InfoAnda - RPT-Q+A-What next in the confrontation on the Korean peninsula?

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Obama to push lawmakers on health care vote | 8 November 2009
Panetta in New Zealand for military cooperation talks | | 21 September 2012
Obama urges passage of stimulus bill | 29 January 2009

The Pee-wee Herman Show -- Theater Review | | 12 November 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : RPT-Q+A-What next in the confrontation on the Korean peninsula?

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Singapore Asia Pacific World RPT-Q+A-What next in the confrontation on the Korean peninsula? Reuters - 2 hours 51 minutes ago Send IM Story Print By Jeremy Laurence SEOUL, Nov 24 - China on Wednesday came under heavy pressure to tame its ally North Korea after the reclusive state attacked South Korea, with the United States trying to cool tension in the economically powerful region. [ID:nN23168261] Tuesday's artillery attack on a South Korean island killed two soldiers, sent scores of civilians fleeing and sparked a sell off in stock futures and the won in offshore trading. Futures for stocks and bonds have since recovered. WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT? Tuesday's barrage was the heaviest bombardment on the South since the Korean War ended in 1953. Tensions are running high in the region. But it is extremely unlikely that this marks the start of an escalating conflict that could lead to a major military confrontation between the two Koreas. For decades, North Korea has followed a strategy of trying to wring concessions from the international community through periodic provocations, carefully calibrated to raise geopolitical tensions without sparking full scale war. Provocations over the past few years include two nuclear tests, several missile tests, and the sinking of a South Korean warship in March which killed 46 sailors. This latest attack is likely to be in line with this strategy. Rather than heralding further aggressive gestures in coming days that raise the geopolitical temperature, it is likely to be followed by a period of relative calm, or even overtures from Pyongyang for more peace talks. North Korea has no appetite for a major conflict. The South Korean and U.S. militaries are far better equipped than the North's decrepit army which barely has enough fuel to fly its ageing fleet of fighter planes. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has vowed a firm response, but Seoul too has no desire for a serious conflict. While North Korea would certainly lose any war, it would be able to do enormous damage to the South with its vast artillery. South Korea's reaction has been very restrained, just as it was in the aftermath of the sinking of the Cheonan. WHY NOW? There are several possible reasons why North Korea's military may have launched Tuesday's artillery barrage. South Korea was holding military drills in the area, and has conceded that it was conducting test-firing exercises. This might have led the North Korean military to genuinely believe it was under attack, and to fire in retaliation. Pyongyang regards South Korean military exercises with genuine unease, fearing the manoeuvres could be a smokescreen for a real attack. In recent years it has reacted with fury to South Korean drills, particularly when the U.S. military was also involved. Events of the last week suggest North Korea is again trying to provoke the international community into making concessions. It has unveiled major advances with its uranium enrichment programme, giving it a second route to make a nuclear bomb. Pyongyang's decision to show off its technological advances to Western scientists, coupled with Tuesday's attack, may be a strategy aimed at scaring the South and its allies into easing sanctions or restarting peace and disarmament talks. A final factor that may have played a part in the timing of the incident is that the North has entered a period of leadership transition. At a major ruling party meeting in September, Kim Jong-il appointed his youngest son to key posts, a move seen as formally anointing him as North Korea's next leader. Kim is widely thought to be in failing health after suffering a stroke in 2008, and this may have led him to speed up succession plans. But his son, Kim Jong-un, is young and has no real support base, and there is always the risk that powerful figures in the military or government decide this is an opportune moment for a power grab. The North's economy is going from bad to worse, another factor that may fuel internal instability and discontent. Tuesday's incident and the Cheonan attack in March may have been attempts to bolster unity among North Korea's elites by focusing attention on an external enemy, or a bid to bolster Kim Jong-un's credentials in the military. Or they may have been launched by hawkish elements of the military without the knowledge and support of Kim Jong-il. "With the ongoing leadership transition in North Korea, there have been rumors of discontent within the military, and the current actions may reflect