Vol. 75/No. 18      May 9, 2011

The joint U.S.-South Korean exercises began with Key Resolve at the end of February, which tested “the allied forces’ capability to bring troops and equipment to the peninsula in the event of an emergency,” according to the Korea Times. Key Resolve ran through March 10. Foal Eagle—another aspect of the drills in which troops carry out live-fire ground, naval, and air maneuvers that involve dozens of fighter jets and helicopters—continues through April 30.

On April 15, a national holiday in North Korea, tens of thousands of leaflets against the DPRK government, along with dollar bills and DVDs, were dropped by balloons launched from across the border in South Korea. South Korean troops also fired shots into the North, an act Seoul later claimed was “accidental.”

The Chinese government is seeking to reopen talks on the DPRK’s nuclear program, which broke down in 2009 when the imperialist powers increased sanctions against North Korea. Parties to the talks were Washington, Seoul, Pyongyang, Tokyo, Beijing, and Moscow. Washington and Seoul insist there can be no negotiations until Pyongyang stops producing enriched uranium and ends nuclear and ballistic missile testing.

Clinton and South Korean president Lee Myung-bak said little about the talks when they spoke to the media after their meeting. Instead, Clinton emphasized her promise that Washington will sign a free trade agreement with South Korea soon. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama issued an executive order banning the import of all North Korean products.
 
 
Related articles:
U.S. troops out of Korea and the Pacific!  
 
 
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