ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

PANMUNJOM — The tense situation on the Korean peninsula may be the world’s most urgent security challenge. However, unlike threats from Iran or Syria’s civil war, the Korean situation has been unresolved for more than 60 years. The conflict's most recognized flashpoint is Panmunjom in the Korean DMZ (demilitarized zone). The division of North and South Korea has spanned seven decades. Neither side recognizes the other diplomatically and both claim the entire peninsula. The peninsula is divided along the 38th parallel. And, it is in the United Nations Military Armistice Commission's conference room T-2, where attempts have been made over the years to resolve the lingering differences. Herman: "So when we are crossing this table here, we are actually crossing into North Korea?" U.S. soldier: “Yes, you'll be crossing into North Korea....The microphones on this table ...are recording and monitored 24 hours a day. The microphones also represent the military demarca...

 

Japanese prime minister threatens force if China attempts to land on island chain in East China Sea. Japan has summoned the Chinese ambassador in protest over a flotilla of Chinese government ships that entered territorial waters near a disputed island chain. Japan's foreign ministry said on Tuesday it had called in the envoy after eight Chinese vessels entered waters near the Senkaku islands, which China calls Diaoyu, the most in a single day since Tokyo nationalised part of the archipelago in September. The Chinese boats drove out a flotilla of 10 boats carrying about 80 Japanese activists from the nationalist Ganbare Nippon ("Stand Firm, Japan") group, which sailed into waters around the islets early on Tuesday. They then began to withdraw from the area on the orders of Japanese Coast Guard patrol ships, when Chinese government surveillance ships came nearby. "Our latest intelligence indicates that a large number of Chinese vessels have entered Japanese terr...

Too big to fail On Saturday, Italy's 87-year-old Giorgio Napolitano relented under the pressure of the main political parties and agreed to stand for re-election as president. By late afternoon, he had received an unprecedented second mandate, with more than two-thirds of the Italian electoral college voting their support. The rest of the world's leaders breathed a sigh of relief. Italy is too big to fail . This outcome was unexpected. Napolitano had made it clear for over a year that he did not want to continue in office. The physical and psychological demands of presiding over a divided Italy in turbulent times have exacted their toll. Napolitano is tired; he has earned the right to reflect on his long experience in public life. However, the main parties would not let that happen. They failed to agree on a consensus candidate to stand for office. Democratic Party (PD) leader Pier Luigi Bersani and centre-right People of Liberty (PdL) leader Silvio Berlusconi put...

South Korean report says Pyongyang has moved two launchers to its east coast in preparation for expected missile test. North Korea has reportedly moved two more missile launchers to its east coast, where preparations have apparently begun for a missile test as tensions continue to simmer on the peninsula. The North had said before fresh reports of the missile move emerged on Sunday that it was willing to discuss disarmament but rejected a US nuclear condition for talks . Expectations had been high that Pyongyang would carry out a test to coincide with celebrations marking the birth of North Korea's late founding leader Kim Il-Sung on April 15 but it did not materialise. The North's military moved two launchers believed to be for scud missiles to the northeast province of South Hamgyong last week, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, which cited a senior Seoul official. "We have discovered the North has moved two additional TELs (transporter erector launc...

Nine people captured after helicopter makes emergency landing in Logar province, according to local officials. Taliban fighters have seized nine people from a civilian helicopter which made an emergency landing in eastern Afghanistan, officials said Monday. The Turkish helicopter made an emergency landing on Sunday evening, said Rais Khan Sadeq, the deputy police chief of Logar province, south of Kabul. "Security forces found the helicopter but the nine people were not in it. They are taken by the Taliban," Sadeq told the AFP news agency. "They are Turkish nationals and are nine people including the crew." Hamidullah Hamid, governor of Azr district where the helicopter came down, also confirmed nine Turks on board had been seized by the Taliban. Local tribal elders are reportedly working to secure their release. Hamid said the aircraft, which had came from the eastern city of Khost and was heading for Kabul, belonged to a Turkish company which has a big project ...

At least 185 people killed during fighting between Boko Haram group and troops centred on fishing community in north. Fighting between Nigeria's military and the armed group Boko Haram has left at least 185 people dead in a fishing community in the nation's far northeast, officials said on Sunday. The fighting in Baga began on Friday and lasted for hours, sending people fleeing into the arid scrublands surrounding the community on Lake Chad, according to the AP news agency. By Sunday, when government officials finally felt safe enough to see the destruction, homes, businesses and vehicles were burned throughout the area. The assault marks a significant escalation in a long-running insurgency in the predominantly Muslim north, where Boko Haram has mounted a coordinated assault on soldiers using military-grade weaponry. Boko Haram, which means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language of Nigeria's north, has said it wants its imprisoned members f...

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says a major U.S. arms deal with Israel sends a "very clear signal" to Iran that military action could be used to stop Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Hagel made the comment to reporters on Sunday, as he flew to Israel to finalize the sale of advanced U.S. weapons including missiles designed to destroy enemy air defenses, aerial refueling tankers and troop transport planes. Israel could use those weapons to attack the Iranian nuclear program, which the Jewish state says is aimed at making weapons that threaten its existence. Iran insists that its nuclear program is peaceful. When a reporter asked Hagel if the U.S.-Israeli arms deal indicates that either of the two allies could use a military option against the Iranian program, he said "I don't think there is any question that is another very clear signal to Iran." Hagel said there is no "daylight" (disagreement) between the United States and Israel about their ...