by MatthewB » Wed Sep 02, 2015 9:36 pm
Haijun watcher wrote:How they can have these when their other special forces still practice using Soviet-era AN-2 biplanes for parachuting into South Korean territory?
Diplomat
Meet North Korea's Speedy, Stealthy Boats
Plus, nuclear diplomacy, North Korea, U.S.-India relations, and more. Weekend links.
A few curated defense and security links to close off the week:
North Korea is reportedly developing Very Slender Vessels (VSV), a type of high-speed stealth-capable ship designed for infiltration operations. VSVs have a low profile and traverse waves by cutting through them. South Korean officials are describing the VSVs as a �new threat� to their security. If the North manages to develop a traditional VSV, it could plausibly use it to allow its special forces to infiltrate South Korean territory. North Korea already possesses semi-submersible boats that offer similar infiltration and stealth advantages � they simply lack the speed and maneuverability of a VSV. Fortunately, South Korea has been investing quite a bit in its navy and coastal surveillance capabilities.
The top nuclear envoys of the United States, South Korea, and China will meet in Beijing to discuss reactions to North Korea�s recent belligerent posturing. As The Diplomat reported recently, this meeting comes on the heels of a U.S.-Japan-South Korea trilateral meeting on the same issue. Cooperation between these four countries on North Korea represents the closest we might get to �five-party unity� � they represent four out of the five states on the other side of North Korea at the long-stalled Six-Party Talks (Russia is the other member, but has recently grown closer to Pyongyang).
(...SNIPPED)
South Korea first learned that its neighbour was developing VSVs late last year when satellites caught images of early tests with the new technology in the East Sea
I have often wondered what N. Korea has to gain from being so militaristic, or by the insertion of Special Forces into the South.
While Russia tends to just be contrarian with their relationships with Pyongyang (The USA does not like N. Korea, nor do other countries Russia has long been at odds with - Japan - so it seeks to cozy up to N. Korea, even with nothing really to gain from doing so), Beijing is not so Contrarian, and only a Traditional Relationship with N. Korea keeps them "allied."
The people I know in China (Xiamen, Beijing, Hong Kong/Shenzen/Dongguan/Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin) all say that most Chinese do not approve of their country's relationship with N. Korea, but "Official Policy" prevents them from publicly speaking out on the issue.
All N. Korea has to gain from provocations is further isolation and decay.
It is not likely that N. Korea will last past Jong-un's administration (if even that).
MB
[quote="Haijun watcher"]How they can have these when their other special forces still practice using Soviet-era AN-2 biplanes for parachuting into South Korean territory? :heh:
[url=http://thediplomat.com/2015/05/meet-north-koreas-speedy-stealthy-boats/]Diplomat[/url]
[quote][b][size=200]Meet North Korea's Speedy, Stealthy Boats[/size][/b]
Plus, nuclear diplomacy, North Korea, U.S.-India relations, and more. Weekend links.
A few curated defense and security links to close off the week:
North Korea is reportedly developing Very Slender Vessels (VSV), a type of high-speed stealth-capable ship designed for infiltration operations. VSVs have a low profile and traverse waves by cutting through them. South Korean officials are describing the VSVs as a �new threat� to their security. If the North manages to develop a traditional VSV, it could plausibly use it to allow its special forces to infiltrate South Korean territory. North Korea already possesses semi-submersible boats that offer similar infiltration and stealth advantages � they simply lack the speed and maneuverability of a VSV. Fortunately, South Korea has been investing quite a bit in its navy and coastal surveillance capabilities.
The top nuclear envoys of the United States, South Korea, and China will meet in Beijing to discuss reactions to North Korea�s recent belligerent posturing. As The Diplomat reported recently, this meeting comes on the heels of a U.S.-Japan-South Korea trilateral meeting on the same issue. Cooperation between these four countries on North Korea represents the closest we might get to �five-party unity� � they represent four out of the five states on the other side of North Korea at the long-stalled Six-Party Talks (Russia is the other member, but has recently grown closer to Pyongyang).
(...SNIPPED)[/quote]
[img]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03320/slender3_3320295b.jpg[/img]
South Korea first learned that its neighbour was developing VSVs late last year when satellites caught images of early tests with the new technology in the East Sea[/quote]
I have often wondered what N. Korea has to gain from being so militaristic, or by the insertion of Special Forces into the South.
While Russia tends to just be contrarian with their relationships with Pyongyang (The USA does not like N. Korea, nor do other countries Russia has long been at odds with - Japan - so it seeks to cozy up to N. Korea, even with nothing really to gain from doing so), Beijing is not so Contrarian, and only a Traditional Relationship with N. Korea keeps them "allied."
The people I know in China (Xiamen, Beijing, Hong Kong/Shenzen/Dongguan/Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin) all say that most Chinese do not approve of their country's relationship with N. Korea, but "Official Policy" prevents them from publicly speaking out on the issue.
All N. Korea has to gain from provocations is further isolation and decay.
It is not likely that N. Korea will last past Jong-un's administration (if even that).
MB