Since the Chinese are allowing the North Koreans to conduct this latest ICBM test that if successful would allow the North Koreans to target the US main land, the US should respond by allowing South Korea to build missiles that can target at least Beijing and Shanghai:
Washington has agreed on the need to revise a bilateral pact that limits South Korea’s ballistic missile range to 300 kilometers, defense officials said Thursday.
This is equivalent to roughly half the distance between the demilitarized zone and North Korea’s border with China.
Under an agreement reached in 2001 with the United States, Seoul restricted its ballistic missile range to 300 kilometers with a maximum payload of 500 kilograms.
“South Korea and the United States share the view that new measures should be taken to counter growing threats from North Korea’s long-range missiles,” a senior official said asking for anonymity.
“The two sides will begin talks from next month on how long the extension should be.”
Another official said that Seoul and Washington have already reached a consensus that the range should be increased to more than 800 kilometers to bring all of North Korea within reach.
The Korean Peninsula stretches about 1,030 kilometers from north to south and between 175 and 300 kilometers from west to east.
“Seoul wants to extend the range to 1,000 kilometers to cover the whole Korean Peninsula, but will need to slightly shorten this due to possible protests from China and Russia,” another official said.
He forecast that Seoul and Washington will likely conclude to extend the range to 800 kilometers, which is about the distance between the northern tip of the peninsula to Daegu or Gunsan in North Jeolla Province. [Korea Times]
Taking some measurements on Google Earth the 800 kilometer limit would put Beijing outside the range of the missiles anywhere in South Korea. They need at least a 1,000 kilometer range missile to hit Beijing from around the Seoul area. A 800 kilometer missile on the other hand can hit Shanghai when placed near Gwangju.
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4:29 pm on March 23rd, 2012 1
Yes, the ROK needs longer-range missiles, and I’m sure Tom agrees.
5:10 pm on March 23rd, 2012 2
Let ROKs have the nukes too. Then, we could all go home for good.
6:45 pm on March 23rd, 2012 3
Wait, South Korea needs cruise missiles to hit Beijing?
Two words: lol wat
7:42 pm on March 23rd, 2012 4
So why should the US get to “allow” a sovereign country to have it own missile for defense? Is South Korea a colony of the US, that the US must give permission to South Korea have defensive weapons? Who allows the US to have thousands of missiles aimed at everybody? What makes the US above everyone else? Who made you gods?
8:14 pm on March 23rd, 2012 5
“They need at least a 1,000 kilometer range missile to hit Beijing from around the Seoul area.”
It’s a bit less than 1000km…But, you miss the obvious, which is that with missiles that the range being considered, some large urban centres in China (like Tsingtao) could be hit.
8:14 pm on March 23rd, 2012 6
Missiles that possess the range, that is…
8:15 pm on March 23rd, 2012 7
#4,
Ok, fine.
Ballistic missiles for South Korea that can reach every Chinese city, including the one where you reside.
Happy?
11:08 pm on March 23rd, 2012 8
U.S. exempts Japan from Iran sanctions
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/u-s-exempts-japan-ten-european-nations-from-iran-sanctions-1.419802
The United States will spare Japan and 10 European Union nations from U.S. financial sanctions because they have significantly reduced purchases of Iranian crude oil, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.
The decision is a victory for the 11 countries, whose banks need not fear being possibly cut off from the U.S. financial system under new U.S. sanctions designed to pressure Iran over its nuclear program.
The list did not, however, include China and India, Iran’s top two crude oil importers, nor U.S. allies South Korea and Turkey, which are among the top 10 consumers of Iranian oil.
1:32 am on March 24th, 2012 9
The U.S. is the God for Koreans. We saved you from Japanese Imperialists, the Communists and poverty. You should thank us three times over. And, without us, you wouldn’t even last a day against the North Koreans. We are your eyes and ears; without us, you wouldn’t even know when they hit you. Without our supplies, you wouldn’t be able to wage war for more than a month. All of your arms manufacturing factories would be burned down so you wouldn’t be able to resupply yourselves. Without the U.S., you are just a pathetic nothing.
And yes, the U.S. can dictate whatever it deems necessary to you because South Korea is an American neo-colony.
2:24 am on March 24th, 2012 10
If Ron Paul declared that he would withdraw US troops from East Asia if he became the president… would it win him votes?
12:10 pm on March 24th, 2012 11
@9 I can’t wait to see Toms reply to that one lol!
7:26 pm on March 24th, 2012 12
I think Ron Paul’s untimely declaration of ‘US is God’ is one nice way to alienate his European and Japanese allies (and probably most of the world). Not just Korean.
Be careful what you say, not every glorification of America earns you brownie points with your American friends or even Americans!
More now than ever, in this day of major complications for worldwide US geopolitics, American leaders are more eager and find it easier to agree that they need their, at the very least, helpful, Korean ally to firmly stand by their side. Progress in this bilateral missile agreement is one good indication of that.
Consider for a moment which country’s citizens are the most reliable and best prepared to wage another cold war with a big red country… Pacifist Japanese? Bankrupt Europeans? Naaa, I think these particular citizens are asking for improved range of their missiles for a very good reason.
They are getting ready to fight.
And Americans should damn well be relieved that they are.
8:31 pm on March 24th, 2012 13
#10 The real Ron Paul want troops out of Japan and Europe, too, not just Korea.