Kim Jong-Un has reportedly ordered the North Korean military to bolster defenses as it reacts to US-South Korean Military drills. This reaction comes after a supposed invasion drill was conducted by the South Koreans near the demilitarized zone north of Seoul.
Kim Jong-Un warns of North Korean retaliation
A ship-to-shore assault drill was conducted by the South Korean military near Seoul. This raised alarms in Pyongyang claiming that the drills are a practice for invasion. The drill was code named "Warrior Strike 7" which was done at the Live Fire Complex in Camp Stanley in Uijeongbu, a few miles north of Seoul.
Kim Jong-Un ordered his military to tighten up defenses and ordered North Korean borders to be ready for any form of attack. The panicked dictator rushed to consolidate his military which is more dangerous to US forces now that it has successfully test launched a ballistic missile last week.
North Korea has constantly lashed out threat after threat against the United States forces and the South Korean military. Though some regard the threats as simply "bullying," Admiral Harris, the US naval commander in the Pacific, said to take each threat seriously.
South Korean reactions to Pyongyang
Since the election of the new South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, current policies towards its northern neighbor may drastically change.
The new president plans to push an agenda that will reach out to North Korea in a diplomatic manner, hoping to end the hostile tension through talks.
Though many in the South Korean government do not show support for the new president's plan, the idea of diplomatic talks with Pyongyang is slowly gaining traction. The two Koreas have been divided since the end of World War 2, and for seventy years tension hasn't ceased.
The possibility of diplomacy
Having the two Koreas start dialogue with each other without the United States is not a scenario that the Pentagon will be fond of. This will most likely happen once North Korea agrees to open dialogue and actually push a more open approach towards possible reunification.
There are approximately 30,000 US personnel in South Korea and tons of machines and logistics.
If Seoul settles with Pyongyang, it is likely to include the exclusion of the United States in the politics of the two nations. It will be a dark day for US influence in Asia if North and South Korea suddenly become friendly and unite.
