UK fears N. Korean attack on Seoul G20 summit
November 12th, 2010 - 12:36 pm ICT by ANI
London, Nov 12 (ANI): British delegates travelling with Prime Minister David Cameron are taking very seriously the potential threat that North Korea might try to wreck the G20 summit of world leaders in Seoul.
The Guardian quoted a diplomat as saying that there has been speculation that the North Koreans will attempt some kind of “disruptive incursion into South Korea”.
Another official said it looked like Kim Jong-un, the third son and anointed successor of leader Kim Jong-il, “has been put in charge of the G20 disruption committees”.
“There is a leadership psychology in North Korea and they are in the midst of a succession. That places a determination to show that it is business as usual, or even better than business as usual. They have a defensive, slightly paranoid mindset,” the diplomat added.
The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has already urged China to use its influence with the unpredictable dictatorship to discourage it from trying anything provocative during the summit, which is being considered as the most important diplomatic gathering ever on the Korean peninsula.
South Korea has been preparing for protests by anti-globalisation activists, having erected massive security fences and deployed 50,000 police and troops. The police have already seen off a street protest by 3,500 people, but concerns remain about the possible threat from North Korea, the paper said.
Among the possible attacks, according to diplomatic sources, are making an incursion into South Korean waters, testing a missile in nearby airspace, or even suggestions that North Korea could float balloons filled with biological weapons towards Seoul.
David Cameron has discussed the threat at a bilateral meeting with his South Korean counterpart and host, Lee Myung-bak. (ANI)
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