Lead:
In the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, there is a mysterious country that is China's only ally and the only country in the world that dares to rub its hands with the United States. More recently, as the United States has created trouble around China, North Korea has stood up and warned the United States not to interfere in China's internal affairs again. The incident brings back memories of the past, especially the 1968 assassination and the Pueblo incident, revealing North Korea's firm position. However, the United States was also weak and ultimately chose to negotiate to protect its own interests. This article will review this history and explore North Korea's unique place in international politics and its special significance for China.
In the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, there is a country that has naturally become a close ally of China and the only country in the world that dares to challenge the United States. Recently, as the United States has frequently caused trouble around China, North Korea has come forward, loudly denouncing American interference in China's internal affairs, and declaring to the world that if the United States continues to provoke, North Korea will make it pay. The incident evoked memories of history, particularly the assassination of 1968 and the Pueblo incident, which revealed North Korea's firm position. However, the United States, once weak in the face of North Korea, chose to negotiate to protect its interests.
This article will review this history and explore North Korea's special place in international politics and its significance to China.
The little brother located in the north of the Korean Peninsula is a relatively mysterious country for the majority of Chinese people. North Korea's deepest impression is naturally the only ally of the mainland and the only country in the world that is always ready to fight with the United States. Recently, with the United States frequently provoking trouble around China, North Korea took the initiative to stand up, angrily denounced the behavior of the Americans for interfering in China's internal affairs on the Taiwan Strait issue, and announced to the world that if the United States continues to provoke China, North Korea will make it look good...
However, if we look at history, we will find that the United States does not dare to act rashly against North Korea.
Not only because North Korea has nuclear weapons and has China's support behind it, but also because North Korea has shocked the United States with its actions. This incident, which took place in 1968 and involved the assassinations of Park Chung-hee and the Pueblo, is still remembered.
The most typical example is the assassination of Park Chung-hee and the Pueblo in 1968. On January 21, 1968, North Korea sent 31 armed men to attack the Blue House, the South Korean presidential palace, in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Park Chung-hee. An angry Park Chung-hee asked the United States to retaliate against North Korea, but the United States did not want to conflict with North Korea, but only fought haha.
Less than 48 hours later, however, another incident occurred. On January 22, the U.S. spy ship Pueblo again went to the waters off the port of Wonsan, an important port in North Korea, to conduct reconnaissance work. The Americans feared that North Korea would go on fire, so they kept asking the Pueblo to operate 40 nautical miles off the coast of North Korea. As a result, on January 23, the last day of the reconnaissance operation, Lieutenant Commander Lloyd Booker, captain of the Pueblo, decided to take advantage of the good weather and take advantage of the good weather to take advantage of the good weather, and sailed the ship directly to about 12 nautical miles off the east coast of North Korea, and turned on all reconnaissance equipment to listen to North Korean radio signals.
The failure of the "Blue House Operation" two days ago made the North Koreans very angry, and now the American spy ship suddenly ran into his 12-nautical-mile territorial waters, naturally he would not be polite with him, and directly dispatched several submarine chasers and torpedo boats to ask the Pueblo to stop the ship immediately and accept inspection.
The Pueblo replied that it was just a marine science research ship carrying out the expedition, with no malicious intent, and then ran out in a puff of smoke. During the escape, Booker asked his men to quickly destroy the ship's electronic equipment and confidential documents, but the crew had never thought that their ship would be
North Korea was caught, so it did not have a plan in this regard, and it was in a hurry to deal with it.
Just as they were "ding-dong" with axes and hammers to smash electronic instruments and burn documents, North Korean planes and warships forced up, got on board and detained all the people on board, and the ship also drove back to North Korea.
The scene shocked the Americans, because North Korea's resolute actions far exceeded their expectations. In a show of strength, the United States urgently mobilized hundreds of warplanes to South Korean air bases in an attempt to put pressure on North Korea. However, North Korea's leader, Kim Il-sung, showed no flinch, ordering the entire people, the workers' and peasants' Red Guards, and the People's Army to prepare for all-out combat, issuing a warning: "North Korea will answer retaliation with retaliation, and all-out war will answer all-out war." ”
Seeing that North Korea seemed serious, the United States fell silent for a month, eventually issuing a statement of condemnation demanding the immediate return of the detained Pueblo and the release of the detained crew. This reaction left the angry American public confused and angry, wondering why the United States was so hesitant.
However, America's hesitation is not without reason. First, the United States was mired in the quagmire of the Vietnam War and could not cope with another conflict. Second, the U.S. military calculated that in the event of a military strike against North Korea, the loss rate of fighters could be as high as 70%, while countries such as China and the Soviet Union could directly support North Korea.
The United States understood that it could not afford such a price and chose to negotiate.
The two sides negotiated for nearly a year, and finally the United States accepted North Korea's 3A condition: "admit mistakes, apologize, and guarantee that similar incidents will not occur again." On December 23 of the same year, the United States Government issued a written statement and apologized for sending an electronic reconnaissance vessel into North Korea's territorial waters, and North Korea announced the confiscation of the Pueblo and all equipment and weapons on board and the expulsion of all crew members.
The Pueblo has since become a patriotic education base for North Korea, anchored at the port of the Taedong River, becoming a symbol.
The United States has been obsessed with the incident, even in 2005 it introduced a draft resolution calling for North Korea to return the seized Pueblo. Although North Korea had considered returning the ship to ease relations with the United States, the outbreak of the North Korean nuclear crisis put the issue on hold.
North Korea is a brave and determined country, especially after possessing nuclear weapons and intercontinental missile technology, its self-preservation capability has been greatly enhanced. Although the United States conducts military exercises around North Korea, the possibility of a real war with North Korea is very small. The United States knows that a nuclear war with North Korea, whatever the outcome, is not in its national interest.
Unlike challenging China, the United States knows that China is true to its words and has a clear bottom line. China aspires to peaceful development, and as long as it does not cross the bottom line, China and the United States can "compete and cooperate." However, China's rise could shake America's global hegemony, which the United States does not want to see. Therefore, the United States is trying to put pressure on China in various ways, especially in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
In this context, the statement issued by the DPRK has a special significance. When China and the United States wrestled, most countries chose to sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight, careful not to be involved.
However, North Korea did not hesitate to side with China, underscoring the importance of the deep blood alliance forged by the Korean War.
North Korea's firm stance reminds the world that no matter how international politics changes, friendship and loyalty are always irreplaceable. The historic events with the United States are a wake-up call to the importance of upholding principles and bottom lines in international relations. At the same time, North Korea's actions also provide China with a solid backing, making it more confident and determined in the face of international pressure. This small country may have a limited role on the world stage, but its presence has had a profound impact on the region and the world.