Friday

Korean War Threat

It’s supposed to be a typical day in Seoul. As I travel to public places and ride to subway trains. I notice that there are so many policemen roaming everywhere. I stroll to almost every hot spot in the capital city. I might be the bravest among the cowards, our codename is tnt. This week, the South has declared punitive measures against the North due to the bombing of the Cheonan naval vessel. On the headline news, war threat from North Korea has been an old rhetorical blah-blah of Korean people. The public in South Korea is indifferent about the war threat issue because they used to it in decades, or may I say "because they know their race and their behaviour."

Seldom you will see Korean jerks fighting with their fist and wrist in public but often you'll see Korean men as freaking blabbers when they are in fight. They mouth offensive and rhetorical words but they are afraid of punching first, but once they hit they do it terribly. In other countries, men talk less rather they hit more. In Korea, men talk more even unto the bursting end of their emotion until withdrawal comes and turning their back from their opponents. Perhaps the calming effect of the expressions "whhahhh", "aiguu", "uhhh", and excessive shouting do something which extend their control and tolerance of physical violence. Those are frequent expressions you will hear from them. Those expressions easily relieve the agonizing feeling of anger but cost of prolonging the verbal fight and leaving more internal damage to their opponents.

As I observe the locale news in Korea and the international observations. The thin line of difference between the sets of news makes me in amazement. The international news is so serious on the issue of conflict between the two Koreas. The locale news isn't much terrifying and same with the people as if nobody cares. This might be an economic strategy of the South Koreans to save the foreigners' investments against any war threat. But one thing amazing is that the local public does a wonderful cooperation in such social behaviour. Is it an advised behaviour to the local community? Or a natural social trend because they're used to it in decades?

Others say and I might agree in some point of view... A money in war is the name of the American game. Maybe what makes the American reluctant to push the South for retaliation and totally pursue war against the North is that there are no much oil deposits in the Korean Peninsula. The filthy lucre in a Korean war will be focused to the ammunitions, military peripherals, and political dominance. No oil to be taken as an advantage unlike the way they do in the Middle East. Waging peoples' lives is an atrocious means of gaining political and economic powers. To the greedy, they call it a backdoor opportunity. And to them, war is indeed a very lucrative business.

Well, not of blatantly accusing the American government but whatever be the American interests are, it is up to the decision of Lee Myung Bak on how to handle the American cards as the Obama's government shows support to Lee's decision of condemning the North for the sinking of the Cheonan naval vessel which has been probed that torpedoed by a North's submarine.

Once the war starts, there's no halting point between the two Koreas. It will be a lose-lose decision between the two. The North will come to end its regime and that I think Kim Jong Il will never consider as a sacrifice. The South has been so reluctant in considering retaliation despite apparent reasons to do so as the North continuous provocations and violations. A psychological warfare is yet a considered option for the South against the North. This gives a clear lead for the North to take advantage into it. Despite the arrogance of North against the South and against the international community they continue receiving donations as aids to the North's starving nation and availing welfare programs especially coming from the South. Is that a type of political blackmail? The South might be willing to do such an act for the sake of her fiscal figure as one among the giant economies in the world. A war is a precise indication to the South of an abrupt fall of her economy. It is a clear gate to poverty which she has been in the past few decades. And that's may be the worst option for South Korea.

If these kimchi-people are stupid enough to make war in the sake of pride and anger. It will be a bad day for all of us. We need to get our ass out of here. But whatever will be, in the occurence of vulnerable stability caution must always be considered. The fate of the Korean Peninsula may depend on how the amygdala reacts to the neural firing in the brain of its leaders. Or should I say, South Korea has so much strong shield against a striking nuclear warhead because of the presence of saints across the country.