Across Eastern Asia, the prospect of war on the Korean Peninsula is a major topic of discussion. China has openly expressed concern that fighting could erupt at any moment, Japan is talking evacuations, and Russia has declared itself extremely concerned the US might unilaterally attack North Korea.
Yet South Korea, the nation which would undoubtedly suffer the worst from this war, is surprisingly calm. Retailers in Seoul said there was no sign of any panic buying, with all goods still in plentiful supply, and South Korean social media more heavily discussed a discount on makeup than the US-North Korea row.
North Korea expert Andrei Lankov said this was unsurprising, saying that “the farther one is from Korea, the more one experts there to be war.” For most young South Koreans, today was less about fear of war than about the tongue-in-cheek holiday “Black Day,” an answer for singles to the important couples’ holiday White Day, held a month earlier.
This reflects both that US-North Korea tensions soar every year in early spring, meaning that this is basically an annual occurrence for the locals, and also the reality that while South Korea would be a direct target in such a war, the decision to go to war appears to be virtually entirely up to the US and North Korean governments, which must give the South Koreans the sense of the situation being totally out of their control at any rate.
What is rarely mentioned is, the Korean have not forgotten the UNO sponsored and US led war that killed at least four million people. This is also hardly mentioned that there is no animosity between the people on either side of the divide.
If the war really breaks out it is highly possible that the NK response will affect Japan first.
Capitalism and war do strange things to people.
US capitalism comrade. Capitalism with a social responsibility to the people is a success all over the world.
Americans are propagandized from the cradle to keep them from grasping at the answer to what is wrong with your country. Even you, who knows what is wrong, can’t turn to the solution.
I was thinking comrade, why not try libertarianism? There are many different ways for Americans to waste their lives!
Going to war is out the hands of the American people as well as we have a dictator for president, and Congress that is full of cowards that wont debate or vote on war…and war-mongers in control of the Pentagon, and WH…we are all screwed. Two madmen lead one in N Korea the other in DC.
No, it’s the American people who are responsible for what they elect.
But you don’t know how to change things. You tried with Trump because he was pretending to be anti-establishment but he hijacked the election and mugged you all.
Trump was very obviously a very bad choice in the minds of the rest of the world. We knew what was coming long before the election. But he was acceptable to Americans. Figuring out why your people let themselves be conned would go a long way to preventing it from happening again.
But you can’t accept the responsibility.
Of course we elected the twit…you misunderstood me. First I didnt vote for the moron. Second those who did thought they would get a leader with good things for merica. They now see they got a con-artist who sold them lies and deception. The majority of the voters did not vote for him. He won because of the out-dated Electoral College. Many now have buyers-remorse. Well too late. Little did they know he is owned by the powerful elite necons and radicals who are here only to help the rich and zionists. There were decent candidates… Bernie Sanders,,,Jill Stein. I supported both but the powers wouldn’t let them in the door despite the large following. It shows democracy in the good ol US of A is mostly an illusion. Its broken. Run by the money class who buy and sell politicians. Citizens United did us in. Most in Congress are cowards and are sucked into powerful All hell will have to break out to even begin to change. I don’t see it happening. The rest of the world beware. America is gone.
The US needs S.Korea’s go-ahead to start a war against the North. Why not when the casualties in the South will be off the board for US led wars.
And besides, China won’t allow it. Americans can’t handle knowing that.
Meanwhile in Japan, panic buying of potato chips continues unabated thanks to a potato shortage.
Kind of sucks not to have your fave snack foods on hand watching yet another spring Armageddon drama play out.
This is the best one in years, if it doesn’t go hot.
Depending on how things develop, the US stands a chance of losing S.Korea. There is no chance that China would allow N.Korea to slip away.
This is the main reason for what is happening now, not Kim’s missile testing. The US fully intends another front in N.Korea which is ground upon which to install a missile threat against China.