The President of North Korea, who took over the mantle from his late father, Kim Sung IL? In October, 2006, North Korea exploded nuclear device but failed to rattle the East Asian nations, especially South Korea and Japan. North Korea showed its prowess by firing a number of missiles in June, 2006. It launched a Taepodong Rocket (which fizzled) and half a dozen others (which worked).
The entire exercise was calculated to blast a hole in the diplomatic effort by America, South Korea, Japan, China and Russia to get Kim Jong IL‘s regime to give up its nuclear bomb building. Evil though Mr. Kim undoubtedly is, the chief danger his regime poses to outsiders is often accidental; that rockets may unintentionally hit Japan or that North Korea’s economy may collapse (something that terrifies both China and South Korea).
The Chinese succeeded in persuading Kim Jong IL to resume the six-nation talks in November, 2006, thinking hopefully the further nuclear ambitions of the maverick leader would be checked. In the early hours of July 5, ’06, North Korea grabbed the world’s attention with a show of its own.
Image Source: komu.com
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From at least a couple of sites, the reclusive country defied repeated international warnings, including from its sole ally, China, and let the missiles be directed to the east of Japan.
Amongst them were short range Scud-type rockets, capable of hitting South Korea, Nodong with a range of 1,300 kilometres could reach Japan and a long range Taepodong – ballistic missile, capable in theory of reaching Alaska or even the west coast of United States.
The reclusive North Korean government headed by Kim, unmindful of the criticism by its neighbours, is determined to defy the world and continue with its pursuit of nuclear acquisitions. It is now reported that the North Korean leader is grooming his son who, as alleged in some of West European countries, to succeed him.
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Throughout 2009 it was rumoured that Kim Jong had been keeping poor and frail health. He was visited by the top Chinese leadership and also former President Bill Clinton. The latter had gone to Pyongyang in order to secure the release of two North Koreans of American origin who had been arrested there.
The six- party talks involving Russia, China, South Korea, North Korea, USA and Japan are stalled for now. North Korea would prefer direct talks with the USA. It has now been confirmed that North Korea received blueprints of nuclear weapons from Pakistan as revealed by A. Q. Khan, the disgraced Pakistan nuclear scientist.
In June 2000, Kim Jong IL played host to Roh Moo-hyun, President of South Korea, in Pyongyang. It was during this meeting that the famous SUNSHINE POLICY of Kim Dae Jung was crystalised aiming at normalization of relationship between the two Koreas.
South Korea is now pumping in over a billion dollars in tourism especially in the fabled North Korean mountain, Kumgang, North Korean hill resorts and the fabled nine dragons waterfall. The US would like the visitors to stop so that North Koreans are starved of foreign exchange. In January, 2008, busloads of S. Koreans started visiting Kumang and Kaesong regions of N. Korea. In January 2010, both North & South Korea exchanged rocket fire over a disputed island.