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killed approximately 26 saboteurs from the vessel. The submarine went aground

while trying to off-load the commandos. The North Koreans even killed some of

the crew from the sub themselves as they would have burdened the commandos. The

North Koreans, however, claim that entire incident was a training exercise gone

bad. United States Defense Secretary Perry said that all the evidence points to

the fact that the North Koreans are lying. It is reported from South Korea that

“a senior government official said it was now less likely than ever that South

Korea would give aid or allow broad investments in North Korea.” (The New York)

This latest incursion resembles one that took place in 1968 when a team of North

Korean commandos infiltrated in order to assassinate the president of South

Korea. Kim Young Sam, present South Korean president, said, “I t(The North

Korean regime) has not given up its illusion of unifying the peninsula under

communism.”

Shortly before the submarine incident, two ex-presidents of North Korea,

living in South Korea, Rae Tae Woo and Chun Doo Hwan were tried for treason in

August 1996. Both were convicted. Chun was sentenced to serve more than 22

years in prison, and Rae received the death sentence. As South Korea maintains

that its laws would prevail were the country to be reunified, any North Korean

officials would be punishable for their offenses as well. Unless these

individuals receive special treatment under reunification, they “are now all the

more likely to use everything in their power – including military threats or

even war – to perpetuate the peninsulas North-South division.”(Wall St.$%*^$%^*)

The nuclear capability of the North is another serious issue. As

recently as the submarine episode, the South Korean defense ministry said that

“North Korea may launch a general attack on South Korea deploying long range

artillery pieces, Scud missiles tapped with bio-chemicals, and perhaps nuclear

devices.” (computer 1) For the past few years, North Korea has denied testing

nuclear devices and has delayed inspections of nuclear facilities as provided

for by the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty.

In August of 1996, another event occurred that was divisive although it

was not meant to be. Seven thousand radical university students, in South Korea,

rioted after a protest against the separation of the two Koreas. The violence

in the clash between students and the police has caused the government to pledge

to destroy all radical student movements. The students had used gasoline bombs,

rocks, and steal pipes against the police. Resentment against such student

radical movements has spread amongst the general population.

When considering the present tense situation, it is important to

consider geographical and political data about Korea. The Korean peninsula is

about the size of Minnesota. There are about 20 million people in the North and

around 40 in the South. The divided country has been in a state of civil war

for the past 46 years. The peninsula is surrounded by China, Russia, and Japan.

The United States has kept troops in South Korea throughout that time period. .

Both countries have received massive support from the super powers. The North

is communistic and the South is capitalistic The cold war that has ended in

Europe has not ceased in Asia. “Conjure up a present in which more than a

million soldiers confront each other across a Mason-Dixon line, armed to the

teeth with the latest equipment; the line is so firm that nothing crosses it?”

(The 2 Koreas, &^$^*%) The latest equipment includes bombers, nuclear weapons,

chemical warfare, naval vessels, etc. Given recent divisive situations, the

potential for all-out warfare to develop between the two Koreas has increased.

Reunification, as in Germany, becomes more difficult with each passing day.

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