly operate an industrial park that has been a valuable cash source for the impoverished North.

 

Seoul also planned to use mobile speakers to broadcast from a small South Korean island just a few kilometers (miles) away from North Korean shores.

 

While the South's broadcasts also include news and pop music, much of the programming challenges North Korea's government more directly.

 

"We hope that our fellow Koreans in the North will be able to live in (a) society that doesn't invade individual lives as soon as possible," a female presenter said in parts of the broadcast that officials revealed to South Korean media. "Countries run by dictatorships even try to control human instincts."

And here's an image which purports to depict two South Korean soldiers fine tuning the speakers:

Although we're quite sure the humor inherent in the above isn't lost on readers, we'd be remiss not to highlight the fact that this is just about the most irksome thing someone could do to a man like Kim.

The Supreme Leader is desperate to defend the legitimacy of his government and to preserve the legacy of his father and grandfather. That means keeping the public in a perpetual state of awe and conveying an air of divine authority, unshakable will, and absolute power. The fact that the South sets up loudspeakers on his border and blasts a mishmash of South Korean pop music and anti-Pyongyang agitprop loud enough to be heard 15 miles away is just about the most irritating slap in the face imaginable for the young leader. 

Adding insult to injury: Friday was Kim's birthday.

But just because Kim likely knows he can't realistically challenge the South militarily without provoking big brother in Washington doesn't mean an "accident" across the DMZ couldn't inadvertently bring the two countries to blows. And all over some speakers...

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Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:18 | 7021964 Tallest Skil
Tallest Skil's picture

Blah blah blah.

1. The war never ended, so of course they're on the brink.

2. Kimmybaby does this every time the food supplies run low.

The answer is to ignore them. The true answer is to pull US forces out of Japan and SK and let THEM fucking deal with it, but we can't have nice, rational things anymore.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:21 | 7021983 localsavage
localsavage's picture

They have no money for food but plenty for nuke testing so fuck them

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:43 | 7021988 Looney
Looney's picture

What exactly is our State Department trying to provoke, the next nuke to be tested in the middle of the DMZ? ;-)

Looney

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:45 | 7022107 PR Guy
PR Guy's picture

 

 

Kill,kill, kill!

 

Die, die, die!

 

Don'tcha just love this crazy fucked-up world?

 

 

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:57 | 7022152 BaBaBouy
BaBaBouy's picture

It's HIGH Time for Rodman to Intervene And Defuse The Situation...

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:11 | 7022226 Stackers
Stackers's picture

Yeah, but this one goes to 11

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:47 | 7022359 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

Loudspeakers? Seriously?

I'd put up those HUGE LED displays. Then 24x7 run video showing what life is like just across the border...then invite the soldiers (and their familys) to come across, no questions asked...maybe offer $1000 cash upon delivery of the uniform; $1000 probably sounds like a $Billion to those poor fucks.

Step back and watch the entire Army defect...then the fat, crazy fuckers at the top will have to do the fighting themselves...war over.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:49 | 7022377 Dr. Bonzo
Dr. Bonzo's picture

I like it.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 14:03 | 7022423 Pairadimes
Pairadimes's picture

Just another norky fundraising effort. 

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:52 | 7022380 earnulf
earnulf's picture

Problem is, what do you do with a million military age men and nothing to do and no work skills to speak of suddenly dropped into a land of milk and honey?

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:58 | 7022401 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

"Problem is, what do you do with a million military age men..."

Put them on planes to Sweden and Germany.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 15:58 | 7022795 ebear
ebear's picture

Now THAT was funny!

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:59 | 7022406 Dr. Bonzo
Dr. Bonzo's picture

That wall the Don keeps yapping on and on about? The Koreans have one. It's called the DMZ. It's 125-miles wide and 4 kilometers deep impregnated with 2 million landmines, robo guns, and 700K South Korean border guards called the ROK Army. No one's going anywhere.

The South could easily integrate the North, they just refuse to face facts, have put out nonsensical outdated studies being backed by Korean lefttard holdovers from the Kim Youngsam regime who still have some affinity for the idea of communism and who constantly scare Korean capitalists with nonsensical boogaboo stories.

Koreans are resilient tough bastards. They'll figure the shit out, left to their own devices. If only the world would get out of the way.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 16:05 | 7022818 ebear
ebear's picture

"The South could easily integrate the North..."

