Politics

Is North Korea Really A Threat To The United States?

198 Comments

With an eventual armed conflict between North Korea and the U.S. and some of its regional allies like South Korea and Japan waiting around the corner, it is relevant to look at this country from a cultural and historical point of view in order to understand more of one of America’s arch enemies (besides Russia and Iran, at least according to the Deep state and neocons).

Typically people in general know that it is an isolated socialist country that was divided in the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War (1950–53), but there is of course much more to it. Therefore I intend to shed light on some fundamental aspects of culture, history and politics with regard to North Korea.

I have used Donald Goldstein and Harry Maihafer’s book The Korean War (2001), Donald Baker’s Korean Spirituality (2008), The World Factbook, and various additional sources in order to describe and analyze some of the core features and tenets of North Korean culture and political capacity. Obviously, people know much less about North Korea than South Korea, so I have tried to be careful and only stressed unimpeachable facts.

The formation of North Korea

Korea has a history which stretches thousands of year, and a written language based on the Chinese script which was invented by King Sejong in the 15th century. The military and political strength of Korea has differed over time, but generally the Kingdom (or kingdoms) has been caught between China and other larger powers. Unlike many other nations and kingdoms throughout Eurasia, the Kingdom of Guryeo managed to withstand the Mongol invasions (1231–1259).

Much culture, including religion and philosophy, stems from China, such as Schamanism, Confucianism and Buddhism. Even Catholicism is a result of Koreans who temporarily migrated to China in the late 18th century and brought it back on a micro scale.

In the 19th century and forward, Korea was supported and largely controlled by China until Japan rose as a regional superpower and formally annexed the entire peninsula between 1910–1945. During that time Koreans had to bow before the Japanese Shinto gods. This has left Koreans in general with resentment against the Japanese, even though they have cooperated economic-wise (South Korea in particular but also North Korea in the first decades following World War II).

In the aftermath of World War II, and the general liberal West versus Communist East global dichotomy, Korea was divided along the 38th parallel. Something that could have been only temporary became permanent, and so also the war which lasted 1950–53, during which the northern part fought with the Communists from Soviet and China and the South with the United States (partly similar to the Vietnam conflict).

Even though there has been an official armistice since then, the war is still ongoing although dormant. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DRK) still wants to usurp the Republic of Korea (ROK) and vice versa, and various provocations have taken place throughout modern history.

Juche as a paradoxical ideology

Juche (self-reliance) is the unthreatened hegemonic ideology in DRK and is largely based on Marxist-Leninst ideas and hinges on an industrialized plan economy. It is also puristic in that sense that it does not allow loan words or any other form of influences from the West (only some from the Soviet Union), and conservative with regard to the use of formal speech style. Hasipsio-che is used between pretty much all adults in public, whereas in South Korea Haeyo-che and various intimate and informal speech styles are common in many contexts.

As the scholar Charles Armstrong notes, however, it has not been as isolationist as it is now (although DRK is still dependent on China). In the 1960s and 70s, Kim Il-Sung, DRK:s indisputed leader, wanted to show the world that North Korea was a role model for post-colonial nations in general.

The largest focus was on Southeast Asia (Vietnam and Indonesia in particular), Africa, the Middle East and Central America, but the Pyonyang administration also had diplomatic relations with European countries like Norway, Sweden and Yugoslavia. Kim Il-Sung had particularly close ties to socialists in Ethiopia, but whom in the end did not feel that Juche ”translated” to them.

Paradoxically, DRK was more globalist during that time than it is now – with the intent to disseminate the gospel of Juche – and was overall wealthier than the ROK until the late 1960s. In parallel with worsening economic status in the mid-1980s and onwards, DRK had lost whatever global political-economic influence it had, and during the reign of Kim Jung-Il and his son Kim Jong-un things have become worse.

At that time and forward the material and economic gap between North Korea and South Korea has grown larger, in conjunction with ROK improving their diplomatic relations with pretty much the rest of the world while DRK has become more isolated.

Due to both environmental (for example floods and crop failures) and man-made factors (for instance that the former Soviet Union cut off subsidies and the failure of the economic-distributive system), between 1994–1998 North Korea experienced a severe famine, and as far as anecdotal evidence from defectors such as Yeonmi Park (whose lecture I have attended and to whom I have asked several questions about culture) goes, the general living conditions for the people are pretty bad. For instance children are forced to watch public shooting executions with intestines splattered all over the place.

The cult of the Kim dynasty as quasi-religious manifestation

Typically, Marxist-Leninism is an atheistic ideology, and indeed religions are not nearly as wide-spread in North Korea as in South Korea, where Buddhism and Christianity have many followers (about 23 percent Buddhists and 29 percent Christian).

However, since Korea overall historically has been largely influenced by Confucianism and to some extent still is, a cult-like worship of its leaders—akin to that of Mao Zedong in China—can be identified.

It is not just the current leader in DRK that receives imposed worship, but the Kim dynasty in general. Kim is the most common surname (or first name, depending on how you see it) in all of Korea, but it is the particular Kim family—the foundation of North Korea—that is the focal point of veneration.

Apart from that there is some evidence of a small rise of Shamanism, such as fortune tellers, and Evangelical Christianity in North Korea. According to the World Factbook, the government sponsors religious groups in order to create an illusion of religious freedom. Therefore most real denominations are probably clandestine.

The North Korean military strength

Another important aspect, and perhaps the most significant from an American and Western point of view, is that historically North Korea has produced a significant amount of weapons and exported them to other nations, socialist countries in particular.

As scholar Andrea Berger stresses:

North Korea’s contemporary defence-export catalogue is larger than most international-security analysts appreciate, and it appears willing to sell anything surplus to its own requirements. Its offerings include off-the-shelf weapons systems, supporting infrastructure and ‘knock-down kits’; spare parts and munitions; weapons designs and technology; complete arms-production lines and factories; maintenance, repair and upgrade services; military and police training in a variety of disciplines; and logistical and procurement services. North Korea has successfully negotiated foreign contracts in all of these categories since the arms embargo was put in place in 2006.

According to Global Fire Power, North Korea is ranked 25th in the world in terms of military capacity. About 10 million are fit for service, whereas the actual military force (which includes women) are about 1.3 million and thus in fact larger than the United States army. This can be compared to South Korea, which is ranked 11th. Its allies, the United States and Japan, are ranked 1 and 7. I am far from a military expert but North Korea is actually not a serious threat compared to Russia, ranked 2 in the world.

