Behind the Korean crisis
Inside Story discusses the issues behind the latest escalation of North-South tension.
Tensions between North and South Korea have escalated, with the South saying it will no longer tolerate any aggression and the North saying that it is ready to defend itself.
While the two neighbours have a history of frosty relations, the conflict gained new momentum last week after South Korea claimed to have found evidence that the North deliberately sank one of its warships two months ago.
North Korea has denied any involvement in the incident that killed 46 people.
Lee Myung-bak, the South Korean president, has said any agression in the future from the North will be dealt with strongly.
Just what are the issues behind this latest crisis and how far could it escalate?
Inside Story, with presenter Mike Hanna, discusses with Bjørnar Simonsen, an international counselor at the Korean Friendship Association – a group associated with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, John Feffer, the co-director of the think tank Foreign Policy In Focus, and Jong-kun Choi, a professor of political science at Yonsei University.
This episode of Inside Story aired from Tuesday, May 25, 2010.