The two Koreas and their recent conflict, like many before, are acts of aggression whose repercussion brings forth yet even more heated tensions between the two in which must be solved before such heated tensions harms too many. Recently, two South Korean soldiers patrolling the border suffered severe injuries as a result of landmine blasts near the zone. The south accuses the north, tensions rise and fall, and the semi-war state North Korea announced has been lifted. (Summary of paragraph 1-3) Something happens again and the other takes no responsibility for or denies it happened, tensions rise, and fall; it’s the same process over and over. Sure--so far, there has been no war since their separation by the demilitarized zone (DMZ). But the two Koreas see each other as rivals and would likely obliterate each other if left without intervention from the United States. This shouldn’t be the case. It is indeed important for the two Koreas to resolve the current problems at hand such as the one in which involved the U.S. to immediately review their plans to defend South Korea were there to be a war at hand. However, the main problem that lies between the North and the South has been so severe and has lingered for so long to the point where, as executive director Philip Yun of a nuclear disarmament advocate group states, "In the next 10 years, we have the threat of North Korea with a substantial nuclear arsenal -- if we don't figure out a way to dreal with them -- and a leader we don't know a lot about." (Mullen 1) By saying this, he implies that North Korea can be seen as a threat, which is what they obviously make themselves out to be. But why make so many threats and yet not act upon it? Why not simply carry out their threats? Simple; North Korea does not want to fight a war with a U.S.-backed South Korea. Tensions must be resolved in the near future; otherwise, the Korean crisis can grow to be much worse than simply trading fire, for that fire may ignite something neither side will enjoy as an outcome.
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