If a World War III is going to happen it will in all likelihood mainly be between the U.S. and Russia. With that said the emerging nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program is far from unthreatening and some sort of more constructive diplomacy (push–pull strategies) ought to be implemented.

Hopefully, the stalemate can continue for the sake of all involved parties, until any Kim leader eventually will allow a re-unification with South Korea. Only a cultural relativist without lack of objective reasoning skills can claim that North Korea is as good as South Korea, despite its flaws.

In summary

Overall we know much less about what North Korea is like than South Korea. However, it is undisputedly a largely isolated and poor socialist country with a rather strong military force and arsenal at its disposal. Hence its capacity should not be easily underestimated, especially its nuclear program, although neither exaggerated.

Culturally it is more conservative than South Korea, with close to zero influences from the West in terms of popular culture and loan words. The imposed cult of the Kim dynasty has somewhat religious overtones, whereas religious pluralism is not nearly as large as in its democratic and free-market based southern neighbor.

Read More: What Modern South Korea Is Like

198 thoughts on “Is North Korea Really A Threat To The United States?”

  1. I’m going to go against the alt-right grain here and say yes it is, because such a fucking lunatic state will eventually have the firepower to hold an entire region de-facto hostage, and do so without giving a fuck about their own existence.
    Such questions are beyond the reach of the SJW left, and the more anti-intellectual elements of the right.

      1. Buchanan is wrong here.
        “He [Jong Un] is targeting us because we have 28,500 troops on his border.”
        He is targeting us as a resource that NK has been quite successful in extracting concessions from in the past.
        Since you ‘don’t give a flying fuck’ this is going to fall on deaf ears, but I find some level of concern is warranted. Withdrawing from SK will give them, as well as Japan and Taiwan, a strong incentive to develop their own nuclear weapons.

        1. I understand your point, but take this into account:
          1. Even if they developed a nuclear device, they are miles away to produce it en masse.
          2. They are miles away also to developed a efficient missile to deliver it.
          3. If they, somehow, developed 1) and 2) the USA could, as Buchanan said, reduce that little shithole to ashes in less than half an hour before they even send his first missile.
          4. Even if they developed 1) and 2) and they are jerking off about attacking USA, they are not dumb. A nuclear exchange is like a wildfire, it can get out of control pretty easy: NK attacks USA, USA answers against NK, China attacks USA, USA answers against them, Russia defends China attacking USA and in less than a month we are living in a Mad Max world.

        2. During the Bush era the new South Korean President said his number one mission was to work out the problems between North Korea and the USA. Donal Rumsfeld said if South Korea had such good relations with North Korea we would pull out our military and redeploy them where they are needed.

        3. It’s not going to be the end of the world, but that gook can make things very unpleasant. I’m not advocating an aggressive stance towards them. I’m also knowledgeable enough on the topic to know they pose a threat to themselves and others regardless of what actions the US takes.
          1. Don’t need NBC weapons en masse. They already possess limited numbers with rudimentary delivery systems that would be effective enough to pose a threat in the region.
          2. They are on pace to develop a delivery system for the continental US within a decade and could strike Japan now.
          3. There are zero guarantees with taking a preemptive strike against them that all measures could be eliminated.
          4. Kim Jung Un has a god-complex and if he believes he will be removed from power (which will inevitably end with his death one way or another), he could easily justify using NBC weapons. Realize, the #1 threat of this happening is not being provoked by a foreign state, but rather an internal power struggle. They collect far superior intel on us than we collect on them, so we very likely would be reactive to anything that happened.

        4. Good points, but again: do you really think they are suicidal enough to use a nuclear device against the USA or any nation there?

        5. You’re expecting them to behave rationally, because you’re rational. I don’t think they can be relied upon to be a rational actor state because it’s not a stable nation-state and internal upheaval is very possible and well outside of a foreign states control. And I NEVER trust absolute dictators. I don’t think we should be forcing the issue with them, but I’d definitely be monitoring their weapons developments.

        6. Even if they develop a nuclear device? don’t you get newspapers where you live? They’ve been setting off nuclear bombs with yields from ~2 kilo tons to 30 kilotons.
          When you say delivery system, you mean to America presumably, Seoul is 35 miles from the border, they can deliver it most of the way to Seoul by truck to the border, His missiles already go all of the way to Japan.
          When you say reduce that little shithole to ashes before he can send his first missile, you presumably mean after he lobs one on Seoul.
          When Saddam was losing, he lit all of the oil fields, if Kim feels he is losing, the whole world might as well be dead,
          mad is worse than dumb.

      1. No. America have unleashed hell all over the world since the 50s. As a proud American I’m not too proud to admit we overshot taking the Empire from the much superior-in-every-way UK.
        That’s right, the UK (England, specifically) is the greatest country on Earth. But we all know this.
        (I’m a Brit and actually know this to be true 🙂

        1. It was way earlier than the 1950s. Try the 1890s with the Spanish American War.
          Or the American Civil War / War of Northern Aggression

        3. We didn’t take it the Brits : 1. let the empire go thru apathy and fatigue 2) WW2 exhausted the UK in resources and will so they gave up on empire 3. Anti colonialist movements in India , africa ( aided and abetted by the commies ) pushed the UK out of their former colonies.. That said the British empire was one of the best or “least worst ” empires ever…

        4. “That said the British empire was one of the best or “least worst ” empires ever…”
          Great quote:
          “The sun never sets on the British Empire.”
          My ancestors are English. Before that, Hanseatic League (German). I am no fan of Britain, but that is still a quote for the ages.

        5. You fucking idiot. Britain is and was responsible for millions up millions of deaths around the globe. Far worse than america.
          But nostalgia is like an opiate to fucking idiots like you.

        6. “American Civil War / War of Northern Aggression”
          That would be the War Between The States!
          “Spanish American War.”
          Spain had a wooden navy, America an iron navy. Easy conquest of an empire spanning the globe.
          “It was way earlier than the 1950s.”
          Correct.

