North and South Korea exchange fire over island

[Forster Keys]

Rumor that Kim Snr. is dead. Take it for what you will. (i.e, probably baseless).

Will he be eternally leader like his pa?

[Advancement of Man]

I dunno, Dear Leader doesn't seem quite sane.

Again, more offensive sentiments. >_<

I don't mean to offend when asking this, but why are you so deadset on defending DPRK?

[Lacadaemon]

Rumor that Kim Snr. is dead. Take it for what you will. (i.e, probably baseless).

Eternal President Kim Il-Sung died back in 1994, yes

Yeah, no, Kim Jong-il.

[Tokyoni]

"Cheonanham" in English.

Thanks. Is that Hang Soul? Its a wonderful script.

Chosongul is the proper term. ^_^

[Lacadaemon]

Rumor that Kim Snr. is dead. Take it for what you will. (i.e, probably baseless).

Will he be eternally leader like his pa?

I really don't know. I wouldn't think so, since his Dad is doing such a bang up job of being eternally leader.

[Tokyoni]

Again, more offensive sentiments. >_<

I don't mean to offend when asking this, but why are you so deadset on defending DPRK?

Because I absolutely detest imperialism and of almost any nation on earth, none has made a more heroic stand against imperialism then the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Long live Choseon!

[Exemplis]

Again, more offensive sentiments. >_<

I don't mean to offend when asking this, but why are you so deadset on defending DPRK?

Why are you so deadset on attacking DPRK?

[Blitzkrenia]

Thanks. Is that Hang Soul? Its a wonderful script.

Chosongul is the proper term. ^_^

Hangeul in ROK, Chosongul in DPRK.

By the way, Tokyoni, your signature uses the word 한국어, which specifically means the South Korean usage of Hangeul. The North's version, which I think is what you want to refer to, is called 조선어.

[Forster Keys]

I dunno, Dear Leader doesn't seem quite sane.

Again, more offensive sentiments. >_<

Oh come on! That's almost affectionate.

If you can't belittle a repressive dictator like Kim Jong Il who can you belittle? He's a world leader for crying out loud!

Also, North Korean media regulations don't apply here.

[Advancement of Man]

I don't mean to offend when asking this, but why are you so deadset on defending DPRK?

Why are you so deadset on attacking DPRK?

Because their leader seems to me to be a childish person who complains a lot about nothing and tries to throw his weight around by constantly threatening the US

[Tokyoni]

Again, more offensive sentiments. >_<

Oh come on! That's almost affectionate.

If you can't belittle a repressive dictator like Kim Jong Il who can you belittle? He's a world leader for crying out loud!

Also, North Korean media regulations don't apply here.

It's not civil to "belittle" anyone. Even in disagreeing with them, it doesn't give your side much appearance of credibility to resort to childish unfounded ad hominems.

[Tokyoni]

Why are you so deadset on attacking DPRK?

Because their leader seems to me to be a childish person who complains a lot about nothing and tries to throw his weight around by constantly threatening the US

And that has NOTHING to do with the US preventing, for some 60 years, the peaceful self-determination and reunification of the Korean people after the fought as allies against the Japanese in WWII, right?

[Forster Keys]

Will he be eternally leader like his pa?

I really don't know. I wouldn't think so, since his Dad is doing such a bang up job of being eternally leader.

I know, and doing it all the way from the afterlife... What a trooper.

[Forster Keys]

Thanks. Is that Hang Soul? Its a wonderful script.

Chosongul is the proper term. ^_^

Was close.

[Advancement of Man]

I don't mean to offend when asking this, but why are you so deadset on defending DPRK?

Because I absolutely detest imperialism and of almost any nation on earth, none has made a more heroic stand against imperialism then the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Long live Choseon!

Heroic stand against imperialism? What do you call a leader who has complete control over their government and society? Because that is what Kim Jong Il is. If that is not imperialism, then I don't know what is.

[Advancement of Man]

Because their leader seems to me to be a childish person who complains a lot about nothing and tries to throw his weight around by constantly threatening the US

And that has NOTHING to do with the US preventing, for some 60 years, the peaceful self-determination and reunification of the Korean people after the fought as allies against the Japanese in WWII, right?

Peaceful! He threatens both South Korea and the US constantly with war! I believe that is clear that South Korea does not want to be under Kim Jong Il's rule

[Forster Keys]

Oh come on! That's almost affectionate.

If you can't belittle a repressive dictator like Kim Jong Il who can you belittle? He's a world leader for crying out loud!

Also, North Korean media regulations don't apply here.

It's not civil to "belittle" anyone. Even in disagreeing with them, it doesn't give your side much appearance of credibility to resort to childish unfounded ad hominems.

I really don't respect him enough to care. For a number of reasons I'll outline if you wish.

Wasn't really belittling anyway. It was like calling George W Bush "Dubya" and Kevin Rudd "K-Rudd".

[Just Guy]

He's presenting the people of the DPRK as starving, unintelligent, weakminded drones of an "insane" despot that seems more a caricature of a James Bond villain than anything remotely plausible in the real world.

It's absurd and degrading to a nation with proud traditions and a long history of brave resistance to imperialist forces that sought to exploit their homeland. And just downright xenophobic and borderline racist.

No, it isn't. It's completely true.

