Sanctions Against North Korea

[Dynamic Dragon]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/03/07/uk-korea-north-idUKBRE9260W720130307?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

With tensions high on the Korean peninsula, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to expand its sanctions on North Korea. The new sanctions were agreed after three weeks of negotiations between the United States and China, which has a history of resisting tough measures against its ally and neighbour.

The resolution specifies some luxury items North Korea's elite is not allowed to import, such as yachts, racing cars, luxury automobiles and certain types of jewellery. This is intended to close a loophole that had allowed countries to decide for themselves what constitutes a luxury good.

"These sanctions will bite and bite hard," said U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice.

The export of luxury goods to North Korea has been prohibited since 2006, though diplomats and analysts said the enforcement of U.N. sanctions has been uneven.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a former South Korean foreign minister, welcomed the council's move, saying in a statement that the resolution "sent an unequivocal message to (North Korea) that the international community will not tolerate its pursuit of nuclear weapons."

The success of the new measures, council diplomats said, will depend to a large extent on the willingness of China to enforce them more strictly than it has in the past.

Pyongyang was hit with U.N. sanctions in retaliation for its 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests. Those measures were subsequently tightened and expanded after several rocket launches by the North.

In addition to the luxury goods ban, there is an arms embargo on North Korea, and it is forbidden from trading in nuclear and missile technology.

Hopefully, this will lead to better things.

[dpareja]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/03/07/north-korea-un-security-council.html

North Korea, meanwhile, is threatening a preemptive strike:

Immediately before the vote, an unidentified spokesman for Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry said early Thursday the North will exercise its right for "a preemptive nuclear attack to destroy the strongholds of the aggressors" because Washington is pushing to start a nuclear war against the North.

...

In North Korea, Army Gen. Kang Pyo Yong told a crowd of tens of thousands that North Korea is ready to fire long-range nuclear-armed missiles at Washington.

"Intercontinental ballistic missiles and various other missiles, which have already set their striking targets, are now armed with lighter, smaller and diversified nuclear warheads and are placed on a standby status," Kang said. "When we shell (the missiles), Washington, which is the stronghold of evils... will be engulfed in a sea of fire."

[Askold]

So...

NK keeps threatening others who in turn set up sanctions that are a nuisance to the country.

Only two ways to end this. NK backs down, losing their face (At least in their minds, most of the world already has a rather low opinion of the regime.) OR total clusterfuck which ends with NK getting stomped and lots of death.

I don't see any likely way for them to "win" or to even scare the others to back down. The only things that have protected the country this far are China (and like I've said before, I doubt that even they will help them if NK is the one to start a nuclear war) and the fact that other countries have not wanted to be the ones to start the war.

[Her3tiK]

Let's convince the country that there's oil beneath Pyongyang. North Korea will know democracy within a month.

[Stormwarden]

Surprised the new sanctions didn't come sooner. Nice to see the UN doing something useful.

So now NK's threatening a pre-emptive strike against the US with a nuclear weapon? They do realize if they launch a nuclear weapon at anyone, it won't end well for them? *sighs* I must be cynical when something like this doesn't surprise me at all.

[MadCatTLX]

The resolution specifies some luxury items North Korea's elite is not allowed to import, such as yachts, racing cars, luxury automobiles and certain types of jewellery. This is intended to close a loophole that had allowed countries to decide for themselves what constitutes a luxury good.

Why only certain types of jewelry?

Surprised the new sanctions didn't come sooner. Nice to see the UN doing something useful.

So now NK's threatening a pre-emptive strike against the US with a nuclear weapon? They do realize if they launch a nuclear weapon at anyone, it won't end well for them? *sighs* I must be cynical when something like this doesn't surprise me at all.

Just a prediction here, but I bet I can guess about how an attempted launch will go if any of their satellites are an indication.

Peter=NK

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkVguDb6otc" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkVguDb6otc</a>

[chitoryu12]

If they're lucky, the DPRK leadership won't be QUITE insane enough to actually go through with it. But Kim-Jong Un is young and inexperienced, and has been thrust to the helm of a military dictatorship with a notorious obsession with projecting strength through force. It's not entirely unlikely that they may be dumb enough to at least attack South Korea, drawing them into a gigantic war that swiftly destroys their leadership and conquers their country. Even China supports the sanctions, so they won't get any support from up north. Hell, they'll be lucky if China doesn't join in on the curbstomp to try and rid themselves of what's essentially a bratty freeloader who tried to rob a convenience store and is demanding that their roommate cover for them when the cops show up.

If they try to attack the US? Well, they may as well just duck and cover under their desks. Launching a nuke at anyone will be bad news for them. Trying to nuke the United States of America? They'll be a scorch mark before we even shoot down their ICBM.

[MadCatTLX]

Dude, Iran is telling them to turn down the crazy! When The second craziest country is telling you to calm the fuck down, you know you dun' fucked up.

As much as I wish I could say I want North Korea to calm down, I also want to see how crazy they'll go. It's like watching a train wreck.

[kefkaownsall]

NK might have the ability to hit Cali but if they attempt to then it'll be radioactive dust.  Chances are China will take over.

[cheese007]

So now they're saying they're going to tear up the 1953 armistice.

[dpareja]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/03/07/north-korea-cancels-peace-deal.html

And now they're cancelling the peace deal and cutting the hotline between the two countries on the peninsula:

North Korea is cancelling a hotline and a nonaggression pact with South Korea and reiterating past threats in anger over a U.N. Security Council vote to impose more sanctions on the North for its third nuclear test.

...

The vote Thursday by the UN's most powerful body on a resolution drafted by North Korea's closest ally, China, and the United States sends a powerful message to North Korea that the international community condemns its ballistic missile and nuclear tests — and its repeated violation of Security Council resolutions.

Immediately before the vote, an unidentified spokesman for Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry said early Thursday the North will exercise its right for "a preemptive nuclear attack to destroy the strongholds of the aggressors" because Washington is pushing to start a nuclear war against the North.

Do they just not care or do they think the rest of the world will back down?

[ironbite]

They think the rest of the world will back down.  And China's going to back them on this.  Meanwhile, Bejing is looking at North Korea and is already prepping to show everyone the way into the mountains that border the country.  CHINA VOTED FOR THE SANCTIONS YOU IDIOTS!  BACK THE FUCK DOWN!

Ironbite-jesus these people are insane.

[Caitshidhe]

North Korea just acts exactly like a bratty spoiled kid not getting his way. Except it's a spoiled kid with one of the world's largest military forces and a couple of nukes and an aggressive couple of brain tumours called 'Juche' and 'the Kims' pressing down against the prefrontal cortex. A rather unfortunate combination of power, corruption, isolation, and batfuck crazy. Part of me hopes this goes all the way (apart from the nukes and the whole people dying thing, if it can be helped, thanks) because that country just needs to die. Let those people live and get rid of the stupidest government since Caligula and his horse.

[Jodie]

This will be interesting and hopefully not tragic in the end.

*grabs popcorn*

[Dakota Bob]

Surely North Korea knows if they engage in hostilities they'll be fucked so hard they'll need stitches.