# Is North Korea ready to commit "State Suicide" ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 26, 2013, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-north-korea-ready-to-commit-state-suicide/653997 "2013-03-26T11:35:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-north-korea-ready-to-commit-state-suicide/653997/341 "2013-04-06T11:05:49Z")
It doesn’t negate what you say, but having lived in South Korea gives more weight to whatever you say. To address the your two points in your most recent post: Yes, I’m aware that Chinese Koreans in China consider themselves Korean. On the other hand, they aren’t so unhappy they’re attempting to emigrate to the ROK or rebelling against the government they currently live under. They are hardly the only ethnicity in the world living under such circumstances. Are you aware of some repressed desire on their part to move given an opportunity? If so, please enlighten me. Second, as **HazelNutCoffee** said in her post, the younger generation is not as attached to North Korea as their elders and not so enthused about reunification. That doesn’t mean they won’t support it if that’s the way things shake out. I do question the assumption that reunification is really the best course for both Koreas. I expected some pushback from the notion, but I find **Dissonance’s** reaction to be a bit over the top. Well, OK he has strong feelings about the topic. Anyhow, I have your statement that there is still strong sentiment for reunification, and **HazelNutCoffee’s** that this is starting to wane among the younger Koreans. Both statements may be true. And, as I have stated all along, it’s the _Koreans_ who should make that decision. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-north-korea-ready-to-commit-state-suicide/653997/342 "2013-04-22T02:08:07Z")
> [@](#): > > SEOUL — North Korea has moved two more missile launchers to its east coast, where preparations are apparently under way for a missile test as tensions simmer on the peninsula, a report said. [http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gIVcoaaYXvxL\_1rzRwNavzOPyXJA?docId=CNG.ef851afcddfb8ed7a08a2d366145c687.7e1](http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gIVcoaaYXvxL_1rzRwNavzOPyXJA?docId=CNG.ef851afcddfb8ed7a08a2d366145c687.7e1) North Korea behavior seems very strange this past three days or so they want to talk and now they are back to the way it was weeks ago. Here’s How Lousy Life Is in North Korea > [@](#): > > North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un might talk tough, but he presides over one of the weakest, most dilapidated economies in the world. > > In fact, North Korea’s military showmanship and threats of nuclear war usually come when the nation is desperate for food aid or other forms of economic assistance. “Any time the North Koreans are screaming and behaving badly, something’s going on they’re not happy about,” says Stephen Haggard, a professor at the University of California—San Diego and an expert on North Korea. [http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/rick-newman/2013/04/12/heres-how-lousy-life-is-in-north-korea](http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/rick-newman/2013/04/12/heres-how-lousy-life-is-in-north-korea) It could be that because of all the problems he is afraid the military will turn on him so he is trying to keep them busy and distracted. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-north-korea-ready-to-commit-state-suicide/653997/343 "2013-04-22T08:07:21Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > And who is this uncle who’s buddy was just named premier? Is it possible that he is actually pulling the strings? Jang Song Thaek. Allegedly, he was tasked by Kim Jong Il with overviewing his son. And still allegedly would be pulling a lot of strings, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-north-korea-ready-to-commit-state-suicide/653997/344 "2013-04-22T08:14:45Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Allegedly, he was tasked by Kim Jong Il with overviewing his son. . I meant “supervising” his son. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-north-korea-ready-to-commit-state-suicide/653997.md?page=17)