Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE SOUTH KOREAN government’s point man for relations with the North resigned today.
President Moon Jae-in accepted the resignation of Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, and warned that his government will “no longer tolerate” the beahviour of North Korea.
Kim said he takes responsibility for the worsening of relations between the two countries in recent weeks, while North Korea has kept up its tough rhetoric with its latest pronouncements.
Its official KCNA news agency blamed the South for the rising tensions, saying “all measures taken by us are punishments” that South Korea “deserves for their crimes”.
Recent evens culminated in North Korea blowing up an inter-Korean liaison office just north of the border on Tuesday.
So what’s been going on in recent weeks on the Korean peninsula? Why are tensions flaring up now?
Sanctions
Inter-Korean relations had already been in deep freeze for months, following the collapse of a summit in Hanoi between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump late last year.
That meeting foundered on what the nuclear-armed North would be willing to give up in exchange for a loosening of sanctions. Current sanctions levelled against North Korea limit crude oil imports and textile, food and electrical exports to a number of countries.
There had been speculation in April that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un had been suffering from ill health before he made his first public appearance in weeks back at the start of May.
On 3 May – the very next day – North Korea fired gunshots towards the South in the demilitarised zone dividing the two nations, which prompted return fire from South Korean troops.
Easing military tensions on their border was one of the agreements reached between Kim and the South’s President Moon Jae-in at a summit in Pyongyang in September 2018, but that hadn’t been acted upon.
Things began to ramp up then at the beginning of this month, when North Korea said it was severing all official communication links with Seoul.
It had issued a series of vitriolic statements denouncing the apparent sending of anti-Pynongyang leaflets over the border by people in the South.
They repeatedly denounced defectors who send leaflets to the North by balloon and bottle criticising Kim over his weapons programmes and human rights abuses. It called them “disgusting riff-raff” and accused Seoul of complicity in their actions.
“This has driven the inter-Korean relations into a catastrophe,” KCNA said, describing Seoul as an “enemy”.
“We have reached a conclusion that there is no need to sit face to face with the south Korean authorities and there is no issue to discuss with them.”
Analysts have said the move is aimed at creating a crisis on the peninsula, as the North remains fuming at the level of sanctions against it.
South Korea’s president Moon had initially brokered dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington, but the North now blames him for not persuading the US to relax sanctions.
“Internally, North Korea is deeply disappointed in Moon and appears determined to end inter-Korean ties,” said Kim Keun-sik, professor of political science at Kyungnam University.
“By doing so, it is sending a message in its brinkmanship tactics to Trump that he should resume talks or lift economic sanctions as it has demanded so long.”
Ostensibly, this month’s developments have been triggered by the anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent by defectors, but that is actually a longstanding practice.
“This is a staged provocation cycle rather than a one-off response,” said North Korea specialist Leif-Eric Easley of Ewha University.
“Pyongyang is damaging inter-Korean relations to ratchet up pressure in search of international concessions,” he added. “The decision to pressure Seoul is a strategy, not a tactic.”
Escalation
The most significant event so far has been the North blowing up a liaison office with the South.
Equally, while the symbolism of Tuesday’s destruction of the liaison office was the strongest provocation so far, the building it blew up had not been used for months, was unoccupied, and – crucially – lay on its side of the border.
The General Staff of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) said it is reviewing a ruling party recommendation to advance into unspecified border areas that had been demilitarised under agreements with the South, which would “turn the front line into a fortress”.
The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un – Kim Yo-jong – days earlier said the North would demolish the “useless” inter-Korean liaison office in the border town of Kaesong and that she would leave it to the military to come up with the next step of retaliation against the “enemy” South.
But, similarly, the joint project locations where it declared it would bolster its military presence have been inactive for years.
So, while North Korea is undoubtedly ratcheting up tensions, the measures taken so far are not as extreme and significant as they might appear according to analysts.
Whether its gambit of escalating tensions will convince the international community to ease sanctions remains to be seen.
While South Korea has initially sought to downplay the situation, it appears its patience may be wearing thin.
