WEEK 4 INTL 6000 - PART 4 - Research Paper Example

KCNA, the North’s official news agency, announced it had no option, but to renege on the armistice, due to persistent war maneuvers by the US (Grinker 45). The current tensions re-started when KCNA declared that their military would invalidate the agreement, referring to the puppet forces in the South and the US imperialist’s violation of the armistice, citing the joint exercises as a declaration of war. This latest flare up, according to the author, comes from tough sanctions that were passed by the Security Council in the UN in response to continued nuclear tests, which North Korea carried out in spite of global condemnation (Grinker 46).

This cold war era conflict continues to affect international political dynamics. To find the exact reason for the 2013 flare up of rhetoric from the North and the military deterrent drills by the South, it is important, therefore to trace the beginning of the conflict. This is because the rhetoric used by the North is reminiscent of the Cold War-era tactics that the country used. Therefore, it is certain that North Korea still views the South the same way it did then and that the conflict, for the North Koreans never ended (Armitage 32).

Continued isolation by the North Koreans has seen them perfect their Cold War-era tactics that included the creation of a crisis, escalation of tensions, and extractions of concessions and payments to re-affirm their status. The current tensions are no different, as seen by the North’s reluctance to follow through on their rhetoric. This strategy has always worked for the North and it seems to be working this time, as seen by China’s and the US’s exhortation to go back to dialogue and the increased aid presented by the Chinese.

The Chinese, who took over from the Soviets as the North’s main benefactor, continue to support their Socialist model and would not want to see the North fall to the American-backed South. For this reason,