miscommunications or worse within the North's command-and-control structure, or disagreements within the North Korean leadership," geopolitical risk analysis firm Stratfor said in a comment on Tuesday. HOW HAVE MARKETS REACTED? Asian shares fell on Wednesday and the euro hovered near a two-month low to the U.S. dollar as regional stocks caught up with a sharp sell-off after the shelling, and investors sought safety in the U.S. currency. [ID:nL3E6MO014] South Korean stock and bond futures, however, rose on Wednesday as foreign investors looked for bargains in local assets after the artillery attack on the South led to a panicked sell off on Tuesday. [ID:nTOE6AN01A] The won <KRW=> was down around 0.7 percent and shares in both South Korea and neighboring Japan, whose markets were closed on Tuesday, were underperforming the region, reflecting the seriousness of the attacks. The main KOSPI stock index <.KS11>, which closed right before the brunt of Tuesday's selloff, was down 0.7 percent but off its early lows. Food-related stocks and shares of companies that make military equipment were outperforming. Turnover in the main market with more than three hours to go before the close was 4.7 trillion won, nearly three quarters of the daily average turnover for last month of 6.5 trillion won. The cheapness of Korea's equities, tough and highly competitive industries and the country's current account surplus were draws for foreign and domestic institutional investors, analysts said. Even the diminished threat of capital controls, an unforeseen byproduct of the shelling, was cited by analysts as a reason to buy back Korean assets. In credit markets, Korean bonds were trading higher, and the 5-year sovereign credit default swaps, basically insurance against default, were at 97/99 basis points compared with Tuesday's widest levels of 107 reached during the New York trading session. South Korean asset markets have grown used to Pyongyang's provocations. They tend to suffer only a brief and modest dip in response to North Korean sabre-rattling, as a few players engage in knee-jerk selling, but prices tend to recover quickly. Todd Martin, Asia equity strategist with Societe Generale in Hong Kong, said Korea was his pick for second-best performing market next year in Asia next to Japan. However, given heightened sensitivity to risk in global markets, the potential for a sharper sell-off cannot be discounted. In April, when Seoul formally blamed the North for the Cheonan attack, panicky investors dumped South Korean assets. Still, since Tuesday's attack is highly unlikely to escalate into a more serious confrontation, market reaction in coming days will probably be on the upside. WHAT ARE THE RISKS TO THIS PICTURE? The biggest risk is that North Korea's leadership transition and economic problems result in the leadership making risky moves that go beyond the provocations of the past and cause events to spiral out of control. With Kim's health uncertain, his son still an unknown quantity, the delicate balance that has kept the peninsula tense but peaceful for decades may be unravelling. While neither side wants war, there is always the risk that misunderstandings or miscalculations lead to unintended conflict. The other main risk to South Korea is what happens when North Korea's regime eventually collapses. That prospect is regarded with dread by many regional policymakers because of the enormous economic costs a sudden chaotic reunification of the two Koreas would impose on the region. "Any additional risk premium that the market imposes in KRW assets is likely to be embedded more in longer-term yields, which should support a steepening of the IRS curve in spot and forward terms," Nomura said. (Additional reporting by Chris Buckley in Beijing and Andrew Marshall in Singapore; Editing by Miral Fahmy) Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles FOREX-Euro licks wounds near 2-month low, critical support Reuters - 29 minutes ago India 2010 tea output seen down 22 mln kg at 957 mln Reuters - 30 minutes ago RPT-UPDATE 3-Sojitz and Lynas in rare earth supply deal Reuters - 30 minutes ago JGBs gain but stocks' resiliency curbs rise Reuters - 33 minutes ago Lynas expects to complete Sojitz pact in 3 months Reuters - 34 minutes ago News Search Top Stories Portugal braces for biggest ever strike Embattled Irish PM to present austerity plan Tigers 'close to catastrophe': Russian PM Fed slashes US growth forecasts Controversial pope book already selling fast More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended 'Naked' airport scanners may be 'dangerous' N.Korea shells island in South, causing injuries DiCaprio in plane engine scare: report World leaders scramble for funds to save the tiger Britain's Prince William to wed in April at abbey More Most Viewed » 'Naked' airport scanners may be 'dangerous' EU fines 11 airlines 800 million euros for air cargo cartel Pilgrims stone 'devil' as Muslims celebrate Eid World leaders scramble for funds to save the tiger More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Entertainment Photos Yahoo! News Network Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Wednesday, 24 November 2010
