# N. Korea torpedoed the S. Korean ship: chest thumping or something more? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 20, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korea-torpedoed-the-s-korean-ship-chest-thumping-or-something-more/540103 "2010-05-20T05:04:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korea-torpedoed-the-s-korean-ship-chest-thumping-or-something-more/540103/121 "2010-05-27T03:59:26Z")
> [@robby](#): > > KAL 007 was shot down by Soviet interceptors for inadvertently crossing into Soviet airspace (and overflying Soviet territory) at least twice. > > The plane was never even near North Korea. Just pointing out there is precedent for irrational countries shooting civilian aircraft with little provocation. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korea-torpedoed-the-s-korean-ship-chest-thumping-or-something-more/540103/122 "2010-05-27T04:08:02Z")
There’s plenty of precedent for a supposedly rational country shooting down a civilian aircraft with even less provocation – [USS Vincennes shoots down Iran Ait Flt 655](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655) ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korea-torpedoed-the-s-korean-ship-chest-thumping-or-something-more/540103/123 "2010-05-27T04:26:11Z")
Ok, now some dark, twisted corner of my mind wants to send over airplane shaped balloons filled with propoganda leaflets. You don’t think the SK government would have a problem with me coming over just to do that, do you? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korea-torpedoed-the-s-korean-ship-chest-thumping-or-something-more/540103/124 "2010-05-27T05:45:39Z")
The South, and some NGOs in the South, have tried sending leaflet baloons to the North. The thing is that it’s far too dangerous for the average North Korean citizen to even have one in his hands let alone read it and think about what he’s read. The North Korean really really believes in the concept of corruption of blood: the person caught with the leaflet, his entire immediate family and his parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins will all be sent packing to the prison camps. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korea-torpedoed-the-s-korean-ship-chest-thumping-or-something-more/540103/125 "2010-05-27T14:45:50Z")
Pish posh. Not the point. How about if I send over big balloons shaped and painted exactly like American F-15’s? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korea-torpedoed-the-s-korean-ship-chest-thumping-or-something-more/540103/126 "2010-05-27T14:46:54Z")
99 red balloons? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/n-korea-torpedoed-the-s-korean-ship-chest-thumping-or-something-more/540103.md?page=6)