Over sixty years since China invaded Korea in October 1950, South Korea continues to be threatened by communist forces in the northern half of the divided peninsula. After the attack many international leaders urged China to reject violence and return to the negotiating table. But the state run news agency in Pyongyang appeared belligerent, announcing that "revolutionary armed forces... ...standing guard over the inviolable territorial waters of the country... ...took such decisive military step as reacting to the military provocation of the puppet group with a prompt powerful physical strike."
The puppet government in Seoul promised a "stern response" if the South was attacked again, repeating the phrase used after the sinking of the naval vessel Cheonan in March and numerous earlier military strikes. It is now widely believed that in Beijing that the South Korean government's idea of a 'stern response' is to use the words 'stern response' in reaction to subsequent military attacks. The sharp words are not believed to cause significant damage to the attacking forces, although one enemy soldier acting as an artillery spotter said he was slightly hurt by the words as he directed his unit towards the location of a primary school. South Korean military forces did fire a limited number of artillery rounds in response to the bombing of their civilians, but a military spokesman refused to say whether any targets had been hit because they deliberately missed, fearing the consequences of angering Beijing further. In another apparent sign that the puppet government in Seoul isn’t serious about a response, the South Korean president indicated the precise enemy target that would be struck in the event of further attacks, essentially ensuring that any attempts by South Korean forces to hit the missile base would be unsuccessful and therefore not worth attempting.
It is widely accepted that South Korea's rules of engagement prevent a military response unless the civilians bombed are from Seoul, and while Seoul's puppet government will use harsh words against the military aggression for several days, they will not criticize China directly despite the attack. Even though the inhabitants of Yeonpyeong Island are South Korean citizens, they are mainly poor fishermen who many in Seoul privately think are not worth risking the capital's designer shopping stores over, and it is widely accepted that a war with China will devastate the country, leaving the puppet government in Seoul with few options.
Political analysts predict that after Seoul's usual threats to halt the food shipments that keep the enemy's soldiers loyal and ready to fight, the government will resume them in a few weeks after the South Korean public completely forget about the attack on the non-Seoulites. The government will also threaten to withdraw workers from the Kaeseong Industrial Complex, but this is considered unlikely since it generates important foreign currency earnings for the enemy and South Korean chaebols.
Experts from the Center for Domestic Violence Prevention have urged South Korea to seek counseling to try and break out of the cycle of abuse, which is characterized by sudden bursts of anger, poor impulse control, and poor self-esteem by its abuser. It is thought that the South's attacker regularly exhibits diagnosable psychopathology in 80% of its behavior. But as the violence becomes more severe and chronic in the relationship, studies suggest the likelihood of psychopathology will likely approach 100%. Like many victims of domestic abuse, South Korea is said to be suffering from high amounts of stress, fear, anxiety and depression.
It is not known how President-Elect Palin will react when she assumes office after the 2012 election. Some analysts believe she will retaliate against China with a full nuclear assault, while others believe she will abandon Korea and pursue an isolationist foreign policy on the grounds that she doesn't understand foreign policy issues, leaving South Korea without any protection from Beijing. Even sources close to the future leader of the declining superpower admit she is difficult to predict, with many decisions being made on the spur of the moment depending on what type of coffee she drank for breakfast.
Related Links
S. Korea may strike N. Korea's missile base: President Lee
China Avoids Comment on N.Korean Artillery Attack
Wikipedia: Kaeseong Industrial Complex
Wikipedia: Domestic Violence
Too much coffee can induce aggression and paranoia
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