North Korea: Why They Are Scared and Why China Holds the Key...

In 2003, when I was assigned to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, my flight path didn't take me straight to Japan. About 2/3rds of the people on my flight were heading to South Korea to join the 25,000 or so American military personnel stationed in the country. My flight landed at Osan Air Base, en route to Tokyo, about 48 miles south of North Korea and the demilitarized zone. I only spent a few hours there, and I never left the base, but a stark image remained in my mind: rows and rows of massive artillery guns, pointed in a northward direction, lined the outer base of the airfield. I had never seen anything like that before. I had only been to relatively peaceful and docile American bases, but Osan stood ready for war at any moment. It made me realize how real and significant the threat of war with North Korea was. That threat is even more real today. In March, North Korea sunk a South Korean submarine killing 46 sailors, and on November 23rd they rained artillery fire at a South Korean island killing marines and civilians alike. Who are the power players inthis conflict and what can be done about it.

North Korea

A country of 24,000,000, they are half the size of their counterparts to the South, who have a population of 48,000,000. The country is run by a communist dictator and has experienced predictable results from such harsh leadership. Regular famine, an economy in shambles and a country controlled with an iron-fist. For years North Korea has sustained itself through aid from Western nations, but the world has changed since 9/11. The U.S. government has increasingly viewed N. Korea as a potential threat, with Bush labelling them one of the Axis of Evil countries. North Korea has lived up to its moniker by regularly tormenting its people and developing nuclear weapons despite international pressure to stop. In recent years, they have advanced their nuclear program, even setting off a nuclear bomb in 2006. These actions recieved harsh international criticism and increased sanctions from Western nations, who have reduced their food aid to N. Korea. The North Koreans have grown increasingly hostile in recent years and this can be attributed to 3 key factors.

The first is their increasing fear of the U.S. after 9/11. With U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the world's most powerful military force began to show less tolerance for rogue nations, especially ones with nuclear aspirations. The U.S. flexed its military might and the North Korean regime needed to take action to ensure self-preservation, hence the activation of the nuclear program. Nuclear weapons are the great equalizer on the world stage. Without advanced coventional weaponry the North could use a nuclear capability to put the fear of God into any nation, even the U.S. Nothing guarantees protection from invasion like nuclear weapons. Pakistan and Israel have ensured their own soveriegnty in the same way and Iran aspires to join the club. While the U.S. is embroiled in two wars and economic trouble, what better time to develop nuclear weapons. The North will not stop it's nuclear weapons program without significant pressure, because it is the key to the regimes self-preservation. At the same time, the nuclear capability has given them leeway to partake in their favorite pastime without fear of retribution, pissing of South Korea and attacking them at will.

2nd is the decrease in aid. As I mentioned before, with N. Korea's nuclear development, Western nations have cut off aid. This has caused domestic trouble for the regime, as a hungry population is a restless population. N. Korea is using threats and intimidation to force these nations not to ignore them or impose any additional sanctions. At the same time, there is often no better way to unite a restless citizenry than to beat the drum of war. Citizens angry at the regime may still come to their side if they are faced with a threat from the outside, like the U.S., S. Korea and Japan, especially when all of their media and news information is spoon-fed from the government.

3rd is China's increasing power and influence on the world stage. China is N. Korea's crutch, protector,  and most important ally. Though Russia also supports N. Korea, and rarely says a bad word about them they are not nearly as stalwart as the Chinese. Chinese media portrayed the recent artillery attack as one initiated by S. Korea. As long as China has their back, N. Korea can basically do what they want, including shell S. Korean islands.

Which brings me to the central question: why does China support N. Korea?

China regularly opposes U.N. sanctions against N.Korea and provides them with the majority of their foreign aid. Besides cultural, ethnic and historical ties, China backs them for two main reasons, they are a buffer against the U.S., S. Korea and Japan, three allied, democratic, modern, countries and they fear a flood of refugees from a N. Korean collapse. With regards to the latter,  a flood of refugees from N. Korea into China could incite panic, dissent and impede the country's most important national goal: rapid economic growth. 

As to the buffer theory:

Though China has opened up economically, and no-longer follows a centrally planned economic model, they have not opened up politically. Their are no basic rights for the Chinese people like freedom of speech, or the ability to vote and participate in the political process in any meaningful way.  The U.S. and Western powers regularly apply pressure upon such nations to reform. 

