Very very worrying

[SoapAlert]

North Korea nuclear test suspected after 'artificial' quake
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-37314927

[LeonardInTheArgosBag]

I saw that. Shame they don't have oil or something would've been done a long time ago.

[Graceflorrick]

I've just had a BBC new alert, briefly felt anxious and then discovered that NK have been testing since 2006

[VioletBam]

I'm not worried. They'd get squashed pretty fast if the US thought they were any risk whatsoever.

[SoapAlert]

I do not understand why there was such a big reaction to Iraq's suspected weapons of mass destruction which led us into war. But now this maniac in North Korea has them and is testing them which is literally causing shockwaves, we do nothing.

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

Oil. That's why

[megletthesecond]

No oil so the West won't get involved. The people of North Korea are left to suffer ..

[Ememem84]

No oil in nk. That's why.

[SoapAlert]

Makes sense, but the actual threat seems very real and nk leader is left to get on with it.

[elgol]

Oil and China. Tricky politics.

[Ratley]

I 100% believe if they were to be a genuine threat to stability even if just in their part of the world then the Chinese would deal with them.
As it is I think they are just like mouthy teenagers who want to show everyone how 'dead hard' they are .

[PickleSarnie]

It's not just the lack of oil. There are much more reasons than that.

The very fact that they have nuclear weapons for starters. Granted not with a long enough range to get to the west. But Seoul is only a few miles over the border. The potential for casualties would be massive. North Korea also has a massive army. Every man in the country would be conscripted in event of a war no doubt. And China. Massive and North Koreas (possibly begrudging) Ally. They would want to prevent war in North Korea to prevent thousands of refugees flooding into their country. And the rest of the world wants to prevent pissing off China.

[Findmuckery]

Can I recommend a book about NK which is fascinating ?
It's called Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick
The people of NK live in terrible poverty and it's a real eye opener

[prh47bridge]

They'd get squashed pretty fast if the US thought they were any risk whatsoever

No they wouldn't. That would risk starting a war with China.

[VioletBam]

Isn't China more likely to side with the Western world these days?

[Magicpaintbrush]

It's always scary when there is a maniac at the helm of any country, but this one just defies belief. Like a child playing with his toys - which just happen to be nuclear weapons. And executing anyone around him if they dare to sneeze.

[Magicpaintbrush]

"They'd get squashed pretty fast if the US thought they were any risk whatsoever"

"No they wouldn't. That would risk starting a war with China."

According to the BBC China is deeply displeased about these nuclear tests.

[windmillsofyourmind]

They'd use them if they thought they could get away with it, but why on earth would they when they know they'd be annilliated. as far as South Korea goes it'd be mutual assured destruction.

[SoapAlert]

A nuclear weapon would not reach the U.S. From NK though, would it?

[windmillsofyourmind]

If they had any intention of using them, S Korea would probably be their first target, (but they have them too) then America would get involved. Rather pointless and stupid if they did imo.

[LurkingHusband]

A nuclear weapon would not reach the U.S. From NK though, would it?

Depends what vehicle you mount it on. From vague memory, NK has also launched satellites. So they are quite capable of putting a bomb on a rocket. Whether it would go bang when expected is another matter. It would be interesting to know how many NK tests have not gone well ??????

[MaryTheCanary]

North Korea is a scary country and there are lots of reasons why the west is nervous of getting involved. It is NOT just "lack of oil."

On the other hand, is NOT dealing with them potentially even scarier?

I honestly don't know.

I think that the PTB are treading a fine line and trying to apply just enough diplomatic pressure on NK to prevent them from actually nuking someone, while hoping desperately that the NK situation will eventually resolve itself one way or anotherperhaps through internal collapse (though that is a worrying prospect toothink how many desperate refugees we would be talking about! South Korea is not too keen on taking them all)

[LurkingHusband]

I really don't understand the reticence on the part of the West.

Imagine what a mess the world would be in if we hadn't taken every opportunity to intervene ?

[Justwanttoweeinpeace]

FFS - can MNHQ deal with all the User1234 types so we don't get spam like the above please?

Back on topic. China needs to sort this out.

Went to Pyongyang on a visit in 2010. It's beyond fucked up. What the general public actually believe, what they claim to believe and what is happening outside of the border are three completely different things.

For example on day one our guides were fully on board. Day two one guide 100% about the regime. One guide just really really jaded about the stuff he was trotting out. Day three - one guide essentially pushing us to go home and tell everyone 'the truth'. Guide two saying things like 'dear leader studied in Switzerland, but the people don't know this.' I could write so much more, but TBH I'm having a good day and it'd just spoil it for no good reason.

[MsWorthington]

China are, at least from a Chinese perspective, between a rock and a hard place with NK.

They don't like what's going on there, yet they still prop the place up with hand outs and call NK their allies because they don't want the country destabilised and SK and the US seizing power. The last thing China wants is a US friendly country right on their border, so they put up with the increasing lunacy.