Not so sure about that. Look at the problems W Germany had integrating E Germany, and E Germany was much further advanced than N Korea.

I suspect the S Korean leadership is just fine with things as they are. Integration would involve huge costs and an almost certain backlash from the population who'd have to bear those costs plus compete for jobs with the new arrivals who would undoubtably flood the south were that border to ever disappear.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 19:57 | 7023538 Dr. Bonzo
Dr. Bonzo's picture

"The South could easily integrate the North..."

Not so sure about that. Look at the problems W Germany had integrating E Germany, and E Germany was much further advanced than N Korea.

SMFH... yeah. They went ahead and became the fourth largest economy in the world with a population tens of millions smaller than the leading 3 countries and far ahead of countries with populations multiple millions larger. Oh the pain. Their economy is so successful they still need to import more labor and are pulling on the rest of Europe.

As to the Koreas.... the North has mineral resources, a diligent labor pool that precludes the South from importing anymore Bangledeshi or Filipinos... and then there's the small matter of not needing to maintain one of the largest standing armies in the world anymore, like that wouldn't be a write-off. I could easily see Korea catapulting to become one of the largest economies in the world after unification, even displacing Germany.

God almighty what the fuck do you people smoke..........

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 14:09 | 7022417 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

..you could also put them South K uniforms and have them man the border against the North!

The border between the two is pourous as hell...commerce flows easily...a little bribe, like a pair of warm gloves, for the guards and they look the other way. Public TV had a great documentary on this. The soldiers on that border know they are being lied to, but fear keeps them at thier post.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:54 | 7022388 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

Are the Jews and Palestinians still at war? Seems like foreeeever since I've seen a story on those two; did Kerry actually pull off a peace deal?

 

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 16:35 | 7022910 Dugald
Dugald's picture

 

Loudspeakers? Seriously?

Just dangerous children on both sides, with the south backed up by another bunch of dangerous and delusional children!

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:56 | 7022154 OregonGrown
OregonGrown's picture

Listening to "gangnam style" over and over would make me want to drop an H-bomb too...... I dont even think PSY is Korean!  

DIRTY!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:22 | 7022268 Lorca's Novena
Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:47 | 7022114 KesselRunin12Parsecs
KesselRunin12Parsecs's picture

So, Gustav Graves is at it again? YAWN - I think I'll Die Another Day

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 14:00 | 7022410 vollderlerby
vollderlerby's picture

I hope that's what the State Department is trying to provoke.  They're so fucking inept, that'll be the only thing that won't happen then. Our foreign policy is a fucking embarrassment.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:21 | 7021987 38BWD22
38BWD22's picture

 

 

North Korea doesn't have enough electricity to fire up their own set of speakers...

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:23 | 7021999 Skateboarder
Skateboarder's picture

Don't worry, they have a skinny guy on a treadmill, chowin on bibim bap and keeping the country's grid going. His name is Long Run Park.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:56 | 7022160 thethirdcoast
thethirdcoast's picture

Sum Ting Wong!!!

 

Wait....wrong Asian stereotype...dammit!

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:27 | 7022282 DetectiveStern
DetectiveStern's picture

The PC crowd would go ape if you confused a chinese person and a koran person. They wouldn't say shit if a koran confused a brit with an american.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:48 | 7022373 Lurk Skywatcher
Lurk Skywatcher's picture

What would they do if I was to confuse an Asian nationality with an Islamic holy book?

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 16:21 | 7022877 ebear
ebear's picture

"The PC crowd would go ape if you confused a chinese person and a koran person"

Chinese people regularly mistook my Japanese wife for Chinese, and were even more confused when I spoke Mandarin to them, which my wife doesn't speak. That was in the 80's, so maybe they're more clued in today, but it was pretty funny, I have to say.

Whatever you do though, don't confuse China with Taiwan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2eHMBJOUKA

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 14:03 | 7022420 vollderlerby
vollderlerby's picture

That's fucking funny.  Just hope you're not right.  Those poor bastards over there.  We're on a down slope like there's no tomorrow but at least we still have cable tv and high fructose corn syrup to keep us fat.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:23 | 7021994 dfwpike
dfwpike's picture

North/South Korea have been at the brink of war as long as I can remember and it never happens (war).  This article is just another hype piece.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:46 | 7022111 847328_3527
847328_3527's picture

Stop the sanctions and drop McD's leaflets all over...add KFC, Popeye, setc ...that's the way to win.

