China must see missile defense is 'live or die' for South Korea: Seoul official

[Steve781]

It's high time both South and North Korea's should merge and end this madness, China can play an important role in it as long as unified Korea remains a Chinese ally and not a US alley

It would destroy South Korea if they unified with the North.

 

[cloud4000]

Why on earth would South Korea would want to merge with the North......North Korea should be left as it is....as a relic of Stalinism for the entire world to see.

China will never accept a united Korea that is controlled by South Korea. China wants North Korea to be a buffer state regardless how crazy its leader is. Besides, what a good way to tie down thousands of US troops on the Korean peninsula then having a nuclear state run by a lunatic? At least it keeps them out of SCS.

 

[sweetgrape]

China will never accept a united Korea that is controlled by South Korea. China wants North Korea to be a buffer state regardless how crazy its leader is. Besides, what a good way to tie down thousands of US troops on the Korean peninsula then having a nuclear state run by a lunatic? At least it keeps them out of SCS.

You know "too much", and are "talented", can connect these thing together, hehe.

 

[Malik Alashter]

South Korea want the merge and north under south command. Just like west and east Germany.

Well, what should happen for the good of N.korean people other wise the kim guy will destroy all the progress the southern people achieved in the last decades.

 

[1R0N_M4N_XL]

we support s.korea.

 

[Sanchez]

Both Koreas are dependent on China：one needs aid and the other needs to sell. If one Korea gets "missile defense" to compromise China's nuclear security, it's screwed by their master. Let's say this clearly, S.Korea doesn't need TMD or alike but US needs it.

we support s.korea.

We support Trump, done deal?

 

[Anubis]

Have you ever been to North Korea? I have. What the western media depicts about North Korea is entirely untrue. It's pretty much well developed as a nation and much better than any sub-continent countries.

Coming from a Muslim background I was in on the whole its all a western propaganda about Islamism too...until it started of in my country...any system that opposes freedom of speech and sends anybody who criticizes the government to labor camps is not "well developed"....even IF(and it is a big if) it provides free food(which NK most certainly can't) or free healthcare(which NK can't)...I will value western journalists(who are free to express their opinions)...defected Nkeans and leaked videos from North Korea way more than a quasi communist supporting a nutcase Stalinist....the sub-continent may be a shithole but in my shithole I get to call my Prime Minister a bitch without getting thrown into a labor camp for re-education...our outlooks may differ but I will pick freedom anyday instead of "promised free goods" in exchange of worshiping a fat **** with a ridiculous hair cut.

 

[rott]

Coming from a Muslim background I was in on the whole its all a western propaganda about Islamism too...until it started of in my country...any system that opposes freedom of speech and sends anybody who criticizes the government to labor camps is not "well developed"....even IF(and it is a big if) it provides free food(which NK most certainly can't) or free healthcare(which NK can't)...I will value western journalists(who are free to express their opinions)...defected Nkeans and leaked videos from North Korea way more than a quasi communist supporting a nutcase Stalinist....the sub-continent may be a shithole but in my shithole I get to call my Prime Minister a bitch without getting thrown into a labor camp for re-education...our outlooks may differ but I will pick freedom anyday instead of "promised free goods" in exchange of worshiping a fat **** with a ridiculous hair cut.

Buddy, don't compare a religion with a country.
I won't get into details. But you should go to North Korea once.
I am too lazy to write these days. Lol...

 

[TaiShang]

You can have North Korea but ruled under a CCPP or Vietnam like regime instead of the basket case that it is now.

That would be interference in their internal affairs. And potentially very dangerous for the common folks from all the ensuing chaos.

That's part of the reason Beijing wishes to see gradual normalization through economic opening up and development. Putting economic development first and freezing the security situation as status quo is what China wishes to see. But too many actors on the ground and situation is fragile if not explosive. And the behavior of certain actors are unpredictable.

