By Susan Jiang

Today, the United States advanced its position in the midst of North Korea’s fiery threats and has sent its land-based missile defense system to Guam. The Department of Defense reported the action as a way to defend the US, South Korea, and its allies against possible North Korean ballistic missile launches, as Pyongyang has threatened to deploy missiles and target South Korea and the US in the coming weeks.

North Korea has mentioned Guam, a US military base, and Hawaii as potential targets. As precautionary moves, the US sent stealth fighters and nuclear capable B-52 bombers to Korea and positioned the destroyers USS John McCain and USS Decatur to the Korean peninsula. The two warships and sea-based radar platform near the Korean peninsula will help monitor North Korea’s moves in the coming weeks.

North Korea has also blocked hundreds of South Koreans from entering a joint industrial complex located on the western edge of the two Koreas in Kaesong, North Korea (See Photo). More than 480 South Koreans were denied access to the industrial park while granting the 861 South Koreans currently staying in Kaesong the right to return home. Although the industrial plant serves as a symbol of peace between the two countries, the blockage further divides the countries, making the world uneasy.

Susan Jiang is a current freshman in the Dyson School hoping to specialize in Accounting and Finance. Other than serving as a International Sector analyst for Cornell Current, she is the VP of Internal Operations of the Microfinance Club. She is also a proud member of Cornell Business Review’s business team and 85Broads. She can be reached at ssj42@cornell.edu

Sources:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/03/world/asia/guam-u-s-missiles/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/01/world/asia/us-north-korea-radar/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/03/world/asia/koreas-tensions/index.html?hpt=wo_c1

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22021832

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/04/world/asia/north-korea-blocks-workers-from-south-at-border.html?hp&_r=0