North Korea imposes martial law, orders troops to ‘be ready for war’ - report
Source: RT
North Korea has allegedly been placed under martial law and its ruler Kim Jong-un has ordered the army to “prepare for war”, a South Korean daily claims.
The North Korean leader issued a series of orders to his top defense and security officials on Saturday to conclude preparations for a new nuclear test, the Seoul based Korea JoongAng Daily alleges citing an unnamed source.
The source reportedly said that Kim Jong-un issued a secret order to “complete preparations for a nuclear weapons test <…>and carry it out soon”.
According to the source, Kim Jong-un also said, “The country will be under martial law starting from midnight January 29th and all the frontline and central units should be ready for war.”
Read more: http://rt.com/news/martial-law-north-korea-180/
(More at the link.)
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)
MNBrewer
(8,462 posts)R. Daneel Olivaw
(12,606 posts)
discntnt_irny_srcsm
(18,764 posts)
Same stare wouldn't you say?
IthinkThereforeIAM
(3,308 posts)... ha ha.
Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)
iandhr
(6,852 posts)Is this different from the usual saber rattling?
nick of time
(651 posts)I guess Un isn't getting the attention he craves and has to throw a temper tantrum.
Flashmann
(2,140 posts)That's scarey.......We'd consider that a serious threat to world peace IF there were oil fields there.....
pampango
(24,692 posts)the subject of UN-approved (even China voted in favor) sanctions. What else can anyone do, unless you consider military invasion or starving them out which most would not support?
The source said Kim Jong-un is worried about China’s reaction to a nuclear test. China is the regime’s closest ally and has warned the North not to go ahead with a third nuclear test.
At the meeting, Kim allegedly said, “China is still useful to us. We need to be careful of the relationship with China.” Kim also asked his officials to be careful of criticizing Beijing.
“The recent criticism of China was too tough,” he said, according to the source. “We need to make this correct.”
This appears to refer to a statement made on Friday by the National Defense Commission, the North’s top military body, which said China “abandoned its principle” by approving the new UN resolution which includes tougher sanctions against Pyongyang.
http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2966413&cloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Flashmann
(2,140 posts)Yeah....I know....I almost used the sarcasm emoticon,then figured it wouldn't be necessary.....
My point being that we've overlooked this threat many times before and gone to address threats in places having resources we can rescue.....
NYC Liberal
(20,453 posts)Richard_uk
(20 posts)I predict a short life with a messy end for the dear young fat leader.
I wonder if Ladbrooks would take that bet?
MNBrewer
(8,462 posts)They've developed quite an extensive mythology around the Kims. I've heard his father didn't even shit, because he was so divine. I suppose Jong-un doesn't even utilize oxygen.
Ter
(4,281 posts)
geardaddy
(25,392 posts)Preparing for war?
Victor_c3
(3,557 posts)Maybe the new leader is just trying to shake up his people to see who will stand by him or who'll defect or appear weak?
He just took power and he needs to do something to show that he is, in fact, in charge up there.
Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)
Kip Humphrey
(4,753 posts)
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)I very much doubt they have inside quotes from NK. I personally don't see RT as a creditable source, no offense.
Second, the nuclear test has been pretty much expected for awhile. I live in South Korea and we usually will get an email from the US Embassy stating the test is imminent. Given that it's still cold and there has been snow and ice, mid to late February seems more likely for a test.
Also this isn't the first time North Korea has put their troops on alert. It happens quite often.
Socal31
(2,491 posts)Full disclosure, never been there myself, but I have spoken to many people who have.
The people are wonderful as well.
It is sad that the capital can be leveled by conventional, let alone nuclear NK forces, before a single missle leaves an Ohio class, or a F-22 leaves Japan, or carrier launches a jet.
Nobody takes them seriously, which is the scary part. Everyone assumes the upper echelon would not commit suicide by attacking SK which has ~28k American forces alongside the SK forces. The problem is that most of the time something is a "shock", we were assuming it could never happen.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)which is sad because the regular citizens up there suffer so much. The Korean Christians that are rich give quite a bit of money to help smuggle North Koreans out of their country or China.
All they really could use is mortar shells which would do enough damage to level most of Seoul. South Korea and the US would still level North Korea if they ever tried that so it would be suicide for them.
I've been up to the DMZ and it is quite incredible (Bill Clinton described it as the scariest place on earth when he visited during his presidency).
pampango
(24,692 posts)that the article is based on.
Jong-un issues a martial law order
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un issued a secret order to “complete preparations for a nuclear weapons test between Tuesday and yesterday” and carry it out sometime soon, a source told the JoongAng Ilbo.
The North’s state media reported Sunday that Kim convened an emergency meeting with top defense and security officials on Saturday. It said Kim made a stern command to take “effective, high-profile state measures” and “assigned specific tasks” to officials. The measures were sparked by new sanctions unanimously passed by the United Nations Security Council on North Korean entities and individuals, including travel bans and asset freezes, the media said. The reports boosted speculation that Kim is preparing a third nuclear weapons test.
The source said Kim Jong-un is worried about China’s reaction to a nuclear test. China is the regime’s closest ally and has warned the North not to go ahead with a third nuclear test. At the meeting, Kim allegedly said, “China is still useful to us. We need to be careful of the relationship with China.” Kim also asked his officials to be careful of criticizing Beijing.
“The recent criticism of China was too tough,” he said, according to the source. “We need to make this correct.” This appears to refer to a statement made on Friday by the National Defense Commission, the North’s top military body, which said China “abandoned its principle” by approving the new UN resolution which includes tougher sanctions against Pyongyang.
http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2966413&cloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1
Sounds like NK is miffed with China for going along with tighter UN sanctions but knows that China is "still useful" to NK. And China is miffed with NK and advised them not to proceed with a nuclear test.
The Joongang Daily is a pretty good paper here unlike the Korea Herald and Korea Times which can't even proof read the articles in English (it's hard to believe they actually charge for papers like that). Newspapers are just too expensive these days to buy much and the area of town I live in doesn't carry English papers (you really have to be in the business districts, Itaewon or Gangnam to find papers in English).
Scairp
(2,749 posts)This little creep is deeply insane. And I didn't know there was any other law besides Martial Law in N. Korea. New one on me. So how does John Kerry respond to this?
odiumestpuritas
(33 posts)in the end food aid and China will look good for getting them to calm down because China seems to be about the only country who can talk to them.
This is not the first time NK has done this to get something they need.
humblebum
(5,881 posts)
Laelth
(32,017 posts)-Laelth