In a statement from the president on Wednesday, it criticised North Korean leader Kim’s sister, calling some of her remarks “senseless” and “very rude”.
President Moon has said the South will “no longer tolerate” the North’s unreasonable behaviour. While the minister in charge of unification in South Korea has now resigned, it does not signal a softened stance or a willingness to cede any ground at this time.
In his resignation statement, Kim Yeon-chul expressed hope that his departure “will be a chance to pause for a bit”.
“One can never overcome hatred with hatred,” he told reporters, adding: “There are many wounds to heal in inter-Korean relations… We have to stop here.”
With reporting from AFP
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
There’s a certain irony about the journal publishing an article about how it shouldn’t be an issue yet at the same time publishing multiple articles about the same.
Very few Ravens arrive at Castle Journal, that’s why you get that De ja vu feeling when reading every second article also I just found out Pat Kenny is gone to Newstalk
Are there any openly gay opposition TDs?
Give it up john snow. You haven’t s fu**ing notion
Emmet Stagg and the rentboy?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/irish-minister-set-to-survive-scandal-1427878.html
I was disgusted by what I learned about Leo varadkar yesterday. Found out he’s only 36(no idea), a doctor (I’d Forgotten) and he’s a cabinet minister(knew about this obviously). Feel like a bit of an underachiever now. Still at least I don’t have to listen to various vultures in the media discuss my private life for the next few days, at least I have that
What about Emmet Stagg? Oh right he was just in the Phoenix park to give a lift to those lads
I’m certain a ride was involved.
I think that’s covered by politicial privilege. All Politicians can drink drive from work and all staggs have free access to the Phoenix park for mating.
and a hole
Why are people still making such a big deal about beling gay….. so bloddy what…
I will spell check comments in future!
I agree ..If i was clever I would be confused by two issues on his coming out …First off would be that it deflects from the disaster that is the HSE and second would be that if he and he will run to be the next leader of the FG party its better to get it out of the way now
Ah don’t – it gives you a nice kind of a toff accent!
Yes Lady Tanya, Its like the 1980s around here, I hear Boy George is out of the closet too.
You again?
What do you know?
Bloddy don’t that was greet!
I remember some survey or other back in the late 90s and according to this survey the most common name among lesbians at the time was Tanya.
#ronsdodgyfactoftheday
FINE GAY has a ring to it!
Tanya Murphy, Well.., He has bugger all else going for him, he can’t even do the job he’s paid for.
It’s the multiple articles in The Journal that make it seem like a big deal. Move on.
I can’t wait for the day that nobody cares, nobody gossips or assumes. We’re not far off but still a few years off.
The only people who are making an issue out of it are the media. Haven’t meet
Haven’t met anyone yet who gives a shit
Agreed Ailbhe, I think you are right, comments in my house on the day were… “so? – Is that it” and this morning “why are the media still going on about it – do the press think there’s something more in the story?” Personally it’s a non event but the media do seem to be making a lot about it.
Who gives a hoot whether someone is Gay or not…gays have more rights now than people with disabilties so its about time they gave it a rest
Not as many rights as you though. But we should be grateful for what we have and take the abuse you give on a regular basis. Sorry for speaking out of turn Lindabar
Beware of the Red Woman
Anyway Finbar. Mean while back on the planet where there was enough oxygen and nobody ever wore tinfoil hats.
Everybody took a deep breath and were of the opinion ‘thats nice Leo but would you mind getting back to work as minister for health and bloody well do something about the HSE and its top heavy management.’
I like your profile pic there uncensored, up Charlie hebdo!! ;)
nobody dose care
But i am sick to the teeth of this coming out spin next it will be
“o i think i will have a coming out party”
Most likely outed himself before someone else did.
The fact that it was the first item spoken about on the news yesterday, even with that tragic accident and death of a baby, is truly shocking to me.
Ailbhe, your dream has come true, that day arrived a long time ago, nobody cares, its just a distraction from a failing government.
Judging by the reactions many still get, I don’t think so.
