2008 Woodie Awards
North Korean nuclear test last straw for past allies
Gavin Jamieson, Staff Writer
Issue date: 10/17/06
Last Updated: 12/26/07
North Korea gave the global community a rude awakening last week when their government announced they had successfully detonated a small nuclear weapon. This act of defiance against world opinion has prompted fears of a war on the Korean peninsula, the possibility of Japan rearming to meet this threat and speculation that North Korea could be on their way to developing a means of striking the United States. This nuclear test does not necessarily mean any of these threats will occur. Instead, this test could seal the fate of North Korea.
The North Korean government was formed as a Soviet puppet state following the end of World War II. One of their first acts was an invasion of South Korea in 1950. Fortunately, this act of aggression was defeated by an American led effort involving troops from dozens of participants from the United Nations. Since the end of this war, North Korea has been a cancer on the Asian continent, is capable only of spreading misery and death upon their citizens and neighbors. North Korea is infamous for their attempts to bolster their moribund economy, as a recent international incident regarding a failed attempt to smuggle heroin into Australia led to the arrest of several North Korean nationals. North Korea is recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism the destruction of Korean Air flight 858 in 1987 was believed to have been directly ordered by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.
The existence of North Korea was dependant for several decades on aid from the Soviet Union and China. When the Soviet Union collapsed North Korea became increasingly reliant on China for economic aid. But, while North Korea has remained relatively static in terms of politics and influence, China has been increasingly accepted by the global community and has sought greater economic ties with the powers of the Western world. This has led the Chinese leadership to increasingly question the wisdom of propping up a despotic state.
The recent nuclear test brought this issue to the forefront of global politics as China had expressly warned the North Koreans not to carry out a nuclear test for fears of destabilizing the regional balance of power. The fact that the test was carried out regardless of China's interests, may indicate that the Chinese government no longer has the influence they once had over North Korean affairs. This is a troubling development for the region and could be considered an opportunity for the civilized world to end the threat of North Korea peacefully.
The North Korean government was formed as a Soviet puppet state following the end of World War II. One of their first acts was an invasion of South Korea in 1950. Fortunately, this act of aggression was defeated by an American led effort involving troops from dozens of participants from the United Nations. Since the end of this war, North Korea has been a cancer on the Asian continent, is capable only of spreading misery and death upon their citizens and neighbors. North Korea is infamous for their attempts to bolster their moribund economy, as a recent international incident regarding a failed attempt to smuggle heroin into Australia led to the arrest of several North Korean nationals. North Korea is recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism the destruction of Korean Air flight 858 in 1987 was believed to have been directly ordered by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.
The existence of North Korea was dependant for several decades on aid from the Soviet Union and China. When the Soviet Union collapsed North Korea became increasingly reliant on China for economic aid. But, while North Korea has remained relatively static in terms of politics and influence, China has been increasingly accepted by the global community and has sought greater economic ties with the powers of the Western world. This has led the Chinese leadership to increasingly question the wisdom of propping up a despotic state.
The recent nuclear test brought this issue to the forefront of global politics as China had expressly warned the North Koreans not to carry out a nuclear test for fears of destabilizing the regional balance of power. The fact that the test was carried out regardless of China's interests, may indicate that the Chinese government no longer has the influence they once had over North Korean affairs. This is a troubling development for the region and could be considered an opportunity for the civilized world to end the threat of North Korea peacefully.
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