Well, according to Western news sources, things have been quite heated over here on the 38th parallel. According to South Koreans...no one cares.
I've watched and read a lot of pretty ridiculous claims made by news outlets in the West. My favorite so far was a segment on CNN, where they talked about what an all out war would look like between N. Korea and S. Korea/U.S.-led coalition forces. They discussed the subject for about 4 to 5 minutes including computer generated battle plans. Then, during the last 30 or so seconds of the segment, the host asked, "What is the likelihood of something like this happening?" I can't remember what the guest said exactly, but he said something to the tune of, "Slim to none." Talk about over-sensationalizing!
One of my favorite stories concerning the situation comes from a fellow foreign English teacher, who teaches at the middle school next to my high school. He had been expressing worry about the N. Korea situation to his co-teacher. In true Korean fashion, his co-teacher scheduled a meeting between my friend and the Vice Principal of the middle school. So here is the conversation straight from the source:
VP: "(name of my friend)! You not need to be worried about the North Koreans, we're not. It's nothing."
My friend: "Yeah, I know. But still, a threat is a threat. We can't really say it is OK."
VP: "If something happens, what will you do?"
My friend: "I'm outta here, and I'm fleeing to Japan!"
VP: "Hahaha! By then you'll be long dead."
My friend: "..."
Obviously, the VP was trying to make light of the situation, but I don't know if...ya know, my friend was really comforted by that conversation. In any case, he is one of the only foreigners I know that has been/is worried about the N. Korea situation.
To my knowledge, there wasn't one embassy in S. Korea that issued any real warnings. And there certainly wasn't an embassy that was asking their citizens to leave the country. The only message that was sent out by the U.S. embassy could basically be summarized by the following: "Conduct business as usual."
By now, S. Koreans are so used to the political games played by the North, that they just brush it off. Some of my co-teachers, other teachers, as well as some of the students asked if I was worried.
Teachers: "Are you worried about North Korea?"
Me: "No, not really."
Teachers: "Why not?"
Me: "Because I think Kim Jeong Eun is just playing political games."
Teachers: (a smile and a nod) "Are your parents worried?"
Me: "Yes, I think they are a little worried."
Teachers: "That's OK! They have nothing to worry about!"
What's funny is that I think some of them were pleasantly surprised to see me the day after N. Korea issued a warning asking all foreigners to leave S. Korea. I think some of them truly thought I might fly the coop (there were rumors, that may or may not be true, that at least some foreigners left the country after the warning). Who knows, maybe they were even taking bets on it?
One of the teachers joked to my co-teacher: "Keep an eye on him! He might leave Korea tomorrow!"
By the more rational and logical accounts of the situation, N. Korea is in a bad place what with their famine, poor economic situation, and a new leader who has yet to establish himself amongst both his people and the older political elite.
In summary: Don't worry.
Here are some sensible articles about the situation:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/20/opinion/global/North-Koreas-nuclear-drama-is-a-ploy.html?_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/opinion/stay-cool-call-north-koreas-bluff.html
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