        7. Belgium was the most murderous of the European colonial empires . Belgium was brutal and just plain killed people e.g Congo ( read King Leopold’s Ghost). Britain being responsible for “millions of millions” of deaths?? Maybe thru the many wars trying to hold to on to its’ colonies but still the “least worst”. Was colonialism “all bad” for say Africa ? Many books say no and claim Africa is worse under self-rule…America, Jamaica, Canada, India turned out alright. Also try to contain yourself. Speak on line like you would in person. But maybe you’re an asshole , jerkoff in person too…

        8. Time to fry some mexican fritata with Pershing sauce! “Say that with a texan accent I dare you!” 😉

        9. jamaica and india ?? really ???
          Anyway again you just talk drivel. You talk about Belgium who had a tiny empire for a limited time and compare to one of the biggest and longest empires in history. Fucking ridiculous.
          Two off the top of my head. The famine in Ireland in the mid 19th century and India during the early 20th. Literally tens of millions of people died in famines in countries under British rule.
          They also invented the concentration camps. The list goes on and on.
          Anyway Ive wasted enough of my time on you.

        10. As a Brit said about WW2 you would far rather be taken captive by the British than by any other power.

        11. And yet, India is very grateful to the UK for bringing civilisation, that’s why they embrace english language and culture.

        13. it’s really easy to prove the statement wrong, just show which countries or powers treated their prisoners better than the British,

        14. Are you fucking kidding ????
          Prove something negative about the allies during WW2 ??? hahahah suuuuureee.
          Listen. I read plenty of history. Britain and its crimes far out weigh ANYTHING Germany ever did and thats assuming the holocaust happened like they claim,which it didn’t.
          Did they treat their prisoners better than japan and russia ?? maybe. But you still quote a British source hailing British generosity.
          So get the fuck out of here with its easy to prove bullshit there is NO other period in history so drowned in propaganda by the victors. It’s literally a crime punishable by prison in Germany to deny the holocaust !!!!

        15. That’s a long reply that doesn’t put up a single agency who treated their prisoners better than the british did.

        16. Ohhh sorry try gowdy you thought this was some sort of hearing ????
          sorry sunshine wind your fucking neck in.
          The point of the whole debate is Britain and how bad they were/are. Do try keep up and do try to quote sources other than the subject themselves.
          I’ll be waiting for YOU to provide some quotes from German prisoners saying the same.

        17. wiki; At first it was usual for groups of about thirty men to be escorted by armed guards to the fields where they were to work. They were kept under close supervision at all times. However, following the German surrender, the British government allowed some prisoners to be billeted on the farms where they were employed under minimal supervision. Typically, one to four POWs would live at each farm, often taking their meals with the farmer and his family. In this way close bonds were forged between the farmers and the German prisoners.[26] According to a former prisoner of war who was interviewed by the Imperial War Museum in 1994, ‘I was very lucky. I stayed with [a family] who looked after me extremely well. They treated me as their son in all respects. To this day I call them “my English parents”‘[27]

        18. Way earlier than that. Try the Mexican War of 1846 where Polk sent an army into disputed territory knowing it would provoke a fight. Ulysses S. Grant, who actually fought in the war, said,””I was bitterly opposed to the measure, and to this day, regard the war, which resulted, as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation…..I do not think there was ever a more wicked war…I thought so at the time…only I had not moral courage enough to resign.”

    3. North Korea is crazy…but not insane and suicidal.
      Don’t you think North Korean knows that all the Fed troops that surround them would love to have an excuse to have a war?
      Don’t you think that North Korea knows they could never win a war with South Korea or the Feds?
      They want to defend themselves from invasion.
      Of course, the TV is repeating all the “they could hit Hawaii with a missile” BS…like they always do.
      North Korea is a convenient distraction for the Feds.
      North Korea was started by Kim Il Sung who was a fighter against the occupation of the Japanese.
      They don’t want to be invaded and despite the CNN/Fox BS of the last 20 years…they DO NOT want to hit Hawaii with a missile.

    4. Will they? The country can’t even provide steady electricity to anywhere besides Pyongyang, Nampo, and the defensive structures along the inter-Korean border.

    5. The DPRK leadership cares very much about its own existence. They may care less about the well-being of their people and the long term prosperity of their country, but regime survival is their top priority.
      In this perspective, their behaviour is not generally irrational. Clearly, having nuclear weapons is a good idea if you do not wish to end up like Gaddafi in Libya. Being very restrictive about economic reform makes also makes sense, since rapid economic development may have consequences that are difficult to foresee or control (it is important to remember that NK indeed has taken some steps towards economic liberalisation, leading to at least partial recovery from the disastrous years in the 90s). The country’s bellicose rhetoric is partly for domestic consumption, but also part of a diplomatic strategy.
      The one thing that would be completely detrimental to regime survival would be to start something that could actually lead to a serious military confrontation with the the United States. This is likely something that the DPRK will try very hard to avoid. Mutual deterrent works.
      One the other hand, I am not so sure about the US administration being equally rational…

      1. “The DPRK leadership cares very much about its own existence.”
        While true, the only part of that leadership that matters is Kim Jung Un and whatever gook hatchlings he can spawn. Absolute leaders don’t act rational once they think their station is being jeopardized. There’s little reason to believe that would be any different with North Gookland.

      2. “One the other hand, I am not so sure about the US administration being equally rational…”
        Awe man, you’re worried about nothing. The deep state has it all under control baby. The Rockefellers, CIA, Rothschilds, Henry Kissinger, George Soros, and the rest of the buffoons in their cliche will guide the POTUS to ultimate enlightenment as to “what-to-do” concerning a friend to the world, North Korea.
        So just go to sleep tonight and know, it’s all taken care of. And you will be alright.

    6. “anti-intellectual elements” Well for a man who puts forth nothing but vague conjecture and emotional drivel for his argument I don’t think you are in a position to say much.
      Basically you think they are a threat because they scare YOU. They have ZERO history as a threat to any other nation. Give me a practical scenario where they attack America unprovoked ??
      America has invaded DOZENS of countries since ww2.
      Korea ?? ZERO
      America has bombed SEVERAL DOZEN countries since ww2
      Korea ?? Zero.
      Stop talking out of your arse.

        1. They bombed the country they are technically still at war with according to the telegraph.
          What ????

        2. America is also technically still at war with North Korea, so according to what you just said we can bomb it no problem.

