South Korea far more ready for the NK takedown than officially admitted
Great bit from Strategy Page. Full story found at: http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/2005814231341.asp
Here's the gist:
South Korea Prepares to Take Control in the North by James Dunnigan August 14, 2005South Korea has been quietly preparing for the eventual collapse of the communist government in the north. South Korea has, for over a decade, been carefully examining the experience of Germany in reuniting its democratic and capitalist West with its communist and ramshackle East. As a result, South Korea has been developing an very strong civil affairs capability. Something like a half-million personnel (military and civilian, active, reserve, and retired) have been trained to assume administrative duties in the North in the event that unification takes places. Reportedly, half the civil servants in the ROK will move North as part of the reconstruction mission, and will stay there as long as it takes.
Sent to me by me favorite "Chicago Boyz" member Michael Lotus.
This capacity is well known within the defense community, but a quiet notion in the popular press.
Point in citing it: just another reason why usual predictions of huge "bill" for Kim takedown are vastly overblown. Ultimate "interested party" on this one, and that's before you add in China and Japan. Not at all like the beggar-thy-neighbor attitudes of the Middle East.