re: Things are heating up again in Korea (UPDATE IN OP: US Mobilizes 2nd ID)

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@YonhapNews 11m11 minutes ago
(URGENT) Two Koreas to resume high-level talks at 3 p.m. (1 AM CST) to work out differences

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SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea will resume high-level talks later Sunday to work out their differences on how to defuse tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Cheong Wa Dae said.

The talks between South Korean National Security Adviser Kim Kwan-jin and Hwang Pyong-so, the North Korean military's top political officer, were adjourned at 4:15 a.m., presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters.

He made the announcement after the two sides held marathon talks for about 10 hours at the border village of Panmunjom.

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Chances of agreement from inter-Korean talks not high if Seoul insists on apology: U.S. expert

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- Chances of an agreement from high-level crisis talks between South and North Korea are not high as long as South Korea insists that the North apologize for burying land mines that maimed two South Korean soldiers, a U.S. expert said Saturday.

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Details of the talks were not available, but it was widely believed that the South demanded the North apologize for the land mine and shelling provocations, while the North demanded the South halt the propaganda broadcasts.

"As for the chances of an agreement, I don't see much chance as long as Seoul insists on an apology for the mine laying. If both sides can find a way around this issue, then it is possible," said Ken Gause, a senior analyst on Korea at CNA Corp.

"It's the same reason about South Korea's demand for the apology for the sinking of the Cheonan. North Korea does not admit either one of the provocations. Therefore, to admit and apologize right now will bring condemnation on the regime and on the supreme leader. And therefore, they cannot admit to this," he said.

Halting the broadcasts is a priority, but the North wants it to be done on its own terms, he said.

From the broader perspective, the North's ultimate goal is to break the stalemate in inter-Korean relations, he said.

"You cannot view this crisis and North Korea's provocations in isolation," he said. "North Korea's calculus is driven by a desire to find a way to break the stalemate in inter-Korean relations. Pyongyang's return to a brinksmanship strategy is a way to force what the diplomatic charm campaign could not -- to get Seoul to the negotiating table."

Gause also said that the current situation shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un does not want the situation to escalate too far, but he is likely to use aggression to keep Seoul engaged.

"I suspect the tension will continue throughout the exercises. Another provocation is possible," the expert said.

"Once the (South Korea-U.S.) exercises are over, if the situation has not gotten out of hand, both sides will de-escalate, and North Korea will assess the situation. They will seek engagement. If not successful, expect to see another provocation, such as a missile test."

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, North Korean speak is so funny

You're in Korea? I had no idea.

Ohhh you live in Itaewon?

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Itaewon

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Hooker Hill

Where is Dennis Rodman and the Harlem Globetrotters when you need them?

So is there a deadline still or is this winding back down as usual?

I'm curious as to how this is with past flare ups. I've talked with ex special forces dudes who said they used to get in fire fights pretty often with NK.

Watching YTN online, I'm not great at Korean but they're saying 50-100 NK submarines unaccounted for, left their base and SK doesn't know where they're at, North Korea has doubled their artillery at the borde.

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?@TRNRadioNetwork 10m10 minutes ago
South Korean military says North Korea now showing two faces by increasing frontline troop movements as talks go on.

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