Nuclear outlaw North Korea is attracting more attention after it threatened a “physical response” to war games being played by the U.S. and South Korea this weekend. Earlier this year, North Korea sunk a South Korean warship and also has a nuclear program that are both expected to hurt the North Korean economy. Article source – North Korea threatens U.S. military exercises as sanctions mount by Personal Money Store.

North Korea feels that the U.S. has become a ‘grave threat’

North Korea issued its threats as about 8,000 military personnel from the U.S. and South Korea gear up for joint military exercises beginning this weekend. “Another example of a hostile policy” against North Korea was what Ri Tong Il, North Korean spokesman, called it, reports CNN. He went on to say that the war games are a grave threat to the Korean peninsula and also the entire Asian region. The military exercise, dubbed “Invincible Spirit,” is scheduled to run from July 25 to July 28.

Cheonan sinking causes military response

It was already a little stressful being within the Korean region, but the exercises being done by the military are making it a little more stressful. The Cheonan sinking killed 46 soldiers which as outlined by the Associated Press happened four months before the new threat. An investigation was done showing North Korean’s involvement although North Korea denies it. In the face of North Korea’s familiar belligerence, the U.S. seems to have run out of patience, saying any new talks with the North are unlikely within the current standoff.

Leaders who abuse their positions targeted by North Korean sanctions

Hilary Clinton announced a program that will deny goods and funding to North Korea. The Guardian reports that new U.S. sanctions would target 200 North Korean-held foreign bank accounts thought to be connected with illegal activities such as nuclear weapons development, drug trafficking and counterfeiting. The South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo said North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il is believed to have stashed a $4 billion slush fund in secret accounts in Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein.

Desperate North Korea acting out

North Korean leaders are desperate so they continue to threaten the U.S. and South Korea. As outlined by Voice of America, U.S. sanctions, a reduction of international aid, poor harvests, and a manufacturing slump are all things North Korea is worried about right now. Within the 1960′s, a famine occurred where numerous North Koreans died; there are concerns of it happening again. Intense famine could lead the North Korean government to respond with harsher restrictions on the already destitute masses in one of the world’s poorest, most isolated nations.

Sources

CNN

cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/07/23/north.korea.threat/index.html?npt=NP1

The Guardian

guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/23/north-korea-threatens-physical-response

Voice of America

voanews.com/english/news/Sanctions-Expected-to-Harm-North-Korean-Economy-99090344.html?refresh=1

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