Quote:

North Korea has capability to undertake 3rd nuclear test, but wants peace treaty with US as price for not conducting it - @Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/2....

Quote:

Experts believe the North is closing fast on the technical capacity to stage a third nuclear test and the source said Pyongyang stood by its longstanding requirement the United States sign a formal treaty to end the 1950-53 Korean War and to give diplomatic recognition as the price for not staging a test.

"North Korea wants a permanent peace treaty to replace the armistice in exchange for dropping plans for a third nuclear test. It's been 60 years and time to (formally) end the war with a peace treaty," the source added.

Which is something they have asked for years... good luck with that...

While this is going on...
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/201....

Quote:

N. Korean leader makes second military visit in a week

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected a women's artillery unit on the eastern front, the North's state news media said Friday, a week after reporting Kim's visit to a front-line military unit near the border with the South.

With the South Korean election in December, chances of a provocation are quite high to influence the outcome... of course China could always stop them from doing so with economic incentives.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/2....

Quote:

Exclusive: North Korean leader asks for Beijing trip

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is seeking an ice-breaking trip to key ally Beijing next month to meet China's outgoing and new leaders, a source with ties to Pyongyang and Beijing told Reuters on Friday.

If there were a peace treaty, wouldn't that negate the need for the US military to be in South Korea?

Well yeah and that's why it can't happen.

Not to mention, there's no way we can trust those evil NKoreans! (Let's forget that most SKoreans want peace with NKoreans... but eh, we are westerners, therefore, we rule and we will decide for the SKoreans... for their own good, you know?)

So, the North Koreans will accept a signed document by the american Government that promises we'll be nice to them? I guess if they're that stupid...more power to 'em.

North Korea isn't interested in a peace treaty. It's all a propaganda pose. They insist on a document signed ONLY by them and the US. The one and sole objective is to support their contention that the government in South Korea has no independence and is merely a puppet of Washington.

The US has repeatedly offered to sign a treaty that includes Pyongyang, Seoul and the Chinese as well. The Norks have turned it down every time.

Well this time it might be different, it's Kim Jong UN in charge, not his crazy father.

UN has already started doing some economic reforms that his father was opposed to.

Give it one last try maybe...

Anyway, the US should be out of SKorea yesterday. Let Koreans handle their own business. The cold war is over. And SKorea can handle third world NKorea real easy.

I think you're being terribly naive.

Not only was the father crazy but so was the grandfather. And the rhetoric and threats coming out of Pyongyang haven't stopped at all. We should let them negotiate with the South Koreans. There's no reason for the US to talk to N. Korea at all anymore.