The Chinese also undervalue their currency to keep exports cheap and drive the growth of their economy.  This keeps China's domestic market closed to imports from the U.S. and Western nations and gives them an unnatural competitve edge, which is exaggerated during tough economic times.

The Chinese are also engaged in a flurry of resource gathering activity.  With a huge thirst for fossil fuels and natural resources, China has become a major competitor for these valuable and limited resources.  While the U.S., Western Europe and Japan consume and monopolize the majority of the oil from the Middle East, China must look to new frontiers.  Where have the Chinese gone? Africa and South America.   Oil deals with Venezuela and increased resource exploration and investment in Africa have helped CHina continue its economic growth.

So what does this have to do with N. Korea?  If the U.S. is occupied with a despotic, nuclear, N. Korea, we won't be able to criticize China's political process, make demands to lower the currency, or compete for resources in new lands.  Well, we will still do those things, but they won't be as high on our list of priorities, especially while we fight terrorism and engage in nation-building throughout the Middle East.  N. Korea is like a pressure valve for China and as long as they are there, it releases a little bit of pressure from the Chinese.

The key to N. Korea, is China.  If the U.S. can convince China that it is in their best interest to help us settle down N. Korea, which ultimately it is, then we can place powerful international pressure on N. Korea and possibly reap positive results, or control behavior like its recent attacks.  Without Chinese cooperation though, the path to war between the two Koreas may be closer than many may think....

Is it the weather?

I haven't seen the sunlight in two days. Tokyo has been dark , dreary and generally unwelcoming. When I walk the streets of the city my feet are soaked, the sky is overcast and the tall buildings look like the menacing concrete walls of a prison.... A typhoon is heading towards Japan at this very moment. There is news that it may be of a strength similar to the one which struck in 2004 and caused 95 deaths. Typhoon Melor. It sounds like a creature that should be battling Godzilla and Mothra for dominance over Tokyo.... The dreadful weather shows no end in sight....

My current mood is a combination of three emotions: contentment, nervousness and excitement. I am content that all of my school work is complete for the week and my assignments on Thursday and Friday are relatively low stress: My mind can relax and enjoy its freedom. I'm always a little bit nervous: I think it's a good thing. And Lastly, my feeling of pure excitement: I am going to Kyoto in three days. Kyoto was my first choice when choosing a study abroad program in Japan. I attempted to find a program that fit, but each glove that I tried on was the wrong size. I found the perfect combination of price, living arrangements and educational needs in Temple University Tokyo and I am grateful for it. I've fallen in love with Tokyo. It's third on my list of favorite cities after Pittsburgh and NYC. I like how each neghborhood has a unique personality. Ginza is high class, Roppongi is edgy, Shibuya is hip, Harajuku trendy and fashionable. Tokyo is amazing. But Kyoto is Kyoto. Kyoto is old Japan. Kyoto is a living, breathing history book. I love history. The city itself is practically a work of art. The fall foliage, ancient wooden architecture and the powerful sense of tradition. And I havent even been there yet. Tokyo is new, time to taste the old.

Anticipation, anxiety and excitement. I can't wait to go to Kyoto and place one more piece of the puzzle that is Japan into its proper place. Not too long ago I would never have imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be seeing what I am seeing now. I wish that I could share it with everyone. In three days I'll be going to Kyoto and I am ecstatic. By the way.... How's the weather today? I completely forgot....

Communications Breakdown....

So one of my primary motivations for studying abroad in Tokyo was to take advantage of the opportunity to practice and hone my Japanese language skills in real-world situations. Buying train fare, casual conversations and ordering food at restaurants all become valuable learning experiences...

In many key situations my limited skills become a very useful tool as I can ask for directions and communicate in cab rides, but sometimes they prove to cause more confusion than clarity.... and anybody who has studied Japanese would understand this perfectly. There are several different ways to express thanx, and each situation may dictate a different spoken word. You may use one word to comment on how hot the weather is, another to describe food... so on and so forth...
The result is a very difficult, yet highly gratifying language experience which can sometimes lead to some funny situations....