        3. You thought thats what I said ?? really ?? My god your ability to comprehend is frustrating.
          My point being dropping ordnance on a country you never signed a ceasefire with who shares a border with you is alot different than being a threat to a country thousands of miles away with superior technology.
          Also seen as it went over your head. I doubt the veracity of anything the teleraph tells me.

        4. My ability to comprehend is excellent, it’s your thought process that’s twisted. North and South have ceasefire in effect. You are terribly misinformed for someone who doubts the veracity of what he sees.
          North Korea has attacked countries, has threatened its neighbors, has exported her nuclear technology to several rogue countries. Stop with the stupidity

  3. The North Koreans always test a new US administration, like a toddler seeking boundaries and structure. This latest flare up is right on schedule.

    1. Yes, the “North Korea is dangerous and we have to do something about it” script is playing out like it always does

      1. If only the West had, when it was the only one with stealth technology,
        and North Korea didn’t have nukes.
        the nukes aren’t being developed for New Year celebrations.

    2. Or new administrations like to test korea like a over bearing parent testing its power.

  4. North Korea is only a legitimate threat to South Korea (and only Seoul, in SK). They’re not much of a threat to Japan, where they’re much more likely to miss than to hit, and essentially no threat to the US (which made that Red Dawn reboot rather stupid, along with Homefront).

    1. you know nothing about the danger north korea presents. Homefront was only the beginning. The sequel could break out at any moment now

      1. Even former South Korean politicians are calling “Yeonpyeoung” a false flag/fake attack…

      1. It isn’t a lack of desire that’s keeping Kim Jong Un from taking a swipe at California:

  7. Satellite photography and mapping, spy satellite photographs, stealth bombers, a Central Intelligence Agency that always gets it right, and several MOABs.
    Strike all nuclear facilities, airfields, artillery batteries near the DMZ, command and communication centers, and Kim Jong Un (where ever he may be at that time), and the problem ceases to exist.
    Is that too hard to do?
    Let me tell you a secret.
    North Korea has larger proven oil reserves than Saudi Arabia. NOW, I bet you can do it!

    2. North Korea is convenient bogeyman that the Feds can present to dumb Murcans who believe everything Fox and CNN tell them.

    3. The problem isn’t fighting North Korea, the problem is that if the US moves north of the DMZ, China will also intervene.

    1. Trump = Military-Industrial complex, kikes, sucking Saudi dick… the same shit as always

      1. I gotz some info my American brother.
        There’s a huge … case file being prepped to pull the courtain on the swamp masters.
        But this kind of thing takes time.
        Rest assured, the mafia in the Whitehouse is being prepped for prosecution, just not quite yet.
        In the meantime, we are to train, study and become ultra masculine, inspiring men to the other men out there.
        God bless the USA for being such an extraordinary example to us ( Eastern Europe still suffering under the neo-comunists ).
        And, as a thank you, check this movie director on one of your presidents, he even made a movie about it.

    1. The Norks love it. He’s like grampa and Santa Claus fused with the ghost of Kim Il Sung.

  10. Should rewrite this as “Is North Korea really a threat to the central banks?”
    That should answer your question pretty quickly.

    1. Someone who got it. North Korea is not a threat to anyone. The USSA is THE threat to everyone else.

        1. “The USSA. gubimint is the real enemy to the U.S. and the world.”
          Another one who gets it.

  11. The only reason they are dangerous is because of their nuclear bombs. Plus, a fat faggot leader who is crazy enough to use them.

  12. Nukes are dangerous and they will pursue and then threaten or extort the US as time goes on. No way around it. You can’t shut them down once they have this stuff.
    I would hire a few people to place a few b-s under Kims’ pillow and he would sleep really well in many places.

    1. Absolutely agree, only America has the God given right to threaten and extort other countries. Who do these gooks think they are?

      1. It isn’t America threatening war, but a particual fat gook with some issues and keeps making threats his budget cannot cash.

        3. And you arent anonymous ???
          If you think Korea is threatening America you must suffer from either a,extreme retardation or b, severe paranoia or c, a deadly mix of both/

        4. I think I laid out what North Korea is capable of and what motivates them in my posts throughout the thread. As you are down to posting passive-agressive snark and insults, I take it you have nothing left to add.
          Your postion as it stands is, “American bad, North Korea victim of American agresssion.” Correct? If so, I disagree but being “against America simply because” is an easy fall back and I understand why. It requires no actual intellectual honesty or thought about the issue and it’s very comfortable socially. No one will rebuke you for it.
          I find it bizarre you are defending the Kim regime, but me thinks you either do not know anything about North Korea nor what goes on or simply don’t care.
          Good luck.

        5. Listen if you think a tiny impoverished nation,with poor military(compared to america,korea,japan etc) no long range capabilities, being propped up by china and suffering numerous famines is a existing threat to greatest military the world has yet know,with a population 12 times the size, the very best satellite technology, nuclear warheads,aircraft carriers, nuclear subs and stealth bombers and near limitless defence budget. Then my friend nothing I say is going to change your mind.

    1. Never heard an Asian talking about, “white privilege, cis-gender or patriarchy”.

      1. I heard on a old coast to coast AM show that different alien groups were in charge of designing humans in the past. Aka Annunaki. Apparently the Grays were in charge of designing the asian human sub species, The Nordic designed the Europeans, etc. Can’t remember who the speakers were that put forth this theory.

      1. Koreans tend to have short legs and long bodies.
        It’s a feature of many Asian races.

    3. In a heartbeat. Having been over there (South), she is an exceptionally good-looking Korean chick.

    6. She could stand to drop 10 or 15 pounds, but sure, I’d stuff one in er

    7. She is cute for an Asian and WB regardless of circumstance. However. Even if she was a pig WB. Cucking a communist dictator is on my bucket list

        1. i wouldn’t want to get into that war: I’m pretty sure Melanie will suck the dick of anyone with an Amex black card

  15. “a language based on the Chinese script”
    Not so.
    The Korean written language Hangul (한글) is NOT “based on Chinese script.” It is a unique invention and is a phonetic alphabet…so it is made of letters and not characters as is Chinese.
    The Korean spoken language is a completely different language family than Chinese…an absolutely different grammar structure than Chinese.
    The only similarities in the two languages are from Korean loan words that come from Chinese.

