Daily Lessons from Life 28 June 2009

I went for a 2 hours 45 minutes job and walk after dinner from my mother-in-law home to my home via a longer route tonight as I missed my mid-week 10km jog this week due to travelling to Bangkok! It is a refreshing experience as I had not done more than 2 hours for a long time! It detoxicated and re-energized my body! I went past Hong Lim Square where there was a video tribute show to Michael Jackson at the Speakers Corner! Not a big crowd and obviously admirers of his musical talent and genius! May he rest in peace!!

"S Korea getting U.S. missiles to boost defences - report
There were reports that N Korea may soon test-fire missiles. -Sun, Jun 28, 2009 Reuters

SEOUL - South Korea is acquiring 40 U.S.-made missiles for an Aegis destroyer this month to boost its defences amid reports North Korea may soon test-fire missiles, Yonhap news agency on Sunday quoted a military source as saying.

North Korea, which rattled regional security with a May 25 nuclear test, is preparing to test a long-range missile that could hit U.S. territory and mid-range missiles that could hit all of South Korea, a South Korean presidential Blue House official said last week.

The surface-to-air missiles for the Aegis destroyer, designed to track and shoot down objects including missiles, can hit targets up to 160 km away, Yonhap quoted the source as saying.

North Korea has also warned ships to stay away from waters off its east coast city of Wonsan, Japan's Coast Guard said last week, in a possible indication of a missile test.


The U.N. Security Council punished it for the missile launch by tightening existing sanctions and imposing new ones after the nuclear test to halt its arms trading, one of the few items the cash-short state with a broken down economy can export.

At the weekend, the prickly North warned in an official media report it would shoot down any Japanese military plane that breached North Korean air space.


South Korean officials have said the North's recent sabre rattling may be a way for leader Kim Jong-il to build internal support as he prepares for succession in Asia's only communist dynasty."

Are we going to have a real war on our hands soon in the Korea Peninsula? I hope not!!

Lessons for us are:

1. when a leader is closed minded and bent on holding on to power without regards to his/her people's plight, there is no rationality to talk about! It can be very dangerous. Especially when his or her power is so absolute that any dissenters will be cut down and put away;

2. regardless of the absolute power of the leader, if his or her way is unjust and irresponsible, the power cannot be sustainable. There will be short term successes but failure will be inevitable in the long term. It is unsustainable! The people will not tolerate long term oppression and being trampled on. There will be bloodshed when the change come;

3. despite the absolute power of this Kim person, he can do whatever he wants with his people, whom he had cowed and oppressed over a long long time. When he deals with the international community, he has no power except the one to destroy his own country and his innocent people! Let's hope this worst case scenario will not happen!!

May North Korea leader has a change of mind. Or the people sends a signal to him that this is insane to take on the world! But will he listen? Probably not! So, let's keep our ears to the ground and hope for the unexpected good news!