North Korea

The Geopolitical Powderkegs Most Likely to Start the Next Major War

April 24, 2013

Source: IO9 Predicting future conflicts is not easy, especially considering that social unrest and dramatic political changes can happen at virtually any time. But world-altering events don’t unfold in a vacuum — it’s all about reading the signs. Here are seven geopolitical hotspots that have the potential to change the course of history. Since the [...]

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US missile destroyers, anti-ballistic missile system in position

April 14, 2013
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Source: mvariety THE United States continues to remain vigilant in the wake of North Korea’s ratcheting up its threats against U.S. allies and territories in the Pacific. The Pentagon has maintained its proactive approach in dealing with the North Korean war rhetoric as it deploys missile destroyers and a anti-ballistic missile defense system to the region. [...]

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Korea is the focus, but this crisis is all about disputed islands and the security of oil supplies

April 10, 2013
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Source: Guardian The “crisis” on the 38th parallel has little to do with the two Koreas: it’s about oil and gas for China, the prelude to an energy grab that will safeguard the expansion of the Chinese economy for decades to come. Six months ago Taiwanese and Japanese coastguard cutters were drenching each other in spray from water cannon, [...]

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China conducts live-fire military drills near North Korean border

April 8, 2013
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Source: WT China’s military and defense ministry on Sunday confirmed that military forces in a border region near North Korea conducted live-fire drills amid tensions between North Korea and the United States. The Pentagon, meanwhile, canceled a planned test launch of a Minuteman III ballistic missile to avoid further upsetting ties with North Korea. Intelligence sources said signs continue to indicate [...]

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Secret U.S. military flights carried officials, equipment to N. Korea

February 16, 2013

Source: Asahi Senior U.S. administration officials held secret talks in North Korea on at least three occasions in 2011 and 2012, The Asahi Shimbun has learned. Although the visits had potential implications for Japan, Washington did not inform its security partner at the time and only informally confirmed one of them when the Japanese side [...]

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S. Korea pushes for deployment of military spy satellites to strengthen surveillance capabilities

February 6, 2013

Source: Yonhap News The South Korean military is pushing to deploy spy satellites to strengthen its surveillance of North Korea, a senior military official said Wednesday, in light of growing missile and nuclear threats from the communist country. South Korea currently operates Arirang-3, a multipurpose satellite, which provides geographical information on the Korean Peninsula including North [...]

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New arms race in East Asia

January 29, 2013

Source: JP Times The United States and its allies are in the midst of a major expansion of missile defenses in East Asia and the western Pacific. The planned network is designed to detect the launch of a ballistic missile, track the warhead as it arcs high above the earth, and shoot it down with [...]

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Japan to launch spy satellite to monitor North Korea

January 23, 2013

Source: Business Line Japan is to launch a new spy satellite on Sunday to strengthen its monitoring capabilities amid concern that North Korea may carry out more missile and nuclear tests. A rocket carrying a radar-equipped satellite is scheduled to blast off from a space centre at Tanegashima in the southwest, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has [...]

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More US troops in Asia if China unable to contain North Korea: report

December 18, 2012
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Source: Want China Times More American troops will be deployed to the Asia-Pacific region if China remains unable or unwilling to rein in the actions of North Korea, according to an article published in the New York Times. Beijing has been criticized by the international community over the past week after failing to pressure new [...]

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Kim warns troops to prepare for ‘sacred war’ during US-South Korea exercises

August 18, 2012

North Korean leader Kim Jong Untold his troops to be vigilant during upcoming training exercises between South Korea and the United States, saying they should be ready to lead a “sacred war,” state media reported Saturday. Kim’s comments came during a visit on Mu Island with troops who participated in the 2010 shelling of South [...]

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US special forces on the ground in North Korea, says American commander

May 28, 2012
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Source: The Hill Members of U.S. special forces are on the ground in North Korea, gathering intelligence on the country’s network of clandestine military bases near its border with the South. Brig. Gen. Neil Tolley, head of all American special operations forces in South Korea, said units of elite U.S. troops were conducting “special reconnaissance” [...]

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Pentagon is planning ‘contingency’ for Iran and North Korea

May 1, 2012

Source: Washington Times   The U.S. military is discussing significant changes in its war plans to adhere to President Obama’s new strategic guidance that downplays preparing for conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and counts on allies to provide additional troops. War planning for Iran is now the most pressing scenario, or what the Pentagon [...]

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