    1. Right. Hangul is a native invention, and the Chinese script is called “hanja” but the Koreans gave it up. Exact same thing happened in Vietnam, in fact, except that the Vietnamese imported the Roman alphabet instead of inventing their own like the Koreans did. The Japanese have kept Chinese script because, from what I understand, it actually makes the language easier to read than if only kana were used.

      1. Not completely. Since 1972, in South Korean schools pupils/students learn 900 characters in middle school and other 900 characters in high school, although it is largely/partly optional. All in all 1800 characters. It is not that useful, though, and many students forget the more complex or even most words.

        1. I’ve read that hanja are sometimes used for disambiguating homonyms, which was in fact one reason the Japanese always kept kanji. Like Japanese furigana in reverse. Korean and Japanese don’t have tone so there is a need to do that. And of course learning hanja is also needed when reading older books.

        2. Good point about homonyms. If a person studies Hanja then he will have a deeper and broader understanding of etymology and semantics. But for mere functional and pragmatic use it is quite unnecessary.

    2. It’s been suggested in academic literature that the inspiration for the block style of Hangul syllabics does indeed come from Chinese script. Hangul letters can even change shape depending on where they appear and other letters in the block, very similar to the way radicals in written Chinese are treated.
      There is also some ongoing speculation that the higher than average number of similarities between Korean and the Wu dialect of Chinese may stem from something other than simply loan words.

      1. Exactly. You know what you’re talking about. It would be less time-consuming if those who only know ABC (or less) of Korean culture and language remained quiet so I don’t have to explain everything and defend my honor hehe. But if it could help people to learn more then it is fine.

    3. You think that Sejong – even though it was largely a unique invention – came up with something in a cultural and linguistic vacuum? Sure native Korean is very different from Chinese (Sino-Tibetan family), but the vowels of Hangul are based on three strokes: the dot(.) representing heaven, the horizontal line(-) signifying Earth, and the vertical line(l) representing man.

      1. These are based on principles from Chinese philosophy – heaven, earth and man – and also part of the Chinese script. I have studied Hangul and Hanja for several years so I know this. Apart from that you are correct.

  16. “I am far from a military expert but North Korea is actually not a serious threat..”
    I still haven’t seen any evidence of NK ever being wealthy or what that is based on.
    Tell it to the citizens in Seoul. Does NK have the means to deliver a nuke to the LA? No. However they may have the means to deliver payloads to neighboring countries. Plus they have a large amount of artillery that would flatten Seoul. Their MO so far has usually been alot of saber rattling and demanding cash and prizes for STFU. Being China’s vassal has protected them all these years and been beneficial to China as a means to intimidate the west– that is what has simply perserved the Kim despots to date. If China ever decides to dump Kim, NK would fold in a week.
    Bill Clinton and his sidekick, Madam Not-so-bright, gave NK alot of goodies for worthless promises. How did that work out? The biggest threat to the US isn’t NK (or China or Russia), but democrats who continously reward enemies and avoid responsibility.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/98f5afb3ea71b2099f9f090270f79c6bc2555a02c10e77e692aaeceee24dea2b.jpg

    1. It worked out perfectly…because North Korea is fake distraction for gullible Murcans.
      Then and now CNN/Fox is telling us “they have missiles that could hit Hawaii”!
      North Korea does not want to be invaded…hence they want strong weapons.
      North Korea knows that if they use them…the Feds would love to go to war and that they (North Korea) would lose.
      The Feds wants an excuse to maintain military bases in east Asia so they tell us that NK is major threat to civilzation.
      Same bullshit, different century

      1. Doubtful.
        You shouldn’t underestimate a desperate regime who holds it’s citizens as captives, makes threats and is actively testing rockets to back said threats up. Read some of the defectors testimony some time.

        1. Yes, they are actively testing rockets…for self defense as any logical country would do in their position.
          Defector testimonies have nothing to do the realities of the North Korean government defense and foreign policies.
          They know that if they fire a missile at the Feds or their allies…they are finished.
          The NK government “holds [its] citizens as captives” so they can enjoy their lavish lifestyle?
          Do you really think that they are so crazy as to provoke a war with the Feds?
          They are surrounded on three sides by the Feds.
          The second they fire a missile at the Feds or its allies…their party is over.
          The Feds want to disarm them…for the same reasons they want to disarm us.

        2. You should read up before you comment as it would save you face and embarrassment.
          I was stationed there almost 30 years ago and got to know quite alot of Koreans. Some were were around furing the conflict and heard some personal accounts of what transpired. If you would bother understanding the occupation by Japan, the division, conflict, post-war fall out during the Cold War, you might have a different opinion of what goes on that particular pennisula. But.. .belive what you want and continue to post snark and conspiracy laced posts.
          I find it amusing that posters are defending a Stalinst based regime that cannot feed it’s people, nor allow them to leave or even keep the lights on all the while threatening it’s neighbors (unless they pay up). It reflects poorly on them, but perhaps that is what they are.

        3. Have you tried not paying US tax …. even if you don’t live there?
          US citizens are not prisoners but slaves.

        4. I am a US citizen and well aware of US tax compliance. Me thinks you are not aware of what transpires in North Korea. During the bad years when the rice harvest fails. Children disapear due to canabalism.

        5. It happens everywhere in the world, where they have more people than food. It’s nature’s way of telling you not to out breed your resources.

        6. In North Korea’s case, they wouldn’t need to starve if the family ran despotic regime no longer had power. China will decide when that happens.
          “A dead commie is a good commie.”
          Oh I agree. I have a bottle of champaigne waiting when the Clintons expire.

        7. He’s definitely right though about the bases in Asia. That’s a serious weakness for us right now, given that most Americans consider Russia and/or China as our primary enemies these days.
          I say we buddy up with those two, and India too, and get us a fucking new Crusade rolling TOOOOODAAAAAYYYY. Fuck North Korea. They can wait. Let’s de-Islam the earth first.

        11. Just because someone does not believe Fed propaganda does not mean that they are “defending a Stalinist based regime”
          I can speak to Koreans in their own language. I know people in their 90s who lived through the Japanese occupation.
          You have only a Federally-approved History Channel knowledge.

        12. You used the word “conspiracy” to label a non-government approved point of view.
          This shows that you accept their propaganda without critical thought.

