Northeast Asia: Nuclear test

Sun bin blogs the google map on the North Korea Nuclear test and summarizes the test information.

In South Korea, there were much discussions in the blogsphere (although I can only get access to English sources).

Jodi observes her South Korean friends’ reactions the test:

Not surprisingly, however, was the idea that the real danger was not so much North Korea, but the United States who might react dangerously in reponse to the North. More than one person yesterday used the word “victim” to describe South Korea’s situation.

Oranckay actually said that he was glad that it happened:

First of all, it either proves that both Roh and Bush have failed, and/or, the shenanigans are over and there is no more wondering. I was getting tired of the endless limbo, the endless effort spent by Roh’s government on trying to get the six party talks started again, as if the six party talks were getting anywhere. Perhaps I’m getting old, but I’m glad to see something happening.

Timothy Savage has an anlysis in Ohmynews International in response to the right wing sentiment:

The first victim, much to the delight of critics of engagement, is likely to be what remains of South Korea's Sunshine Policy. While often attacked as “appeasement,” the Sunshine Policy was in fact a well-intentioned but sometimes badly executed attempt to achieve slow-motion reunification by increasing Pyongyang's dependence on the South.

In Japan, Alexpappas from Japundit predicts that the test will change Japan's foreign and military policy:

North Korean boasts the fifth largest army in the world with an estimated 1.8 million standing armed personnel. If ever there was a threat to modern post-war Japan, this would be it…

Today, all has once again changed and a new page of history is to be written. As Japan decides how to proceed with its now nuclear neighbour, it is certain that there will be difficult decisions made that will no doubt affect the world entire.

Japan citizen reporter, Lily Yulianti reports people reactions in Ohmynews:

On the trains, people carefully read Abe's explanations and looked at the graphics of the underground channel under a mountain in North Korea, where the test was reportedly conducted. People rushed to pick up the papers and ended up with similar comments: condemning North Korea's latest move. It was not only a headline in the media, but also the topic of the day on the streets.

For many ordinary Japanese people, North Korean issues such as abductions and missile and nuclear programs are familiar enough. Despite a stereotypical judgment that says most Japanese people do not really care about politics and security issues, when it comes to North Korean issues, it is not difficult to find people on the streets who want to talk in detail.

In Mainland China, most of the discussion of the test happens in the forum,
China citizen reporter, Wyan Hsu summarizes the discussion in ohmynews: N.Korean Civilians are the real victims:

The test triggered criticism in China's cyberspace and I read several posts on a forum. Most say that North Korea's move doesn't conform to China's interests at all, and that it could even put China in a dilemma.

They say that on the one hand China should work on non-proliferation over the peninsular and to be a more responsible partner of the international community, and on other hand it should cherish its traditional alliance with Kim's North Korea.

Taison from kdnet (BBS forum) jokingly says that the China government is really pissed off this time:

简直不给我面子,更何况,一直以来,全世界都知道金小弟的背后有我们罩着,这下可好,连大哥的话他都根本不听了,今后,人家其它国家又会怎么看我?

They don't give me face. Especially the fact that the whole world know that little brother Kim has been back up by us. Now that he doesn't listen to big brother, how will other countries look at me in the future?

In Taiwan, Think alould in Talk Away's reacts more as a onlooker:

北韓核示雖然讓人憂心,但東亞的執政者傳統上大都愛權愛命,核試只是種談判籌碼,就像我們阿扁台獨是喊爽的,不會真為像回教聖戰(伊朗倒是讓人比較擔心)…

Although the nuclear test is worrisome, in East Asia, most of the rulers love power, nuclear test is just for political negotiation, which is similar to ah Bian (Taiwan president)'s slogan of Taiwan independence. Of course it is different from the Holy War of the Muslim (Iran is more worrisome in this sense)…

Raymondwoon, a Hong Kong doctor, feels helpless:

我已經不慬得去分析各種政治勢力的對錯,當我聽到戰爭所帶來的哭聲以及地球因這核試所承受的震動,我內心和核爆的地土一樣痛楚…

I don't know how to analyze international politics any more. When I heard the crying sounds from wars and shocking noises from this nuclear test, my heart reacts in pain as the earth in the testing spot…

7 comments

  • […] 原文:Northeast Asia: nurclear test作者:Oiwan Lam译者:PipperL校对:ilyaSun bin 写了部落格文章,在Google map 上标示了北韩核子试爆的位置,简介了 试爆的资讯。 […]

  • mahathir_fan

    I’m still stratching my head. Why do North Koreans hate the US? The US is so far away from NK. The closest naval base is in Hawaii. It is so hard for the US to attack them.

    Until the US start stationing troops in South Korea or Japan, the North Koreans have nothing to fear from the US. We are a peace loving country.

  • mahathir_fan

    Alright. That was a sarcastic remark.

    Anyway, there is something else happening in Korea that is more important than the nuke test:

    See:
    “AS WORLD attention is drawn to North Korea’s missile launches and nuclear program, many South Koreans are attuned to a threat much closer to home. They have watched a group of rice farmers in the small village of Daechuri near the city of Pyongtaek attempt to defend themselves against invasion by the US military.”

    http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/10/08/a_us_invasion_of_korea/

  • Richelieu

    Oh well, likely the US hasn’t let go of much since the Korean War, and now that things are escalating in the North, they go make some preparations for it in the South. All the same, if the report is accurate…they should be a bit more considerate about the way they operate their bases, and the way they discipline their men in South Korea. Doesn’t help to get the people of the nation you need as a garrison and a buffer state mad at you, after all.

  • Tim Quinlan

    Since the US has likely had Nuclear weapons in S Korea for some time, why is it so hard to accept the North having such weapons of their own ?

  • mahathir_fan

    I wrote a piece of opinion at the Korea times that was published here:

    http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/opinion/200610/kt2006101819580454070.htm

    Basically, I compared the NK joining the nuclear club to a time in history when the North Koreans entered the Iron Age. At that time, the Chinese feared the North Koreans would figure out how to make iron. Because with Iron, North Koreans could start slaugthering thousands of people and wage wars all across North East Asia. Surprisingly, they did very little of that despite their iron-making knowhow. Instead, they used it for defense against attacks by China. I also compared the willingness of South Koreans to form alliances with foreigners then and now.

  • pj

    You guys are overlooking the fact that the leader of North Korea is freaking crazy! And a nuke is a little bit different than iron. Iron does not have the potential to end the world.

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