North and South Korea are located in East Asia and were formerly one state. However they are now divided into two separate states that are frequently pitted against each other politically. Korea shares a border with China in the North West and is separated from Japan the by Korea Strait. In 1948 a unified Korea was split into North and South Korea. South Korea, which is officially called the Republic of Korea, is a capitalistic and democratic country while North Korea has a single party rule.
[...] While on one hand is must deal with the dispute over the status of the key US base on Okinawa in Japan, on the other South Korea is pressing for the end of its military command in its territory. The South Koreans demand that the command be turned over to them in 2012. America currently has 28,000 troops on the peninsula. In line with an agreement reached after the end of the 1950s Korean War, South Korean soldiers were committed to follow US military orders in case of war on the Korean Peninsula. [...]
[...] In the meanwhile the United States and South Korea are holding joint military drills to practice interception of submarines "in the near future". A Spokesman of Pentagon has termed the maneuvers result of the findings of this recent incident." In the light of the incident, the American administration has pledged its indubitable support to South Korea. The Americans opine that Pyongyang must face the consequences of its actions. The Obama Administration has instructed its military commanders to assist South Korea and ensure full readiness so that future aggression may be deterred. [...]
[...] The White House released an official statement almost immediately in the release of the report condemning act of aggression”. Reportedly, the American president Barak Obama called the South Korean President Lee Myung- bak and advised him to suspend all contacts with North Korea until it became clear who perpetrated the attack. This was a move calculated to escalate the already simmering situation in the region. The stand of the American government was supported by the new Japanese government that had won an election on the basis of a pledge to close the controversial US Naval base on Okinawa. [...]
[...] Analysts opine that the main crisis was sparked not by the sinking of the South Frigate Cheonan in March, but by the release of the report implicating North Korea on 20th May. ASEAN, UN, NATO: The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) is an association of 27 countries. The Foreign ministers of these counties, including the representative of North Korea's, are scheduled to hold their annual meeting in Hanoi on July 23. Reportedly South Korea is urging the ARF to adopt a strongly worded statement censuring the North for the torpedo attack on it s warship. [...]
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