        13. Approved by who? Which government? I have thought it out based on my personal experience, historical knowledge and reading some of the lesser known publications of North Korea and have formed an opinion. Dismiss it if you want, but the Kim regime is evil as they come and dupes like you aid them.

    2. Yes, but this was from an American perspective. The headline says: “Is North Korea Really A Threat To The United States?”
      Reading is hard.

      1. “Reading is hard.”
        Thanks for pointing that out.
        If you did not want American perspectives, simply say so and we will not comment on your forum.
        I do sympathize. Maintaining a narrative is hard.

        1. Excuse my sarcasm. Your comments are great and I don’t decide which comments that will be posted or not anyway. Digressions are fine. It was just that it was a misguided criticism (if it was criticism) since you talked about SK. However, I totally agree that NK is a real threat to SK, Seoul in particular.

        2. No worries. I did respond in kind and amplify, but let’s drop that.
          I enjoyed your article and would like to ask where did you study? Your background material on the issues is superb.

        3. Thank you. Likewise.
          I have studied in Europe, and Korean studies-wise also spent considerable amount of time in SK. My oral skills (and not just cunnilingus-related) skyrocketed after having a Korean girlfriend in Seoul for a while.
          By the way, a good source for the nexus between Hangul and Hanja is “Korean Reader for Chinese Characters” (2002). I read it during the first intermediate level term in Korean. That is a great introduction to understand the significant Sino-Korean dimension of the Korean language.

    3. Come on man. China does not use an impoverished nation with (comparative to the west) a shitty military and non existent long range capabilities to frighten the west !!!!
      China’s main aim in propping them up is it will not suffer enemy military on its very border. Simple as that.
      Did china send 100.000’s to their death during the korean war so it could frighten America or keep the buffer state ???
      Quite like how America acted when Russia went to place missiles in Cuba and American reaction to cuba in general or how like Russia has reacted to NATO on its border.

      1. “Did china send 100.000’s to their death during the korean war so it could frighten America or keep the buffer state ???”
        They sent a million gooks to die in the 50s because they were ideological pals. Obviously, the situation since then has changed…

        1. Do you think you said something different ??
          Goes without saying that if south Korea were of the same ideology then there wouldn’t have been a problem.
          You did NOT disagree with me.

  17. North Korea is an isolated kleptocratic prison state. The idea of it being a threat to anyone is laughable.

    2. Everybody knows that, man. But America needs somebody to kill and they present the best option. Probably the least resistance, and definitely the least potential for blowback. Plus, South Korea’s performed well for us over the last 30 years. We run in there, take care of Kim Jong Bing Bong, and hand it over to the South as their reward. It makes them happy, deepens their debt to Uncle Sam, and gives the US access to more of the Pacific rim within flying distance of China and Eastern Russia.

  18. North Korea is not a threat to United States.
    Federal Reserve, Israel, and corrupted politicians are more threat to United States.
    Also the author of this article got the history wrong.
    You gave us the map of Goguryeo Kingdom 37 BCE–668 CE). Goguryeo Kingdom never fought the Mongols.
    Mongol empire did not exist until the 1206. At that time, the region (today called Korea) was Goryeo Kingdom (918–1392 AD) which already existed way before when the Mongols consolidated their power after defeating (Jurchens) Jin Dynasty of China.
    Mongol Empire fought with the Goryeo Kingdom for forty years until one of the king for Goryeo sued for peace and decided to pay tribute to the Yuan Dynasty (Mongols) allowing Goryeo to retain their power but had to pay tribute and send hostages (prince hostages) to Yuan Dynasty. Common practice among Asian empires.
    Please if you are going to post history, please get it right. Thanks.

    1. N Korea’s banking system is slated next for hegemony under the Rothschild’s system. Aside, only Cuba and Iran remain independent of the Rothschilds. In the year 2000, seven countries banking systems were independent: Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba and N Korea. In 2003, Iraq and Afgh were eliminated. By 2012, Libya and Syria. Cuba is a wild card as usual and may play with Russia again – or China but will be the last hold out. It is only 90 mi from the US and this creates loads of possibilities for the globalists and the Rothschild cartel.

    2. I didn’t make any historical mistake. The map is to illustrate that Korea has consisted of kingdoms throughout parts of its history, which I mentioned in the passage above. The fact that Goryeo stood against the Mongols for a long time until truce = withstand. You just tried to be a smart ass for no reason but failed. But hey, thanks for some additional information.
      This article is as solid as a nuclear rocket. I’ve answered every high school objection.

  20. Why is General Suharto of Indonesia’s picture in this article?
    (The guy with the black hat and sunglasses)

    1. Because Kim Il-sung received a leader award from him and North Korea had close ties to Indonesia for a while, something that I mention in the article.

      1. Nice !!!
        Just a thought but a caption is nice with photos. Not just for you but all articles.

        1. Many ROK writers do but I think some subtlety can be nice too. To spell out everything, all the time, is like saying to a girl that you want to have sex with her instead of using subtleties or indirect approaches.
          Pictures can also be direct or associative.

        3. Captions are optional; I personally use them to make a point. I don’t use them if I’m using a picture with text already, like a meme. I also don’t use them if the picture explains itself or is just there for hilarity.

        4. All very reasonable and maybe it’s my comprehension skills, I was on about ones like the Indonesian General. That went over my head.

        1. Caption to that pic: “Put the money in my swiss bank account and this stops now.”

  24. “and a language based on the Chinese script which was invented by King Sejong in the 15th century.”
    This is factually incorrect. BEFORE the 15th century Korea used a sino-script, King Sejong invented an alphabetic script that is now used in Korea.
    “According to Global Fire Power, North Korea is ranked 25th in the world in terms of military capacity.”
    Where do these numbers come from? North Korea is still using AK-47’s, and the flagship fighter of the DPRK air force is still the MiG-21, from the 50’s.

    1. I wrote that it (Hangul) is based on the Chinese script. The three dots and lines used are related to Chinese philosophical principles: heaven, earth and man, and these are also Chinese strokes. I have learned both Hangul and Hanja so I know this. (See above for another similar comment.) The problem is your ABC knowledge of Korean and Chinese, not that I am incorrect (which I am not)).

    2. you came on to have a moan didnt you.
      Do you really find it hard to digest that Korea with its large standing army could be 25th in the word in terms of military ???
      25TH !!!!! its not that good.

