North Korea: should Filipinos be nervous? If yes, why?

[Castaway]

I recently chatted with an old friend in the States and my friend expressed concern for me because of the proximity of the Philippines to North Korea (and Guam).  While I don't usually think about such things, my friend made we aware of the potential effects of nuclear fall-out and brought this entire issue of North Korea into my mind.

So, should Filipinos be nervous about North Korea and it's nuclear and missile programs?

“Among Filipinos, only 33 percent look with disfavor towards North Korea while more than half, 53 percent, are favorable.

But the same survey also showed that a big number of Filipinos (60%) are concerned about North Korea having nuclear weapons, next only to Japan (66%) and the U.S. (65%).

Rightly so because there are almost a hundred thousand Filipino workers in South Korea. Hostilities in the Korean peninsula would impact heavily and negatively on the Philippine economy not only because of Filipino workers losing their jobs but also on Philippine tourism which is being sustained by Korean and Chinese tourists.”

http://news.abs-cbn.com/blogs/opinions/07/17/17/opinion-north-korea-in-the-lives-of-filipinos

 

[RBM]

From experience most Filipinos do not seem to focus on something which may or may not happen. Something like why fix it when it not broke.

Most locals I have mentioned this to simply shrug shoulders and do not care. Others know nothing about it. Soap Oprah seem to have more precidence in their life's than news channel's.

[Castaway]

12 minutes ago, RBM said:

Something like why fix it when it not broke.

Reminds me of another part of Filipino culture... why pay my electric bill today if my payment is not due until tomorrow?

[Lou49]

China and S.Korea should be worried about a nuclear event on their borders. PI  is far enough away that a nuclear leak or accident won't affect them much if at all. There won't be a nuclear war cuz NKorea knows that they would become a smokin' hole in the ground.

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Lou49 said:

There won't be a nuclear war cuz NKorea knows that they would become a smokin' hole in the ground.

Click here for a link to the New Yorker article that is very long but explains why North Korea would be willing to take it to a nuclear war if pushed.  Here are 2 excerpts that I think sum it up:

Quote

 North Koreans invariably mention the former Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi. In 2003, when Qaddafi agreed to surrender his nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, Bush promised others who might do the same that they would have an “open path to better relations with the United States.” Eight years later, the U.S. and nato helped to overthrow Qaddafi, who was captured, humiliated, and killed by rebels. At the time, North Korea said that Qaddafi’s fall was “a grave lesson” that persuading other nations to give up weapons was “an invasion tactic.”

Quote

“Three million people have volunteered to join the war if necessary.”
“Historically, Korean people suffered because of weakness. That bitter lesson is kept in our hearts.”
“Strengthening our defensive military capacity is the only way to keep the peace.”
“We are small in terms of people and area, but in terms of dignity we are the most powerful in the world. We will die in order to protect that dignity and sovereignty.”

 

[stevewool]

Forget about the Philippines, i think the whole word should be nervous. just my though

[AlwaysRt]

4 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Well you didn't say it but quoted a reporter who in turn probably got his 'facts' from the North Korean State Run Propaganda Paper - “Three million people have volunteered to join the war if necessary.”

It is just as possible that the correct quote should be "Three million people have volunteered to join the military - because the military gets priority on food and the general population is starving to death" 

Many reporters would be more correctly called plagiarizers since they copy paste other stories without doing any research or fact checking of their own. And that is not limited to one particular group or even country, not sure how much worldwide news is fake now days but most is certainly lazy or outright propaganda. 

[scott h]

18 hours ago, Castaway said:

So, should Filipinos be nervous about North Korea and it's nuclear and missile programs?

No

[Castaway]

1 hour ago, scott h said:

 

20 hours ago, Castaway said:

So, should Filipinos be nervous about North Korea and it's nuclear and missile programs?

No

 

Of course not!  Filipinos (by nature) don't have any real worries. It's only foreigners that worry about things that they have no power to change.

[scott h]

Just now, Castaway said:

don't have any real worries

It is really about the tactical situation. If NK goes nuke, they only have so many weapons to deploy. 1st target will be the SK, civil and military targets. Next would be supporting facilities, such as Kadena air base in Okinawa, US naval facilities in Japan like Yokohama. If they have any extra then Guam. If they consider any non military targets or other nations I would say Malaysia would have priority over the Philippines, after all his brother was killed there, and they threw out the NK diplomats. NK is all about pride and appearance. I sleep just fine at night