U.S. wary of unpredictability in N. Korea after succession rumors: commander - GoFuckYourself.com

fatfoo · 10-21-2009, 07:08 PM

YONHAP NEWS

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/nati...00100315F.HTML

U.S. wary of unpredictability in N. Korea after succession rumors: commander

SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Yonhap) -- A senior U.S. military officer stressed Wednesday the need to closely watch North Korea, citing unpredictability involving a possible power transition following rumors of the health problems of its reclusive leader, Kim Jong-il.

"Nuclear-armed North Korea chooses to provoke on the brink of succession," Admiral Robert Willard told reporters accompanying U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to his trip to Seoul for annual security talks. "North Korea needs to be watched as an international problem, and for the U.S. it's the whole government's problem, not just a military challenge."

Willard, who replaced Adm. Timothy Keating on Monday, was apparently referring to international efforts to denuclearize North Korea through diplomacy.

"When I mentioned the comprehensive approach, it's not a singular military approach to North Korea, but it's very much about the State Department in collaboration with other agencies in the U.S.," the commander said.

A flurry of diplomacy is underway for the resumption of six-party talks for the North's nuclear dismantlement, involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao flew to Pyongyang earlier this month to meet with Kim Jong-il, and the North Korean leader expressed his intentions to come back to the six-party talks, which Pyongyang has boycotted citing U.N. sanctions for its nuclear and missile tests.

Kim, however, attached the North's participation to the outcome of bilateral talks with the U.S., which has yet to make a decision on whether to send Stephen Bosworth, special representative for North Korea policy, to Pyongyang.

Meanwhile, Ri Gun, North Korea's deputy chief to the nuclear talks, is set to visit the U.S. later this week for possible talks with U.S. officials on the sidelines of seminars.

"North Korea is a challenge for the region, and was very much a threat to South Korea for a great many of those years ... it recently has become a more regional and global issue," Willard said. "The unpredictability of the regime in North Korea is something that I think the Pacific Command will continue to deal with in the future, as well as with international community and the whole of the U.S. government."

fatfoo · 10-21-2009, 07:23 PM

Rumors of the health problems of reclusive leader, Kim Jong-il, yeah. Kim Jong-il might be ill.

10-21-2009, 07:08 PM	#1
fatfoo ICQ:649699063 Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 27,763	U.S. wary of unpredictability in N. Korea after succession rumors: commander YONHAP NEWS http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/nati...00100315F.HTML U.S. wary of unpredictability in N. Korea after succession rumors: commander SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Yonhap) -- A senior U.S. military officer stressed Wednesday the need to closely watch North Korea, citing unpredictability involving a possible power transition following rumors of the health problems of its reclusive leader, Kim Jong-il. "Nuclear-armed North Korea chooses to provoke on the brink of succession," Admiral Robert Willard told reporters accompanying U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to his trip to Seoul for annual security talks. "North Korea needs to be watched as an international problem, and for the U.S. it's the whole government's problem, not just a military challenge." Willard, who replaced Adm. Timothy Keating on Monday, was apparently referring to international efforts to denuclearize North Korea through diplomacy. "When I mentioned the comprehensive approach, it's not a singular military approach to North Korea, but it's very much about the State Department in collaboration with other agencies in the U.S.," the commander said. A flurry of diplomacy is underway for the resumption of six-party talks for the North's nuclear dismantlement, involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao flew to Pyongyang earlier this month to meet with Kim Jong-il, and the North Korean leader expressed his intentions to come back to the six-party talks, which Pyongyang has boycotted citing U.N. sanctions for its nuclear and missile tests. Kim, however, attached the North's participation to the outcome of bilateral talks with the U.S., which has yet to make a decision on whether to send Stephen Bosworth, special representative for North Korea policy, to Pyongyang. Meanwhile, Ri Gun, North Korea's deputy chief to the nuclear talks, is set to visit the U.S. later this week for possible talks with U.S. officials on the sidelines of seminars. "North Korea is a challenge for the region, and was very much a threat to South Korea for a great many of those years ... it recently has become a more regional and global issue," Willard said. "The unpredictability of the regime in North Korea is something that I think the Pacific Command will continue to deal with in the future, as well as with international community and the whole of the U.S. government." __________________ Send me an email: [email protected]

10-21-2009, 07:23 PM	#2
fatfoo ICQ:649699063 Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 27,763	Rumors of the health problems of reclusive leader, Kim Jong-il, yeah. Kim Jong-il might be ill. __________________ Send me an email: [email protected]