According to this news story, North Korea has accused US troops of partying and acting "rampantly" in the DMZ. They issued a warning to South Korea stating that if the behavior continued, then the country would suffer the ramifications of such behavior, including "human damage."
What exactly is the "rampant" behavior? The story states that US soldiers came within 20 meters of the DMZ with women, taking pictures and throwing bottles of alcohol over the border to North Korean soldiers.
This threat is the latest in a stream of North Korean antagonism towards South Korea and the US. North Korea has been issuing these threats as a way of showing its people that the current regime is still standing strong. As the transfer of power continues between Kim Jong-il and his son, North Korea is struggling to maintain control over its people--especially when considering the recent news of civil unrest and revolt in the Middle East.
What do you make of the story? Is it just a ploy by North Korea to further escalate tension on the peninsula? Or did the US troops act irresponsibily in their role as peacekeeping aid? What do you think should happen next?
This article will make both sides of Korean nationalism happy...angry threatening north koreans and drunk disrespectful americans.
ReplyDeleteNothing to start an international incident about but if some soldiers actually did that it be best to get them out of the field. The DMZ is not a place to party and North Korea does not have a sense o' humor.
I don't think it should be an international incident, either, but one can never tell with the politics of NK/SK/US these days.
ReplyDeleteIf the story is indeed true then the party (ies) responsible should be removed from active duty and proper recourse taken.