 

[Zsari]

China will never accept a united Korea that is controlled by South Korea. China wants North Korea to be a buffer state regardless how crazy its leader is. Besides, what a good way to tie down thousands of US troops on the Korean peninsula then having a nuclear state run by a lunatic? At least it keeps them out of SCS.

As long as S.Korea is not controlled by the US, there would be no reason for China to object to a unified Korea controlled by the south. A prosperous and rational neighbor would be in the interest of China, especially consider the historical relation between the two.

South Korean government thinks they are desperate without THAAD because of alleged nuclear weapons possessed by North Korea. They simply say this would never effect any Chinese asset.

We can discuss this further but as far as I see North Korea has long been an elephant in the room for China - South Korea relations. A nuclear North Korea, as expected, means South Korean counter armament and everybody knows which country will sell arms to South Korea.

The problem is from day 1 of Kim Jong Un's regime, North Korean government is acting like they're being run by a CIA agent or a low IQ special individual. I mean there is no other possibility.

There is a security agreement between North Korea and China, means North Korea is untouchable. Meaning no need for nuclear weapons.

Even if North Korea cracks the problem to make an atomic bomb, the country would be decades of research back from making a reliable ICBM with good countermeasures for anti-ICBM.

Even if North Korea cracks the problem of producing a reliable ICBM it's a very well known fact that nuclear war is a number game and one needs to have hundreds of ICBMs, if not thousands, to effectively destroy entire USA. This country is alive thanks to International aid. Starting a nuclear program for North Korea is like living on welfare checks but trying to make a tank for securing your house.

Besides since there is a security deal with China (i.e. Beijing officially considers any attack on North Korea to itself) there is no need to have massive unrealistic military projects. This program is clearly redundant, stupid and counter productive for North Korea.

North Korea should've worked with China from the beginning. After reforms and opening up Chinese vision was political reforms in North Korea (a similar opening up), political rapprochement with South Korea and eventual reunification under a Market oriented economy. That would solve a lot of problems. Now the simple rescued "buffer land" for China has become the main political actor in the region for 3 decades.

Below you can find the news source for the South Korean official's remarks.

@TaiShang what do you think about the issue?
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China needs to understand that it is a matter of life or death for South Koreans to protect themselves from possible North Korean nuclear attack and that Beijing should engage in talks over the possible deployment of a new U.S. anti-missile system there, a senior South Korean official said on Monday.

The United States and South Korea earlier began talks on possible deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system after North Korea tested its fourth nuclear bomb on Jan. 6 and launched a long-range rocket on Feb. 7, but China firmly opposes the move.

Shin Beomchul, director-general for policy planning at South Korea's foreign ministry, told a seminar that more conversations were need with China on the issue.

"I hope to ask China’s understanding of what (South) Korea is feeling about the North Korean threat," he told the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"It is not the usual threat, it is a nuclear threat. That’s very serious. We are now in the live-or-die situation," he said.

"We have to solve the ... misunderstanding, but the fundamental point is that to protect our country is the top priority."

Ultimately, the way to resolve the controversy would be to decrease the North Korean threat, he added.

Mark Lambert, director of the Office of Korean Affairs at the U.S. State Department, told the seminar Beijing was still refusing a U.S. offer of briefings to explain that the system was not aimed at limiting China's defense capabilities.

South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Hyoung-zhin stressed the need for all countries to put pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear program through full implementation of international and bilateral sanctions.

He said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's government did not look likely to give up nuclear weapons under any circumstances, but did respond to external stimuli.

"If these elements are tightly interwoven without any loophole ... the Kim Jong Un regime will realize that it cannot survive unless it gives up its nuclear program and takes steps towards denuclearization," he said.

Lambert said U.S. experts wanted to explain that the THAAD system would not negate China's nuclear deterrent as its radars would be pointed northeast into North Korea, not into China.

"We need to have that dialogue. But unfortunately to date, officials in Beijing have been unwilling to meet with our officials and hear that."


http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiledefense-china-idUSKCN0XF2C3

Don't think even most South Koreans believe the nuclear warheads are intended for them, especially with the North's emphasis on its ballistic missile program.