      1. I think Spain and Switzerland at the very least have a vastly stronger military than North Korea. Israel could use the power of technology to defeat the vastly larger forces of Egypt and Syria, so how do you think a country that can’t even provide electricity defeat anywhere?

        1. And who said they werent ranked above them ??
          Listen you are really fucking stupid. I know I shouldn’t say that but its the truth.I couldn’t care less what you think. It’s like listening to a twelve year old say why they think superman is better than batman.
          Your points are unconnected, irrelevant and baseless.

        2. The authors source ranked them that way you dumb fuck. Don’t talk shit when you aren’t event aware of the fucking context of a situation.

        3. hahaha fair enough !!! It wasn’t a rhetorical question.
          Changes NOTHING.

      1. Tell me what the Soviets found wrong with it that they replaced it with the AK-74, and that is your answer.

        1. I did a quick search. And I’m glad you mentioned it.
          Here’s a sampling of advantages of AK-74:
          a) cheaper to mass produce
          b) lighter round means carry more ammo
          c) more reliable than AK-47
          d) more accurate and longer range
          Overall, AK-74, based on a quick search of the web, is a better rifle than AK-47. I would choose it myself.
          If there is a serious defect with the AK-47 that prompted the Soviets to replace it with AK-74, I did not find it.
          Granted, I don’t spend much time researching trivial matters, although this time I enjoyed the brief, informative search.
          I will say if I know most of the fighting will be close range, I will choose the AK-47 unless you can prove to me there’s a defect so detrimental that my selection is not wise.
          Anyway, both seem to me to be fine rifles. And I am glad your comment piqued my curiosity just enough to spend 15 minutes searching the web for info.

        2. Yeah, the AK-47 isn’t that bad and was kind of a bad choice for what I was trying to point out. Really I was just trying to say that North Korea has been frozen stuck in the 50’s, still using early scud’s, MiG-21’s, etc.

        3. Yeah, I got it. I’m still glad you made the comment because it has been a few years since I searched for info about the Kalashnikov family of rifles.
          And I learned more about the AK-74. So thanks again.

    4. They might be 25th in military capability, but only for 30 hours until they run out of fuel…

  25. Of course it’s not really a threat. If he tried to nuke anything, chances are it would blow up before it even launched. And of course it would be a fizzle. 😀

  26. Why would WWIII be with Russia, rather than China? China is avowedly communist (ie., militantly anti-American); it is the protector of North Korea (which it borders); and it has a hundred million men with nothing better to do than kill Americans. Russia today has half the population of the USSR, and they’re getting old, and the Russian economy is more comparable to California or Italy than China or the US. Seeing Russia as a formidable and inevitable antagonist is very 20th century thinking.

    1. I agree it wouldn’t be WWIII with Russia, but they do have nukes, political savvy, and something to fight for.

    2. China isn’t really communist anymore, just authoritarian. Nixon opened the door economically, and China got a great preview from the USSR of what happens when a country doesn’t evolve.

      1. Also Lee Kuan Yew, whom I have written about earlier on ROK, was important for US-China relations in the 1980s and partly with regard to China’s state-capitalistic economic policy (Singapore was a role model).

    3. Due to Chimerica, i.e. the tight economic inter-relationships between the U.S. and China. Both have too much to lose. China is largely a state-capitalistic society since the late 1970s/early 1980s onwards, heavily influenced by the Asian tigers.
      Russia’s military is no joke. I am not saying that a potential WWIII will happen between U.S.-Russia, just that Russia is military-wise a real threat whereas NK is not, so that a WWIII with them as the main enemy is not going to happen. Only powerful geopolitical players can create a WWIII.

    4. Communist with a small ‘c’ only. China is far more interested in trade, does not have military bases all around the globe for Imperialism purposes like the US and generally minds its own business. Imagine trying to do away with communism in china? You’d have a million different political parties trying to run things and f**king it up altogether. In this instance, a centralized socialist administration is actually not a bad thing!

  27. Maybe Harry Truman should have allowed Douglas MacArthur to settle things back in 1951.

  28. if Kneeman saw that top pic he may say… “me likey likey pee pee in coke”

  29. No, best korea is not a threat to the USA. It’s poverty ridden totalitarian state that uses the USA as an excuse for the suffering of the people. The more the US federal government does to north korea the more believable that excuse is. Walk away from them and totally ignore them, no trade sanctions on consumer and medical products either. It will get more and more difficult for them to maintain their illusions.

  31. North Korea is an incredible country, I visited it about an year ago and I was shocked by what I saw there. All people have jobs, there’s basically no unemployment there. The health care, education, electricity, water, housing, etc. – all is provided for free by the state. The capital city Pyongyang is amazingly clean, I couldn’t find even a piece of paper or other garbage on the streets. The air is fresh, there’s basically no pollution, and the traffic is very light, you will never get stuck there in a traffic jam…
    Also, there are no drugs there, no prostitutes, pimps, beggars, homeless people, hustlers and other parasites…There are no pointless, stupid and brainwashing TV shows, no fake news, no worthless celebrities, those people don’t even know for example who Kim Kardashian is…
    I talked with a regular Korean on the street with the help of the guide, and that guy was the happiest person I’ve ever met in my life…He smiled all the time, he bowed a lot, and to every question I asked him, he would praise North Korea and Kim Jong-un:
    -Where do you work?
    – I work at the Department of Transportation, thanks to our great leader Kim Jong-un!
    – Are you happy with your job?
    – Nothing makes me more happy than serving my country and our amazing leader!
    – What are your plans for the future?
    – I want to perform my duty even more diligently to honor Korea and our glorious leader!
    – etc…
    I thanked him for answering my questions and gave him a chocolate as a gift. He thanked me back with tears in his eyes, it was amazing, I’ve never seen so much gratitude from someone, for such a small gift…

    1. maybe the tear in his eye was a signal to tell you “bring me out of this communist hell please” ?
      joke apart, i find this country appealling for the same reasons (cleanliness, architecture, people not “occidentaly” brainwashed, non perverted culture, no feminism, no sjwness) , i would love to take hdr photos there, one day

    2. You are free to do as we tell you. Try having a different opinion to the government and see where that gets you!

  32. North Korea is more of a regional threat than anything. The threat to the US is minimal IMO.
    The whole point of it’s nuclear program is to extract concessions and aid out of it’s neighbors and powers like America, Japan and China..
    It’s people are starving, it’s army ancient and entirely reliant on China to eat I doubt even Kim Jong Un has any ilussions how a showdown would go..

