Wednesday, January 19, 2011

South Korea Seeking US Go-Ahead to Build Ballistic Missiles

South Korea wants out of a deal it made with the US in 2001 that limits it to missiles with a top range of 186-miles and warheads no larger than 1,100 pounds.

Apparently fed up with threats from the North, the South Koreans want to build missiles capable of hitting targets anywhere in the North which means increasing the range limit to 1,000 kms. or 620-miles.   South Korea already has an arsenal of cruise missiles able to strike anywhere in North Korea.

Washington has sought to limit South Korea's missile capability fearing expansion would trigger Pyongyang to expand its already considerable arsenal.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The US wants to continue controlling the South Korean Government.

The Mound of Sound said...

I'm willing to give the US the benefit of the doubt on this one. They've been backstopping S. Korea since 1950 and have shed a lot of blood and treasure on its behalf. The south still depends on America to protect it against the north. Once you throw the greater geo-political elements into the equation - Japan, China, India for starters - I don't find it at all unreasonable for the Americans to expect and exercise this degree of influence.

crf said...

The US should say no, after due consideration. The North is acting very badly. And not being able to respond is making South Korea look impotent, which means political trouble for South Korea's government.

But even the SK government may wish the US to say no. They may not really want an effective ICBM.

Suppose the SK government didn't want this capability. But just reannouncing that they can't have the capability because of the agreement with the US, and won't bother to even ask, would make their leaders look even more impotent.

This way, by taking the initiative to get out of this agreement, the South Koreans can press the US for their blessing to make an ICBM, and have the US say no, but with concessions: perhaps the agreement to allow Korea to reprocess its nuclear fuel, which the US is also saying "no" to, at the moment. The South Koreans can say that, relunctantly, they agree with the US that they will not develop an ICBM, for the time being, but reserve that right in the future.

The relationship between the US and South Korea is really very sour at the moment. The response by the US, and the rest of the world, to North Korea's acts of war, has been pretty underwhelming.

Canada lost quite a lot in the Korean war. We have something at stake, and a bond with South Korea. You'd think we could do more, with South Korea's blessing, of intermediating in disputes between South Korea and the US. Instead, as far as I can tell, we watch, parrot whatever the US tells us to say, and do not take any f**king initiative when things are obviously not going well.

The Mound of Sound said...

CRF - a couple of respectful disagreements. The S Kors aren't looking to build inter-continental ballistic weapons. They're just looking for theatre ballistic missiles. Think Scuds that work.

As for us,we have absolutely no influence in these matters. That was half a century ago. 20,000 strong which, coincidentally was the same strength force we required for the Kandahar gig. Only our soldiers were sold out for a thousand-strong combat group by weak political and self-serving military leadership. I hate, indeed loathe, Hillier. Either he was grossly incompetent or he was just stroking his ego sending such an understrength force to that province for a Beau Geste mission.

I claim a right to criticize Canada's military leadership. Plenty of my family on both sides have paid dearly for these jerkoffs. Ever watch your Dad bleed out through his underpants? Sorry, at this point I get a tad volatile.

Anonymous said...

Koreans today don't even know Canadians served in the Korean War. I still hold the US wants control over what is happening in South Korea Militarily.

The Mound of Sound said...

I agree that the US wants control over military matters in South Korea. I think that works to SK's advantage and they know it. If the Americans hadn't been the dominant military force in the south, Pyongyang would have been running the place decades ago. The SKors don't have a lot to bitch about.

Anonymous said...

I didn't say South Koreans did not benefit from the US's contribution to the Korean War and still contribute to the economic climate of South Korea today from the military personnel stationed here. The Americans do not do first hand consulting with the South Korean Government but perfer to engage Japan and China first. The South Koreans do not like that at all. When the Bush Administration was in power, they totally went over Roh, Moo-hyun's head and engaged Japan first. Japan occupied South Korea from 1910 until the end of the WWII and the astrosities it committed upon the Korean people was nothing but terrible.....Koreans hate Japan and the Amnericans do not engraciate themselves by doing what they do. The South Korean people want to make their own decisions regarding North Korea now in this day and age and they do engage the US which is their right to do so. However, the US wants to be the bull. Do you really think China is going to let North Korea invade South Korea? Who do you think has stopped North Korea from full attack upon South Korea?

The Mound of Sound said...

I'm somewhat ambivalent to South Korean gripes. Ask any SKOR if he/she would prefer to rely on China to keep NKOR in check if the US packed up and left. Koreans have genuine grievances against Japan but they were happy enough when Toyota salvaged Hyundai from ruin. Their country has also benefited from a lot of other Japanese investment.

Anonymous said...

The Japanese have also invested in China with China keeping watchfull eye. China also hates the Japanese. South Koreans have benefiteed from their own hard work. I hardly think the Japanese have made the Korean economy what it is today. What of the bailouts by South Koreans regarding Japanese business failure? Not liking to hear anything that isn't your input and that you believe to be a direct challenge to your opinion is offensive. What makes it so laughable is the fact other information from commentors only adds to your blog.