By Kelly ThomasJune 3, 2009
 Photo Courtesy of dailymail.co.uk |
North Korean, like South Korean culture is built on the Confucian ethic which is more a philosophy as opposed to a religion. Confucian philosophy is built around four laws which to the Koreans are inviolate: Ruler over Subject, Father over Son, Husband over Wife, Elder Brother over Younger Brother, Friend to Friend. In my experience, all sort of overlays exist around these principles.
For understanding North Korea and their blindly following a "mad man" among men, the Ruler over Subject is critical. Guessing their motives is simply way beyond what almost anyone can do. Consequently, the only path, in my opinion, is to make the problem of North Korea, South Korea's problem.
The Korean Confucianists, both North and South tend toward extreme orthodoxy. As an example, a chance remark attributed to Confucius, such as the superior man does not talk while he eats, resulted in centuries of silent meals in Korea. Consequently, Kim Jong IL, the supreme leader is worshipped as another example of the Confucious extreme orthodoxy.
Guessing Kim, the Supreme Leader's motives, is simply way beyond what almost anyone can do. Consequently, the only path, in my opinion, is to make the problem of North Korea, the problem of the South Koreans.
North Korea, unfortunately, is an insolvable problem. In a sense, the North is right about hypocrisy, meaning from their perspective, telling them that they can't pursue a course when we have precisely done what we are saying they can't. They want to pursue any course that involves the military.
South Korea has the best trained army in the world, to include our own. The critical move is to move American ground troops out of Korea preferably or at least to the far south. We could easily maintain a strong military presence with our Air Force but well away from the DMZ (demilitarized zone).
What most don’t realize is that with our present configuration -an American Division (two Brigades at least) sitting on the demilitarized zone (38th Parallel, established after the Korean war)-we are literally sitting ducks. If the North Koreans were to swarm across the 38th parallel, amassed with the firepower we know they have, in all probability, the American Division would take mass casualties, and we would be forced into a major war again.
 (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) |
By bringing home the troops or at least moving them away from the DMZ, we save enormous resources, telegraph our intentions, and possibly move the North Koreans toward some form of resolution on the nukes; but, more importantly, put the issue of peace on the backs of the South Koreans where it ought to be. Essentially, we have been in Korea since 1953 which is way too long.
What seems to escape most is that when dealing with a "crazy" all bets are off. The classic definition of someone who is unhinged is that you can't understand them.
As I listen to the "talking heads" concerning Korea, it is very apparent that either they don't have a clue because they continue to try to paint some sort of reasonable outcome as possible. Sanctions, adinfinitum, are, as we say in NC, as useless as tits on a boar hog. Simply, there is no reasoning. Let us do the prudent thing and move away from provocation which at best might buy us time.
North Korea is dangerous and paranoid and we need to take their threats seriously and move to the rear. One of the advantages of being "mighty" is that your options are many. In this case, avoidance and passing the buck to the ROK (Republic of Korea) is what we need to do. At least what we have are the two Koreas guided by the Confucian logic facing and understanding how the other thinks.