  33. “If a World War III is going to happen it will in all likelihood mainly be between the U.S. and Russia.”
    It’s like this article was written in the 80s!!!! The USA doesn’t have any beef right now with the Russians. You think Americans are itching for war with Russia???? SO NOT true.

    1. You’re missing the point which in this article is related to military capacity. Russia is a real military threat in that respect whereas North Korea is not. If U.S.-Russia would go to war – God bless that they don’t – it would be a tough match for both sides. North Korea, on the other hand, would be wiped out within a week.
      With regard to the “beef” between the U.S. and Russia, ROK has offered several insightful articles on the Deep state and neo-cons (or neocons). Neo-con warhawks are far from Russia-friendly, and after the attack in Syria U.S.-Russia relations have become much worse.
      That dimension goes beyond what general Americans want, by the way.

      1. Russia has not been any kind of imminent threat to the USA for quite a long time. In fact, relations have been relatively good when you look at our cold war past. Just because there is capacity does not mean we are under dire threat of it’s use. In fact, it reinforces the old MAD (mutual assured destruction) doctrine keeping it well intact.
        On the other hand, you have NK who are irrational, reckless, and poor as all hell. They don’t want to lose their lives, but clearly they don’t have as much to lose as Russia or the United States. Weapons of mass destruction in the hands of those kinds of people are very dangerous.

        1. I haven’t said that U.S.-Russia relations have been that bad, but it is far from trivial to see relations recently becoming more tense (but that can change). I wrote earlier in a comment that a WWIII requires big geo-political players like the U.S., Russia, or China. If NK attack the United States they will be destroyed within a week, perhaps even literally speaking. So there will not be a WWIII between them in the case of a real armed conflict, only a local war with a global dimension in that sense that there is great distance between the two fighting nations’ geographical location. China will not risk anything to save NK.

  34. Can anyone take a country as a serious threat if it’s missiles go by the name ‘No Dong’?

  36. Interesting fact that the japanese are descended almost entirely from koreans who migrated to the island long ago when sea levels were lower. N. Korea only poses a threat to itself; their military equipment is old and woefully inadequate. They have nukes, but most of their big talk is posturing. They would be completely annihilated if they chose to start a war. The real problem would be dealing with china if they choose to remain allies with them.

  37. Hands off North Korea!
    No matter if it’s China or Iran, Russia or North Korea; every at least somewhat independent, somewhat sovereign country that has the potential to put up at least somewhat of a resistance against the total Gleichschaltung, the total forcing into line, under the (ideological) dominion of US mega-capital, shall be wiped out and destroyed like Iraq under Saddam Hussein.
    Monoimperialism after the end of the Eastern bloc is now followed by the monopolization of capital (every non-American mini-capital shall be destroyed, so American billionaires can rule over all the earth, and there is no competition anymore). It doesn’t matter if a country, a state, makes “good” or “bad” usage of its independence, it if uses said independence to support or to oppress the Christian churches; the fact that it IS at least somewhat independent must make it an enemy in the eyes of the wicked US Empire.
    Yes, North Korea is an anti-Christian shithole but that’s not the motivation of the ruling class to attack it. After all, they do their best to turn the West into anti-Christian shitholes, either!
    Only sovereign nations can become free nations. It is not guaranteed that a sovereign nation will become a free nation (North Korea obviously hasn’t); but that a non-sovereign country will be an unfree country, that is guaranteed!

  38. The problem with ICBM’s and in particular, crudely made ones is that they are like lobbing a brick. Not particularly accurate but can do significant damage. They tend to be very difficult to knock out of the sky due to their inherent design. I really can’t see the US (I’m not a US citizen) tolerating this though. The Kim family in NK have seen the US force regime change globally for the best part of 60 years and have no intention of going quietly. But say the US tries a ‘strategic’ strike and targets only Nuke test sites, NK will automatically invade South Korea creating a huge humanitarian crisis. The only realistic way out of the present impasse is regime change within NK but sponsored by China.

  41. NK has been launching its toy rockets and shouting hollow threats for almost half a century and , i dont see how they suddenly became a problem.
    They have been kept in check by all neighbouring countries (Russia+China+SK+Japan) for 50 years and will keep to their corner if not threatened. So i dont see the need (geopolitical or economic) to antagonise or risk a nuclear confrontation.
    @William Adams
    If you really think NK is a threat, you ready to join the marines to fight and bomb 2,000,000 fanatics with a huge arsenal of short range missiles or you just going to cheer behind your computer screen while other american boys get killed? And btw dragging Russia and China into a possible world conflict?
    Because last time i heard, the US army or economy is no state to start another conflict. Think man!!

    1. My suggestion is that the U.S. and its allies will maintain the stalemate by means of push/pull relations, much like they have done earlier, but updated to current circumstances.
      Of course I don’t want any Americans being killed. Think man.

      1. You’re sending an armada to their coast, how the hell is that gonna maintain a stalemate?
        You’re pushing them in a corner and their going to bite you in the ass. No matter how much fire power you send, it’s not going to be pretty or end well for anyone.
        There’s something called the diplomacy, something FDR and Nixon used very well.
        I suggest Trump uses this card wisely instead, before you go down a road we’ll all regret.
        NK has nuclear war heads after all and it can easily reach the US base in Okinawa.

        1. Why do you write you? It’s not like I support aggressions or have cherished the recent US military strength manifestation. With constructive push/pull I mean diplomacy, but I am not the one to elaborate exact strategies, obviously.

        2. I “write” because your assessing the threat posed by another country when clearly the only country which has gone rogue these last couple of years and is posing a threat to any kind of possible political stability in this region is yours man. Shame you can’t see that.
          I’m just saying is best you turn your aircraft carriers around, go home and fix your own country and political system. And its not being anti american, it’s just common sense.

        3. I am not American and I haven’t said that I support the global military-industrial complex, proxy wars in Iraq and Libya etc. However, I support the political-economic model in SK and the truth is that it is largely thanks to the West, America in particular, that countries like Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan have prospered post-World War II.

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