KOREA AT WAR!!!...... NOT YET!!!

Almost every email I have received over the last few weeks mentions the current escalation of tensions between North Korea and America. I understand its big international news, but the South Korean people seem less concerned. Why???

Well, first of all, George Bush's government and the US media are almost obsessed with creating unnecessary fear. The Korean media is much more well rounded and they look at the issue at many angles, they are less about "OH NO WE'RE GOING TO DIE" and more about "THIS IS REALLY A SET BACK FOR SOUTH KOREA". Really when you think about this approach it really is a more rational way of looking at this conflict.

Secondly, they have gotten used to the crazy antics of Kim-Jong-Il, the crazy, dictator of North Korea. He is constantly doing ridiculous things that only a crazy, obsessed with power, super secretive, dictator would do (like wear knee high socks in the shower). Most of the time it doesn't make front page news in America so the West really doesn't freak out like it is doing right now. The South Korean people are so used to living right beside such a crack head, that they don't really loose too much sleep over his current antics.

Thirdly, the nuclear test that North Korea conducted was declared unsuccessful by Chinese, South Korean, and Japanese tests. That is that the certain level of nuclear, sub-atomic particles that would usually be present at a successful nuclear test were not found. The USA government has said that they "believe" that the test was successful but have not shown the American people any scientific proof on the issue. They said that it many take another few weeks when they will have the scientific proof.... then why scare everybody now? Even if they did have a successful test, they still have no method of delivery (they don't have a rocket that can carry the nuclear warhead).

Forthy, I know that North Korea isn't the sanest country on the block but the USA has been using some pretty "tough guy, USA, rah rah rah!!!" language when it comes to North Korea. I think that Kim-Jong-Il might be a little freaked out that the mighty-might US of A might be a comin'. Remember Bush's state of the union address a few years ago, when he called North Korea the "AXIS OF EVIL". He's been subtly threatening North Korea for years now. I think North Korea might think the USA will blow their weak, little, communist country to bits. I mean, they marched into Iraq with very little proof (I still don't know why, Weapons of Mass Deduction?) and fucked that country up. The USA only started too stop the tough guy talk and the subtle threats when they realized that North Korea might have nuclear capabilities. It's kind of sad that the USA only admitted last week that they will not start war with North Korea. Its almost hypocritical when you look at some of the threatening language George Bush used to describe North Korea over the past 5 years! It's also sad that a country with opposing views with the USA (like North Korea) has to develop a nuclear bomb before they feel that the USA will get off their backs. I believe that this will only cause other countries to developing nuclear capabilities in the near future (i.e. Iran) just as a security measure so the USA doesn't jump up their ass!

Well enough with the ranting. I think everything will be OK; at least the South Korean people think so. It really doesn't even effect life at all in South Korea. When they start panicking, I'll start panicking. I think a student that I teach said it best "Kim-Jong-Il just needs a little love!"