My wife is visiting her family in Seoul .Should I be very concerned about her safety ?

Question

My wife is visiting her family in Seoul until July 12.Should I be concerned about her safety and the threats coming from North Korea. The news here in America makes it sound very ominous that something will happen with an invasion into South Korea.What do the people of South Korea think of this and are they concerned ?Thank you for all sincere answers.

Answer 1

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She's going to be fine. Once again it's the media that likes to hype things for a good story or two. South Koreans could honestly care less about what North Korea says.

Here's the political situation in North Korea. Kim Jong Il's health is rapidly deteriorating and he needs a successor. So he chooses his son, Kim Jong Un. However, his son is still very new to the North Korean political scene and is very young. Therefore Kim Jong Il needs to foster support among the political elite for his son. To do so they just step it up a notch, a nuclear test here, a naval skirmish there, and so on.

The North Koreans will try to antagonize the South Koreans and the Americans just short of actual war or invasion. Why? The North Korean state's sole purpose is to keep it's isolationist regime alive. Despite their size, North Korean soldiers have poor training, little combat experience, and very outdated weaponry. They would last about two days or three going against the South Korean army alone. Now combine the South Korean military with the 50,000 US troops stationed in South Korea as well as additional US assistance. That pretty much equals total destruction of North Korea. The North Koreans know they cannot win a war. The best they can do is have a small fight near the DMZ or a nuclear test.

Nonetheless I hope what I have told you does not make you into some sort of war hawk determined to crush the brutal communist regime. Although war against the North Koreans would mean a quick victory, it doesn't mean it would be a painless one. North Koreans still can very easily hit South Korean and even Japanese citizens with their cannons. That could mean pretty heavy civilian casualties. It also could lead to a breakdown in stability in North Korea, creating a mass refugee crisis. This is why diplomacy is the best approach. War will only bring more headaches and heartaches.

BTW it is pretty likely that North Koreans will try another nuclear test in July. Possibly toward Hawaii. Shouldn't be of too much concern because North Koreans know that will trigger a war they will lose. Tell your wife to have fun :)

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Asker's Comment:

I would like to thank both Jin K and Milwaukie Dave for two great answers.I have been concerned about my wife in Korea for her visit.We have been married for 38 years and is my pride and joy.She has a large family in Korea and I am worried about all of them.Thanks guys you made her yobo happy.

Answer 2

Your wife will be fine. The situation here is as it always has been, the North has been belligerent in its rhetoric toward South Korea and the US accusing the two of all kinds of things that aren't true. I have lived here for the past 5 1/2 years (most of it in Seoul or Incheon) and most Koreans take this stuff in stride and don't think about it very much. We have air raid drills once or twice a month at about 2pm in the afternoon. At first they alarmed me, but I've gotten to the point I pretty much go about my business much like the Koreans do. Kim Jong Ill is doing all he can to prop up North Korea in order to pass the "family business" along to his younger son and keep people in line. With his deteriorating health, it's going to get more difficult for him to keep his grip on power. Again, don't worry..make sure your wife gets to Insa-dong to do some shopping. There is a place somewhere around that area you can buy North Korean currency for a souvenir if you want.