Do your job no one cares
I really don’t see why this is such a big deal.
It also seems like the timing of the whole thing is very convenient.
I mean, a week ago he was the incompetent minister for health, who was missing when we hit record numbers on trolleys, now he’s a brave young man, who happens to like men, not exactly news, and not really a big deal, he isn’t the first in the Dail to do that, even this term.
What a load of crap. Pure publicity stunt, get it out of the way and keep Enda happy. Now they can get on with election planning.
A&E is still in a jock, though.
and no free Gp care for the under 6 kids or is he now against kids having medical care ???
A bit of a lead up to it though, first Kenny in a gay bar, then poof (pardon the pun) Leo’s out….. still don’t care though.
Why are people still making sich a big deal about being gay…. so what
Tanya, the people making a big deal of it are the gays themselves.
Yes Tony, and we will continue to until we are legally equal.
and even gay people are legal they will still go on about being gay and how they are still not accepted for one reason or another..
My sexuality is irrelevant to anybody but my partner and the unfortunately those that poorly interpreted the constitution. Trust me, once I’m legally equal, my sexuality won’t be an issue.
The lady is not for turning
That would make her straight.
“I’m the only gay in the village ” – little Britain comes to mind … Lol !! Dark ages are over folks , welcome to the 21st century
It was a master genius public stunt by Leo .. Ppl need to be careful about criticizing him as minister or you could be accused of homophobia . Now all of a sudden the hse crisis is gone away cos Leo claimed something that no one gives a shit about .
Hopefully after the next election this attention seeking know all will also be gone away- Canada calling!
If its not a big deal why did he need to go on national radio and discuss it with the whole country
Leo would prefer to have his sexual preferences discussed as opposed to a discussion on the crisis facing the health service it would seem.
Plus any criticism of him or his policies will now be homophobic hate crime !
What did Leo do? Being an arrogant self-obsessed tool? Ah no, the gay thing, no, being gay doesn’t excuse you from anything. So there, some non-gay bashing for Leo.
It is all clearly a distraction, trying to make FG like a modern-thinking party. I’m delighted he has come out, but I’m certain it was well known within FG, so this whole thing of coming out to Mr Kenny is obviously a joke.
A shit was not given.
He’s just riding the current wave of homophilia. Cynical politicking.
Yes, clearly he decided to “turn” gay just to take advance of it. There can be no other explanation.
Muppet.
* advantage
Where did I say “turn” winding_up?
We are living through an event of mass catharsis in Irish Society; the reality is that Ireland’s track record with regard to gay people has been less than glowing, and gay people in turn carry the societal scars of this; whether this generation of straight people fully appreciate that or not.
A few months of public bridge-building isn’t too much of a price to pay to right that wrong.
There is a greater point here though, and that is that open discussion of “gay issues” in the media is providing our other minorities with tangible hope that we as a society in Ireland are coming of age, and that we all can share an equal place in this Republic. It is important that this happens. not just for gay people, but for many others in society who have felt marginalised for a long time – like disabled people, the travelling community etc. So hopefully when we’re done “getting over” gay people coming out, we can move on to righting our societal wrongs against other minority groups who are most deserving of a big group hug from the rest of the Nation.
Winding_down,
Do you mean the “travelling community” that created this on cemetery Sunday 2013?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKW41PFrYmI
I wonder why they are marginalised?
Now this comment I find very interesting. It is framed to paint the past, present and any future wrongs afflicted on the gay population. I was conversing with two different gay man at the weekend, and this issue came up. Our conclusion was that Ireland is not at all a bad place for gay persons to live, one might even say it’s up there with the best of them. But what we do have in Ireland, is one massive guilt complex, for all the wrongs our society inflicted on the gay populous historically. One effect of this is that right or wrong, we will do anything to appease our guilt. The next victim of this guilt, could well be marriage itself. We must stop and think, is marriage, that institution which joins a man, a woman, and their children together, fair game!
Or this Winding_down, in 2008 on the estate behind where I grew up? There were no prosecutions.
