By Via the Marmot’s Hole comes this interesting contrast in Naval power. First are the two aircraft carriers the US George Washington and the South Korean Dokdo at port in Busan before beginnings yesterday’s training exercise in the East Sea:
And here is the North Korean Navy at port earlier this weekend:
By the way here is how the exercise is going:
U.S. and South Korean naval ships fired artillery and dropped anti-submarine bombs off South Korea’s east coast Tuesday, the third day of high-profile military maneuvers intended to warn nuclear-armed North Korea against further aggression.The dramatic show of force comes four months after a South Korean warship sank in the waters off the Koreas’ west coast, killing 46 sailors. An international team of investigators determined that a North Korean submarine fired a torpedo that sank the ship in what Seoul called the worst military attack on it since the 1950-53 Korean War.
So far, there was no sign North Korea was preparing the military response it had threatened before the drills — which the communist regime labeled a provocation — began Sunday, military officials said. [Associated Press]
Here is what the North Koreans have to say about the naval exercise:
North Korea warned of a ‘sacred war’ using its ‘nuclear deterrent’ as the U.S. and South Korea today began a series of joint military exercises.
The two allies said the manoevres were intended to send a strong signal to the North that aggression in the region will not be tolerated. [Daily Mail]
“This is an impure attempt to stifle (North Korea) by means of armed force,” North Korean army officer Hong Sung Chol told APTN in Pyongyang. “If the U.S. imperialists ignite war again, our army and people will totally uproot the source of the war under the leadership of our brilliant commander, Gen. Kim Jong Il.”
The regime has also pressed its demand for a full peace treaty.
“Military tension and the danger of war on the Korean peninsula would not be addressed for good unless the U.S. abandons its hostile policy (against the North) and replaces the armistice with a peace treaty,” the government-run Minju Joson newspaper said in commentary carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. [Associated Press]
The Marmot has posted that the North Koreans may nuke themselves in response to this naval exercise, but I have been thinking short range missile tests by the North Koreans would be a way that they may respond. Considering the high profile nature of this exercise it just seems like the North Koreans will try something just to save face. Anyone have any suggestions on what they think the North Koreans may do in response to this naval exercise?
She hasn’t seen...
2:50 am on July 27th, 2010 1
ROK Drop,
First, thanks for an excellent blog!
Second, to answer your question, I hope the NoKo Navy does nothing, because they'd get their clock cleaned.
If NK does declare a missile-firing zone now in the same area where the exercise is going on, well, that would be a foolish face-saving gesture.
3:52 am on July 27th, 2010 2
Too bad they won't, but the USN should target the DPRK arti along the DMZ and take it out. Seoul would no longer be held hostage. Yes Yes, I know they can't. Too bad.
7:44 am on July 27th, 2010 3
I hope the DPRK sinks the USS Peublo in response…
8:50 am on July 27th, 2010 4
"I hope the DPRK sinks the USS Peublo in response…"
That's the only US ship it will ever be able to sink in battle.
9:13 am on July 27th, 2010 5
Oh hell, in all fairness, they might get lucky and sink a ship but it would be the last US ship they ever sank in battle.
9:24 am on July 27th, 2010 6
Here are other big warships of ROKN…
http://a.imageshack.us/img267/1600/kingsejong.jpg http://img409.imageshack.us/i/ddg981b.jpg/ http://a.imageshack.us/img291/7107/oceangoinggift… http://a.imageshack.us/img683/5529/bluewaterships…
Outside the bounds of the 4 great power and superpower countries who have their foothold in Northeast Asia (US, China, Russia, Japan) ROKN might as well possess one of the most robust blue-water capability among world's navies – particularly in the role of air defense – even without a genuine aircraft carrier. On average ROKN ships enjoy better mean-time between training&rearmament than most of their NATO counterparts do. It's just a shame that the country's small strategic depth does not allow much room for ROKN to spread its blue-water wings within its territorial waters properly.
10:22 am on July 27th, 2010 7
But it's unfortunately true that our Nimitz-class carriers (thousands of people and billions of dollars) are susceptible to land-based missile attack.
11:52 am on July 27th, 2010 8
I believe there is an american hostage the Norks currently have. Could be some retribution there as he does not have ties to Al Gore or Bill Clinton.
11:59 am on July 27th, 2010 9
afaik Silkworm's range is too short to negate aircraft carriers' standoff strike opportunity. NK does not possess any better anti-ship missiles.
P.S. I find it strange that this article says it has 7 comments while I can read 8 of them…
1:34 pm on July 27th, 2010 10
"Nuke themselves"?
It's the not-quite-right nuclear threat! Priceless.
2:18 pm on July 27th, 2010 11
I personally wish the US would stop antagonizing NK, at least until I leave the country. Two weeks ago a US court sued NK $300m, one week ago they imposed new sanctions on NK, we constantly hear the 'we're ready to defend SK any time, any where', and now these drills.
For God's sake, wait until April 2012 to have a war. I'll be long gone by then.
2:44 pm on July 27th, 2010 12
"Oh hell, in all fairness, they might get lucky and sink a ship but it would be the last US ship they ever sank in battle."
Accidentally, maybe. They just wouldn't dare.
3:38 pm on July 27th, 2010 13
Don't worry Jimmy. Stock up on bottled water, duct tape and ramyon and wait for it all to blow over. You'll be fine. That is unless you're up here where I'm located.
3:44 pm on July 27th, 2010 14
When I saw the photo of the GW & the SK vessel then I scrolled down & looked at those NK fishing boats I almost fell off my chair laughing my piper off.
8:48 pm on July 27th, 2010 15
"In response this is unique chance for NK navy to organize an anti aircraft carrier exercise."
Can those fishing boats even keep up with an aircraft carrier?
12:06 am on July 28th, 2010 16
What is the purpose of this US naval exercise? It was anonced as antisubmarine and not anti fishing boats training? But maybe no photo of NK submarine or torpedo are available?
In response this is unique chance for NK navy to organize an anti aircraft carrier exercise.
12:28 am on July 28th, 2010 17
An example of possible NK training: a spy fishing boat detect US carrier entering the port of Busan and after the "target" is located it can be "fired" by missiles.