I don't hope that it would come to that, but allowing that tyrannical idiot of a leader rule that much space and that many people is just insane!

That's still QUITE offensive.

No, it isn't. It's completely true.

You wouldn't have a problem with it if it was about Bush, wouldn't you?

[The Scandinvans]

I'll ask you politely to cease with all such xenophobic/borderline racist statements against the people of the DPRK.

If these sentiments continue (from anyone in this thread), I may have to call in mods to preserve civility.

Let's keep this on a rational, calm level of conversation please. ^_^

To state I believe you misunderstand the terms 'racism' and 'xenophobia'.

"Racism: belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race" (http://www.merriam-webster.com).

"Xenophobia: fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign" (http://www.merriam-webster.com).

The points you were attempting to make do not add up. The poster, Lacadaemon, was making note of the well documented fact that North Korea is a brutal police state, something which numerous international bodies recognize, and to merely throw the words 'racism' and 'xenophobia' at him because he says the regime of North Korea as being a corrupt oligarchy does not do credit to yourself. It merely weakens his position. If you disagree with someone please use sources and a well developed argument to weaken his position, as his position is a fairly common one. To further note, his position can be articulated by numerous press releases and the rather large system of labor camps in North Korea.

[Unidox]

It's not civil to "belittle" anyone. Even in disagreeing with them, it doesn't give your side much appearance of credibility to resort to childish unfounded ad hominems.

Careful, quotes like that have a tendency to bite you in the ass.

[UnitedStatesOfAmerica-]

Having been in South Korea, we have not had a major incident there for a long time. In all of the incidents between the Korea War and today, none of them involed the north deliberately shelling civilian population centers. The North Koreans are deliberately targeting a civilian population center to kill as many civilians as possible. This is a deliberate targeting of civilians versus the collatoral damage that happens in Afghanistan where civilians are killed because they walk between us and a high value target.
There were no legitimate military targets in the area currently being shelled.
As with the missile incident, South Korea and the US are trying to downplay this. As I have said before, in 2008, the American people elected a coward to be President. A man who is so cowardly that he is completely unwilling to protect innocent civilians from being killed by hostile foriegners. Nor is he willing to defend US allies.
We have troops in South Korea but Obama will likely ban them from doing anything to help South Korea. I could be wrong, but based on his performance so far, that is my analysis on how the President of the United States will respond. Of course, McCain probably would have done everything he could to avoid US involvement too, given his age.
Fortunately, if it does escalate out of their control, the South will easily overrun the North.

[Tokyoni]

Because I absolutely detest imperialism and of almost any nation on earth, none has made a more heroic stand against imperialism then the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Long live Choseon!

Heroic stand against imperialism? What do you call a leader who has complete control over their government and society? Because that is what Kim Jong Il is. If that is not imperialism, then I don't know what is.

Imperialism is the act of military occupation of another cultural entity with intent of exploiting its resources for the benefit of the imperial power, to the detriment of the colony.

Kim Il-Sung was one of the most heroic of all human beings in history, risking his life for decades at a time fighting against Japanese imperialism. He was literally one of the first, and strongest advocates of Korean liberation.

In 1912, he wrote a letter to the US government pleading them to support Korea in its independence movement from Japan. However, the US government did absolutely nothing, and had absolutely no care for the Korean people's independence until it became politically expedient for them (aka, WWII).

And almost immediately after, they supported the brutally repressive Syngman Rhee regime in the South and divided the nation. So Kim fought to reunite his homeland and free his people from foreign control.

I'd call that, heroic, yes.

[Advancement of Man]

Heroic stand against imperialism? What do you call a leader who has complete control over their government and society? Because that is what Kim Jong Il is. If that is not imperialism, then I don't know what is.

Imperialism is the act of military occupation of another cultural entity with intent of exploiting its resources for the benefit of the imperial power, to the detriment of the colony.

Kim Il-Sung was one of the most heroic of all human beings in history, risking his life for decades at a time fighting against Japanese imperialism. He was literally one of the first, and strongest advocates of Korean liberation.

In 1912, he wrote a letter to the US government pleading them to support Korea in its independence movement from Japan. However, the US government did absolutely nothing, and had absolutely no care for the Korean people's independence until it became politically expedient for them (aka, WWII).

And almost immediately after, they supported the brutally repressive Syngman Rhee regime in the South and divided the nation. So Kim fought to reunite his homeland and free his people from foreign control.

I'd call that, heroic, yes.

I'm not talking about Il-Sung, I'm talking about Jong-Il, he is the insane Dictator i am talking about

[Tokyoni]

And that has NOTHING to do with the US preventing, for some 60 years, the peaceful self-determination and reunification of the Korean people after the fought as allies against the Japanese in WWII, right?

Peaceful! He threatens both South Korea and the US constantly with war! I believe that is clear that South Korea does not want to be under Kim Jong Il's rule

They are IN a state of war. And it was basically the US's fault for the damn thing starting in the first place...

[The Scandinvans]

I dunno, Dear Leader doesn't seem quite sane.

Again, more offensive sentiments. >_<

Well considering he has done little to improve infrastructure, he been incapable of developing an economy not dependent on foreign subsidies, ignores the plights (famine being the most common one) of his people, and relying upon a Stalin-esque government the Dear Leader has done little to justify a positive opinion in many people's eyes.