@Paddy: You were making so much sense until you went off on your tangent about marriage equality… the “its not bad, ergo its good enough” attitude is not a robust point of view for the majority to adopt about a minority, especially in a Republic. Societal healing won’t properly occur until all of citizens are equal before the law.
Besides, my broader point wasn’t about gay people, it was about the need to rehabilitate Irish society in light of our treatment of marginalised sections of it – of which there are too many. The gay population just happen to be today’s poster boy – before Christmas it was the elderly in State care, before that the victims of institutional abuse etc etc. There are many, and Irish society rightly has a massive guilt complex to address. Its not about “appeasing” anything; the connotation of “appeasment” is entirely wrong here. Its about righting the wrongs done in all of our names, learning from them and moving on to a more just and equal society. Lofty I’ll admit, but this generation in Ireland is coming closer than ever before to achieving that.
What do you mean “shouldn’t have to do” – nobody cares what his #sexualorientation is ….except the media.
Many people already knew and couldn’t care less. Private information should remain private unless someone wants to make it public. Leo announced it and the world hasn’t ended.
With that in mind, I can’t help but ask myself why the media (who know according to Leo) afforded him his privacy on that matter, but where for example Ursula Halligan refused to respect Brian Lenihan’s privacy with respect to his health, where Ursala announced it on the news before Christmas of 2009, and before Brian had not even shared it with all of this family.
Fair play to Leo. He is a straight talker and a very good politician and his sexuality has feck all to do with his public job.
Can’t believe he’s only 36, he looks more like 56. #wrecked
His sexuality doesn’t make a blind bit of difference these days. It’s his ability to do his job that counts. Sadly, for ordinary people FG has sold out the country and let everybody down. They promised us loads, they delivered nothing, except for lies and and spin.
Haha “potentially become Taoiseach”!! what dimension are you living in? Hopefully by this time next year Fine Gael will have died a death. Is the journal another government propaganda rag?
I’m sure even the biggest of homophobes would have more urgent axes to grind with Leo rather than him just being gay
thie whole thing is being used as a distraction away fom other issues.
Take one look at our president and now we could have a gay leader I’m not going 2 bother voting anymore it just gets worse laughing stock is all we are.
If anybody thinks that a gay person in the Fg party will ever become leader of that party then they don’t understand the blue shirts and what they stand for
I double dislike him now
Nobodies surprised. We all know you just want attention
Attention paid to the fact the fact that Ireland is undergoing social erosion from the inside out
Sure it is, whatever you say Thierry…..
A gay minister for health… On that basis alone he’d probably win Eurovision
Leo Varadker gay? Bet he’s the straightest guy in the cabinet after watching Charlie last night, corrut irish politics should now be called a bunch of Charlies.
Journal.ie, step back from the Varadkar story, and without giving us the “Everyone’s talking about…” post.Because actually, we aren’t, you are!
Seminal moment?
TBH I don’t think Leo had much of a choice either way but to come out.Its not exactly like he’s been in the closet or was going out of his way to hide it.Considering the fact we are coming into a referendum on same sex marriage if those who are against it had found out during the debate they would have screamed blue murder about him being biased.Also he must make decisions about allowing gay men to donate blood and given his position again the usual shills would be screaming about a conflict of intrests.I wish him well in his private life and hope he’s happy with his decision.I’ll be voting yes in the referendum however there is not a hope I’ll be voting FG or Labour in the GE.
I love the way all the people who are really uncomfortable with the idea of homosexuality always greet this kind of news with phrases like “Who cares? Nobody gives a shit”. Get over yourselves.
Pink is the new Blue…shirt!
A seminal moment in irish politics is right…!!!!
As Leo said he is not in a relationship, I have a brilliant idea for a reality show;
LET’S FIND LEO A LOVER!
It would be ‘Big Brother’ meets ‘The Bachelor’.
Leo would be introduced to potentially suitable partner, spend a week living together and we could all watch to see how they get on. I think the program would be a winner!
have your say