US-TECH Summary
Cuba says still investigating jailed American |
Controversial pope book already selling fast
Acer unveils tablets with 5-, 7-, 10-inch screens
EU's coal nations win battle in quest for subsidies |
US hikes growth estimate for third quarter
Study Finds Antiretroviral Drugs Effective In Preventing HIV
Sunrise eyes new merger talks with Orange: paper
Afghan violence soars, insurgency expanding: U.S. |
Putin warns tigers 'close to catastrophe'
"Ugly Betty" Actor Held In Mom’s Decapitation
Israel army using Facebook to rumble draft-dodgers
Witness recalls rapes, killings in Bemba ICC trial |
Greece ordered to cut deeper to get past debt 'crossroad'
Jawbone Found Not From Natalee Holloway
New AIDS cases fall by one fifth in a decade: UN
Syria's nuclear stonewalling deepens: IAEA report |
New iTunes App Introduces Mirror Reading To New Generation
U.S. Mayors Cutting Road Repairs, City Services As Result of Economic Downturn
Campbell Soup 1Q Profit Down 8 Percent
Maintenance Worker Killed As Condo Eviction Turns Deadly
Afghan election body to release final result Wednesday |
Inspector General: Drunken Agents Transported Nuclear Weapons
Bruce Willis to front Russian bank ad campaign
Facebook makes people more social: study |
Telecom regulators postpone December meeting |
Google seeking Miramax films for YouTube: NY Post
British filmmaker makes women's struggle feel good
Acer unveils range of tablets |
Lennon's "I'm Only Sleeping" lyrics to go on sale
Wozniak says he was wrong about Nuance/Apple deal |
Fashionistas swarm H and M stores for Lanvin line
Bruce Willis to front Russian bank ad campaign
"Biggest Loser" crew reaches new deal, ends strike
Republican-friendly TV shows more likely to be hits
Russia, China pledge bigger role for yuan, ruble
Beatles sell over 2 million in first week on iTunes |
Indonesia issues eruption alert for second volcano
Foreign investors keep cool over Korea crisis
Abused Indonesian maid's Saudi employer jailed
Indonesia's billion-dollar forest deal in danger
WRAPUP 9-S.Korea talks tough after N.Korea artillery attack
Beatles sell over 2 million in first week on iTunes |
Taylor Swift announces Asia, Europe 2011 tour |
Iran temporarily halted enrichment in mid-Nov
Medvedev warns of Soviet-era political 'stagnation'
Jury orders SAP to pay Oracle 1.3 billion dollars
Progress 'uneven' in Afghanistan war: Pentagon
Controversial pope book already selling fast
U.S. aircraft carrier heads for Korean waters |
Embattled Irish PM to present austerity plan
Police arrest 11 over Belgium 'terror plot'
Iran denies problem with uranium enrichment
Teetering Irish government sets out 4-year plan |
Online game rivals settle suit over stolen secrets
Tigers 'close to catastrophe': Russian PM
SAP to pay Oracle $1.3 billion in landmark decision
Fox Celebrates Release Of "24: The Complete Series" On DVD With Marathon Challenge
U.S. says IAEA report shows Iran still defiant on nukes
All 29 trapped New Zealand miners dead: police |
Fed slashes US growth forecasts
Afghanistan Report Admits Taliban Still Threat To Governance
FCC mulls web traffic rules for December meeting
Iran's nuclear programme suffered one-day outage: IAEA
North Korea Condemned Internationally for Artillery Attack on South Korea
Protests in Kabul ahead of much-delayed election results |
Belgium detains 15 in Afghanistan, Iraq 'jihadist' probe
Commander Portrays Optimistic Outlook In Northern Afghanistan
Haiti cholera spreading faster than predicted: U.N. |
American Court Case Against LeT, ISI For Mumbai Terror Massacre
Online dating scams seducing Americans: agency
US confirms likely fake Taliban in secret talks
Korean Hostility, U.S. Economic Downgrade Send Stocks Falling
Wozniak says he was wrong about Nuance/Apple deal
Egyptian Brotherhood clashes with ruling party before vote
All-Clear Given at Logan International After Suspicious Package Scare
Iran temporarily halted enrichment in mid-Nov: IAEA |
Facebook makes people more social: study
US, S.Korea plan war games after N.Korean attack
'National tragedy' as 29 perish in NZealand mine
Amanda Knox appeal starts in Italy sex-murder case
Focus on India as world meets to save tiger
North Korea 'a serious and ongoing threat': Obama
Afghan violence soars, insurgency expanding
U.S. aircraft carrier heads for Korean waters
Obama to consult with Seoul on response to N.Korea
Julianne Hough dances into movies with "Burlesque"
NZ mine with trapped men still too risky to enter
Beatles sell two million songs in a week on iTunes
U.S. vows unified response to NKorea, eyes restraint
SAP to pay Oracle $1.3 billion in landmark decision |
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Drill breaks through near trapped New Zealand miners
Beatles sell over 2 million in first week on iTunes
Taylor Swift announces Asia, Europe 2011 tour
Online holiday sales growth seen up again: comScore |
Axl Rose sues Activision for $20 million |
S.Korea stock market big drop after attacks
RPT-Q+A-What next in the confrontation on the Korean peninsula?
