SKorea defense nominee vows airstrikes on North

Source: Reuters

By KIM KWANG-TAE, Associated Press – 59 mins ago -

SEOUL, South Korea – President Lee Myung-bak's choice for new defense minister said Friday that South Korean jets will bomb North Korea if Pyongyang stages an attack similar to last week's deadly artillery barrage.

The tough words came as Lee's government suffered intense criticism that the response to the North's Nov. 23 shelling on a South Korean island was weak, and over a stunning revelation that the South's spy chief dismissed information in August indicating North Korea might attack the front-line island.

Lee's nominee, Kim Kwan-jin, told a parliamentary confirmation hearing that North Korean aggression will result in airstrikes. He said South Korea will use all its combat capabilities to retaliate.

"In case the enemy attacks our territory and people again, we will thoroughly retaliate to ensure that the enemy cannot provoke again," Kim said. The hearing is a formality as South Korea's National Assembly does not have the power to reject Lee's appointment.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101203/ap_on_re_as/as_koreas_clash

Source: Financial Times

Seoul has vowed to use its jet fighters to strike North Korea if it attacks again, making its strongest threat to hit targets in the country for several years.

South Korea’s government has faced severe criticism for its weak retaliation after the Pyongyang’s bombardment of a South Korean island last week in which four people were killed. Kim Tae-young, the outgoing defence minister, said the government had not hit back with F-15s and F-16s through fear of triggering a full war.

But his successor, Kim Kwan-jin, warned on Friday that: “In case of further provocations, we will definitely strike North Korea by air”.

Mr Kim was speaking to parliamentarians at his confirmation hearing. Lee Myung-bak, the president, has previously vowed that any further attacks will spark a forceful response from Seoul. However, parliamentarians have condemned Mr Lee’s threats as empty rhetoric because he made the same pledge after a warship was torpedoed in March with the loss of 46 sailors.

Read more: www.ft.com/cms/s/0/52b6cd90-fed1-11df-ae87-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss

..I'd hate to see the whole peninsula blown-up because the SK Premiere was afraid of not being "man enough"...:eyes: Who runs the opposition party out there? Sharon "Man Up" Angle?

Doesn't seem like an inappropriate reaction to say, after two attacks by North Korea (including the sub attack), any additional attack will force a military response.

...other than that, it's a great diea..

historically they've played the game of diplomacy with psychotic brinksmanship, even all the way back to the first 3 Kingdoms period. you just have to read between the lines. if they said anything less it'd be read as a sign of weakness.