North Korea a real threat
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omonatheydidNORTH Korea's nuclear and missile programs are a real threat to the region and potentially to Australia, warns Wayne Swan.
The Acting Prime Minister said the Korean peninsula was heavily armed and a potential flashpoint and that it was essential that stability there be maintained after the death of Kim Jong-il.
"It is vital that all those with influence on Pyongyang reinforce the need for calm and restraint," Mr Swan said.
"North Korea is one of the most isolated regimes on Earth, and one of the most dangerous.
" Its nuclear and missile programs present a real and credible threat to the region and, potentially, to Australia."
Earlier, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd warned that the dictator's death brought serious dangers to one of the world's most militarised regions and urged neighbouring nations to react calmly.
Mr Rudd, who visited the heavily armed border between the two Koreas recently, said Kim's death brought an opportunity for the new regime to engage fully with the international community on the critical questions of how to feed its people, how to open the economy and how to deal with its nuclear weapons program.
Mr Rudd said North Korea had for some time been developing fissile material for nuclear devices, but that it was uncertain how much the program had produced.
The country had also been developing short- and medium-range rockets and testing the long-range Taepodong-2 missile, Mr Rudd said.
He said it was difficult to say who would become leader.
"There will be considerable ambiguity and uncertainty in the days ahead and this should be regarded as normal," he said. The Foreign Minister said governments in the region would be applying long-rehearsed contingencies and it was critically important for them to communicate calmly the reasons for their actions to the North Koreans.
"It's at times like this where we cannot afford to have any wrong or ambiguous signalling," Mr Rudd said.
Griffith University's Asia Institute director Andrew O'Neil said Kim was likely to be succeeded by his son Kim Jong-un, but he added that a military takeover could not be ruled out.
"It is very plausible that we could witness a prolonged period of internal instability inside North Korea as 'the new Kim' seeks to assert his rule over the state," Professor O'Neil said.
That meant North Korea's behaviour was likely to get less predictable and potentially more dangerous in the short term, he added.
It is understood Mr Swan last night discussed the implications of Kim Jong-il's death with the acting head of mission in Seoul Brendan Berne, Australia's ambassador to Tokyo Bruce Miller and Australia's ambassador to Beijing Frances Adamson.
Sydney-based Korean War veteran Nak-yoon Paik expressed fears yesterday that history might repeat, with the country left to deteriorate in the hands of yet another dictator, as it did after the death of Kim Il-sung.
The 77-year-old president of the Korean Society of Sydney spent yesterday discussing the potential fallout from the dictator's death with other Korean-born Australians.
"I am scared because this time around North Korea has a nuclear program, with an inexperienced young man who could be worse than his father," said Mr Paik, who moved to Sydney in 1976.
"Even though the Korean War was relatively short, millions of people died. It was a horrible war to be a part of at the age of 17. I was so upset. I don't want to see that sort of conflict in my home country ever again.
"Hopefully he will be open to work with other countries with peace talks and bring democracy to North Korea.
"Even though I don't think it's good that one family has been ruling the country for more than 60 years, I worry if people speak out or demonstrate they will be treated violently."
Source: theaustralian
The Acting Prime Minister said the Korean peninsula was heavily armed and a potential flashpoint and that it was essential that stability there be maintained after the death of Kim Jong-il.
"It is vital that all those with influence on Pyongyang reinforce the need for calm and restraint," Mr Swan said.
"North Korea is one of the most isolated regimes on Earth, and one of the most dangerous.
" Its nuclear and missile programs present a real and credible threat to the region and, potentially, to Australia."
Earlier, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd warned that the dictator's death brought serious dangers to one of the world's most militarised regions and urged neighbouring nations to react calmly.
Mr Rudd, who visited the heavily armed border between the two Koreas recently, said Kim's death brought an opportunity for the new regime to engage fully with the international community on the critical questions of how to feed its people, how to open the economy and how to deal with its nuclear weapons program.
Mr Rudd said North Korea had for some time been developing fissile material for nuclear devices, but that it was uncertain how much the program had produced.
The country had also been developing short- and medium-range rockets and testing the long-range Taepodong-2 missile, Mr Rudd said.
He said it was difficult to say who would become leader.
"There will be considerable ambiguity and uncertainty in the days ahead and this should be regarded as normal," he said. The Foreign Minister said governments in the region would be applying long-rehearsed contingencies and it was critically important for them to communicate calmly the reasons for their actions to the North Koreans.
"It's at times like this where we cannot afford to have any wrong or ambiguous signalling," Mr Rudd said.
Griffith University's Asia Institute director Andrew O'Neil said Kim was likely to be succeeded by his son Kim Jong-un, but he added that a military takeover could not be ruled out.
"It is very plausible that we could witness a prolonged period of internal instability inside North Korea as 'the new Kim' seeks to assert his rule over the state," Professor O'Neil said.
That meant North Korea's behaviour was likely to get less predictable and potentially more dangerous in the short term, he added.
It is understood Mr Swan last night discussed the implications of Kim Jong-il's death with the acting head of mission in Seoul Brendan Berne, Australia's ambassador to Tokyo Bruce Miller and Australia's ambassador to Beijing Frances Adamson.
Sydney-based Korean War veteran Nak-yoon Paik expressed fears yesterday that history might repeat, with the country left to deteriorate in the hands of yet another dictator, as it did after the death of Kim Il-sung.
The 77-year-old president of the Korean Society of Sydney spent yesterday discussing the potential fallout from the dictator's death with other Korean-born Australians.
"I am scared because this time around North Korea has a nuclear program, with an inexperienced young man who could be worse than his father," said Mr Paik, who moved to Sydney in 1976.
"Even though the Korean War was relatively short, millions of people died. It was a horrible war to be a part of at the age of 17. I was so upset. I don't want to see that sort of conflict in my home country ever again.
"Hopefully he will be open to work with other countries with peace talks and bring democracy to North Korea.
"Even though I don't think it's good that one family has been ruling the country for more than 60 years, I worry if people speak out or demonstrate they will be treated violently."
Source: theaustralian
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no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 01:47 pm (UTC)Also particularly impressed with KRudd's handling of this.
no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 01:48 pm (UTC)Kim Jong Un probably wants to proove himself as "his father's son" so I'm not sure about him opening up to teh world. I fear he's gonna be worst than his dad. But maybe I'm just a pessimist.
no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 01:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 01:49 pm (UTC)Kim Jong Un is too young and unexperimented he'll have to lay on Jang Song Taek, he won't decide alone, I don't think so (and do they think KJI decided everything alone?). Also we have to look at the South because LMB is not known to be friendly with the North so why would the offense come from the North first? And then, the North is dying and need help so what's the point in threatening everybody?
C'mon Australia...
no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 02:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 02:50 pm (UTC)we'll just have to see how events over the next few days or weeks unfold
no subject
Date: 2011-12-19 02:58 pm (UTC)I don't understand how this means that just Australia is under threat?
no subject
Date: 2011-12-20 12:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-20 06:40 am (UTC)one of the most?
can someone name me which other countries are as isolated as North Korea?