 

Sanctions do not work in the 21st centruy. The billionaire gubmint officials in NK still eat like kings there while their disillisuioned people starve.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 15:59 | 7022798 trulz4lulz
trulz4lulz's picture

Thought you were talking about Murikistan there for a moment. You guys sure do love you Hollywoid propaganda machine.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 18:47 | 7023346 Caleb Abell
Caleb Abell's picture

So, supposedly to save them from starving, you would feed them McD's?

 

You're a monster!

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:03 | 7022197 NotApplicable
NotApplicable's picture

Did you not notice the quotes around "At The Brink Of War" in the title?

If you're going to make an effort to discredit an article, it would be nice (not to mention helpful) if you at least understood what you're complaining about.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:08 | 7022216 ThroxxOfVron
ThroxxOfVron's picture

WHY ANTAGONIZE THE DANGEROUS LITTLE FUCK?

WHAT IS THE POINT?

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 14:15 | 7022467 TheDanimal
TheDanimal's picture

I remember reading once that the South Korean government wanted America to command even their own troops in event of war with the North.  Sadly, it seems the world fell too hard for our bravado.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 16:31 | 7022902 Lost in translation
Lost in translation's picture

Was true, however no longer true. Definitely not true anymore.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:57 | 7021968 MrNosey
MrNosey's picture

It could be worse they could be living in Russia......

 

http://beforeitsnews.com/healthcare/2016/01/crazy-russian-doctor-kills-p...

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 13:45 | 7022355 Smegley Wanxalot
Smegley Wanxalot's picture

Somewhere on a remote planet sound-years away from earth, aliens are watching I Love Lucy and Ellen Degeneres, while listening to South Korean pop and propanda and they are thinking "fuck yeah let's arm that that terran named Kim Jong Un ... he's the only sane fucker on that whole planet."

 

They'd be right, except they forgot about Putin and Trump.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 14:05 | 7022429 vollderlerby
vollderlerby's picture

and Sarah Palin.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 14:16 | 7022473 TheDanimal
TheDanimal's picture

I think you meant to spell that, Ellen Degenerate.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:20 | 7021977 DogeCoin
DogeCoin's picture

So this 62 year Mexican standoff is no longer going to be just a stand off?

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:23 | 7021996 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

we have owebomba so we have no room to talk.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:24 | 7022000 jm
jm's picture

This used to be worth a dip in the KOSPI.  Literally nobody cares what the 'lil fatty says and does anymore.

Except his uncle that got executed with the AA gun.  ISIS would be proud of that move.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 14:30 | 7022522 YHC-FTSE
YHC-FTSE's picture

True. I was also watching the Kospi for any signs that it was serious - it's probably the only indicator of what's really happening behind the headlines.

Interesting that the current woman president of S.Korea, Park Geun-Hye, is the daughter of former president Park Chung-Hee, well known for his belligerent stance against the North (As well as a penchant for releasing his army on protesters like the Kent State shootings on steroids). I'd say the odds of a shooting war between the Koreas are higher than usual considering Park's background and Kim's youth. Fatboy seems a bit retarded which gives credence to the rumours that it's his uncles and aunts that really call the shots in the North.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 15:25 | 7022700 jm
jm's picture

KOSPI used to be a rapier point for a global equity risk basket. The country has gone Japanese in recent years and the correlations are busted.  KGBs and bank debt gets the bid now.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:27 | 7022021 memento_mori
memento_mori's picture

I can understand Kim if they blast Bieber's music through those loudspeakers.

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:28 | 7022030 Free_Spirit
Free_Spirit's picture

It would be interesting, if messy. Would certainly result in the ultimate collapse of the North. He'd almost certainly try to use his nukes as a last stand.  The US would have to do a proper shock and awe and take out anything that moves faster than an ox in 3 days.   I'd like to introduce our beardy bastards in the caliphate to Kim,  and they can explain how they'd like to ensure sharia law in Pyongyang....   Thats an idea, why not try and harness some of his enthusiams for the good of mankind ??  Hey Kim - there's this country called Libya, you can have it if you can subdue it. All your and all that oil for free.... 

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:30 | 7022040 two hoots
two hoots's picture

Humans (genus Homo) are the most domesticated, most controlled species of all animals. 

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 12:36 | 7022067 GhostOfDiogenes
GhostOfDiogenes's picture

Thats rayciss

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