Anyways, 2 cases in point:

My friend and I go to a government office to sign up for our mandatory national health insurance. While my buddy takes care of some separate business, I head to the fourth floor to begin the paperwork. As is often the case in Japan there is a person standing in the waiting room specifically to guide you and provide instruction. I approach her with a standard Japanese greeting and ask her, in my mangled Nihongo, where the appropriate office is. In response she spouts out about one thousand words per minute in hyperspeed Japanese. I catch a few words and attempt to respond. The hyperspeed Japanese continues. This process repeats itself for about ten minutes and despite my attempts to incorporate hand signals, the conversation makes absolutely no progress at all. Enter my friend Rich. This is his first time to Japan and he has just begun to study the language. My vocabulary is probably one-hundred times his. As he walks up next to me, the woman shoots some hyper-Japanese at him. He responds with one of the few sentence structures he has command of and tells her that he does not understand Japanese at all. She responds with perfectly clear, highly understandable hyper-English. In a matter of one minute we are at the correct station completing the necessary forms. Five minutes later I am banging my head against a wall.

Second case in point, again, Rich comes to the rescue:

We are at a yakiniku restaurant. The menu consists of raw meats and seafood marinated in various sauces and flavors which we then cook ourselves on a small grill in the center of the dinner table. A great experience and a terrific meal. Our first served dish is tiny little squids. We look at each other with confused glances. We ate squid many times in Japan, but always served raw or as sushi, so we are not quite sure if we cook these squid on the grill, or consume them cold.... Ahhhh, a great opportunity to employ my Nihongo. We press our handy-dandy little waiter call button provided at every table and within two minutes he appears at our side, electronic note pad in hand. I attempt to ask him if we eat the baby squids raw, or cooked. I don't get very far. He glances at me with a look of confusion and tries to employ his shabby English. I ask him hot or cold? Hot or cold? No clear response. The frustration builds and the confusion remains. As the waiter and I continue our struggle... Richie takes action. He snatches one of the raw, uncooked squids with his chopsticks and begins to deliver the brainy little creature into his open mouth. With lightning quick speed the waiter diverts his attention from me, looks at Richie, signals an enormous X with his arms and shouts no! Richie stops cold in his delivery.... The waiter points to the grill.... I bang my head against the wall....

Lessons learned:

1. If they believe you speak their language, be ready to hold to your own, cause the floodgates will open!

2. Hand-signals are universal!!! Use them often and use them wisely!!!

3. Languages are hard!!! Study hard!!!

I'm gonna go study now and probably when I'm done, go out into the city and cause some more confusion!!! Zya matta!

My name is Joe and I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. It's not the biggest city in the world, but it definitely ain't the Kansas that Dorothy was raised in. I've been to Las Vegas a few times, served in the military for four years, seen Dallas, lived in Florida and visit my sister in New York City on a frequent basis. Hell, I even lived in Okinawa for two years, which was absolutely amazing and all of those places are wonderful to see, and visit and even live in... but none, I mean none of those places, compare to the city in which I currently live: Tokyo.

What is Tokyo in your imagination? What was it in mine? The most expensive city in the world. The most populated city in the world. The center of the worlds second largest economy and a global financial powerhouse. Land of fish, rice, manga, crowded subways, beautiful architecture, arcadium, electronica, strangely dressed people, black-clad businessmen, kimonos, and goths. It's all of those things.... and more. Its a dream: a hazy one with gray clouds, foggy settings and bright flashing lights.

My first night out my three American friends and I were escorted by two native Tokyoites. Speaking broken Engrish and our terribly bad Japanese, we attended a restaurant where we paid an up-front charge of $20 per person for a five course family style meal and unlimited alcohol for two hours. Bad idea with a bunch of drunk college kids? Our first dish was a salad consisting of lettuce, onions, ranch dressing and small baked potatoes placed neatly on top! Oishii desu nee! Followed by chicken fingers and french fries, malt beers and the best welcoming gift of all.... warm sake! The smoothest sake I've ever had in my life.... The booze flowed freely and the international conversation got deeper as our Japanese hosts informed us that hostess bars are a waste of time and soccer is awesome... As our rowdiness increased, we worried about being percieved as drunk gaizins from America with no proper manners.... Little did I know we were being outdone... As I climbed out of our tiny, stained wood, private booth I observed the natives and their actions in the establishment... One guy passed out in his booth, a shrieking flock of Japanese girls, and two people throwing up in the bathroom: one in the toilet and one in the proper place: A special sink set aside and installed precisely for puking purposes.... My worries were unfounded and my adventures were sure to continue...

There is Tokyo in Kill Bill, Lost in Translation, Akira or all of Hollywoods adaptations....

A taste of the wild side of Tokyo was fun, and more was to come.... but the morning was followed by one of the most spiritually special and contrastingly cultural days of my life... as I continue to discover the many Tokyos that exist....