N. Korea’s Kim appears to have entered China

[cal04]

Source: Reuters

Reported trip, first in four years, comes amid escalating tensions with South

North Korea's hardline leader Kim Jong-il appears to have entered China, his isolated state's biggest benefactor, for a rare trip abroad as tensions are running high on the peninsula, reports said Monday.

China has the most influence in curbing the North's military grandstanding and Kim's previous trips to his neighbor have led to steps that have reduced security concerns for the economically vibrant region.

The trip to China would be the first in four years and comes at a time when Seoul is considering ways to respond to a suspected North Korean attack on one of its naval ships. South Korea lost 46 sailors in what could be one of the deadliest strikes since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36906231/ns/world_news-asiapacific/

[CLANG]

1. Let me know when he enters the gates of hell.

[Jkid]

2. This would be a great time for someome on behalf of the World Court

...to arrest Kim Jong il

[Endangered Specie]

3. Easier to shoot the bastard IMO

[David__77]

4. On what grounds? Is DPRK an ICC signatory?

I don't think so. There is no more basis for this than the arrest for any leader of a non-signatory state leader. US should conclude a peace treaty with DPRK and establish diplomatic relations.

[Tunkamerica]

5. I agree, though it pains me to say it

[MilesColtrane]

6. I don't think North Korea wants to sign a peace treaty.

The siege mentality is ingrained to the point of national pride there.

[Posteritatis]

9. Pretty much this. (nt)

[Xithras]

7. North Korea only recently opened the door to that possibility.

Until this past January, North Korea has always refused to even discuss peace with the United States, and their position on negotiating with South Korea has been "Remove all U.S. troops from South Korea, demilitarize the border, and then we can discuss reunification". For obvious reasons, South Korea has always declined those terms.

This past January, for the first time ever, The DPRK has indicated a willingness to enter into a formal and permanent peace agreement with the United States. It attached all sorts of conditions to those talks, however, including requirements that human rights, their nuclear weapons program, the status of Korea as one nation or two, and the absolute military rule of the country not even be broached as topics. The Obama administration responded by refusing the offer, saying that signing a new treaty is pointless if they aren't even willing to live up to the obligations they agreed to in previous treaties.

[Posteritatis]

8. There were suggestions of a coup attempt the last time he left the country

Images and signs of Kim suddenly vanished all over the place, military started acting weird, etc., then things were back to abnormal in a few days. I don't think anyone outside the country ever figure out what happened there.