KOREA MARKETS-Won, stocks down; bond futures higher
BRIEF-Moody's rates Bank of New Zealand Series 3 covered bonds
All 29 trapped New Zealand miners dead-police
KOREA MARKETS-Stock futures up; bargains hunted after North's attack
S.Korea says economy strong enough to absorb shocks
BlackRock's Fink sees opportunity in Korean market
Jennifer Grey wins TV's Dancing with the Stars |
Jury orders SAP to pay Oracle 1.3 billion dollars
Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban set for Oprah's Oz show |
Cheat sheet of leading Oscar contenders |
Online holiday sales growth seen up again: comScore
Harry Potter set to rule Thanksgiving box office |
Faster star Billy Bob Thornton returns to writing |
Axl Rose sues Activision for $20 million |
Britney Spears' mom loses defamation appeal |
Julianne Hough dances into movies with Burlesque |
Black Eyed Peas test waters for 2011 stadium tour |
British economy grows 0.8% in third quarter
Afghanistan unveils results from fraud-marred vote
Israel ministers meet on Lebanon concerns
Mobile Web usage surged in October: Opera
Eurozone crisis accelerates in Portugal, Spain and Ireland
24 Afghan election winners disqualified
Big progress seen in landmine ban, worries persist |
Shark 'skin-teeth' aid fast turns: study
"Glee" Bully May Remain Closeted, Actor Says
Turkish PM vows to 'prevent war' in Lebanon
Smoking Ups The Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis Among Black Smokers
Progress 'uneven' in Afghanistan war: Pentagon
Federal Jury Awards Oracle $1.3 Billion Damage In Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
Yemen car bomb kills 17, rattling fragile truce
UK students stage protests over fees rise |
Antiviral Pills Can Help Gay Men Avoid HIV
Afghanistan releases majority of election results
US, S.Korea plan war games after N.Korean attack
"Dancing With The Stars" Crowns The Best Dancer
Coal mine blasts kill at least 5 in Colombia |
Afghan commission releases final election results
Portugal braces for biggest ever strike
Afghan prosecutor probes election misconduct
Sudan's south says north attacks army base |
Jordan PM shuffles cabinet ahead of new parliament |
Chinese bishop ordination a 'serious violation'
Top India banks, fin firm execs held on bribery charges |
Cambodia government seen unscathed from stampede
Bombs kill three, injure 22 in north Iraq-police |
Rio gangs defy police in fourth day of attacks |
Cambodia probe blames 'swaying bridge' fears
Cheat sheet of leading Oscar contenders
Japan practising Zen kabaddi at Asian Games
Minimum and maximum temperatures in Celsius
Modeling arduous, but Korea friendly
South Korea suspends North's flood aid
Law students apprehended in Taiwan for 'selling' votes on Facebook
Pakistani stocks end lower; rupee weakens; o/n rates up
Japan department store sales rise
Oracle ruling tarnishes SAP's U.S. reputation |
Q+A-What local Taiwan elections mean for markets, China
Mobile Web usage surged in October: Opera |
Korea crisis shakes Asian markets
Thank vegans it's Thanksgiving, US turkeys say
South Korea's Hana to buy KEB for 4.1 billion dollars
China broadcasters strike gold with foreign formats
FCC mulls web traffic rules for December meeting |
Japan confirms China rare earth shipments resumed
Cheat sheet of leading Oscar contenders
Britney Spears' mom loses defamation appeal
Seoul shares pare loss, end flat amid bargain hunting
"Harry Potter" set to rule Thanksgiving box office
Outcry After Indonesian Maid Suffers Violent Abuse In Saudi Arabia
Jennifer Grey wins "Dancing with the Stars"
Philippines fines Shell-linked firm over pipeline
"Ugly Betty" Actor Held In Mom’s Decapitation
Black Eyed Peas test waters for 2011 stadium tour
Women Gang Rape Schoolboy In Papua New Guinea
Jury Says Park Attacker Guilty Of Chandra Levy Murder
Dwayne Johnson back to action-hero mode in "Faster"
Documentaries aim to make Oscar history
Baby boy for John Travolta after son's tragic death |
Steve Martin novel probes New York art world |
Book Talk: Dance bars show Bombay Noir |
Crocodile Dundee's Paul Hogan gets early Christmas present |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01