This piece prompted an invitation to the Japanese Center for Conflict Prevention's 3rd Annual Symposium on World Conflict

Kim Jong Il’s North Korean government has issued a statement to the government of South Korea to "butt out" of the tense situation involving the North's probable possession of nuclear weapons saying that the matter is between the North Koreans and the United States. But the fact remains, with South Korea being the giant bull’s-eye that the North's threats are aimed at how can they not consider it their business?

Kim Jong Il's statement that he has one, if not two nuclear weapons and the gumption to "use, test or sell" them is an amazingly disturbing statement on any level, to say the least. It is disturbing to the world community as a whole because of the unbalance that it creates but it rings even more ominously for the people of South Korea. With a history of aggression towards its southern neighbors that dates back from before the Korean Conflict it would be impossible for the people of South Korea to be anything but a little nervous as the so-called leader of North Korea rattles his saber in the hopes of bringing the United States to the bargaining table, wringing its hands, with food and financial aid in hand.

The attempt at nuclear blackmail only goes to validate claims that Kim Jong Il's mind is not what it once was if it ever was coherent and of a sound body. He rattles his saber in another time not quite grasping the reality of who the players are and what roles they play in the world today. He somehow believes that he is still sitting as an equal at an international table of power with a United States from the 1950's, a country just out of World War II and skittish about conflict. No doubt, his miscalculation could end up being his demise.

With China taking a more concerted role in the ever increasingly bizarre state of affairs, the conditions are right for Beijing to demand a more docile voice from the North Korean leader whom some believe to have a psychological problem, especially with the concept of reality. Already we are seeing incontinence in their demands and their bargaining position and this can almost certainly be attributed to Beijing’s waning patience. Although the Chinese have stated time and time again that they crave a peaceful solution to the stand-off it would not be unheard of for the communist government to take drastic measures to "alleviate” the current war of rhetoric between a country that now accounts for the lion's share of their foreign trade and a bordering neighbor whose leader acts more like a spoiled child stomping his feet for attention. Truly, North Korea has become more of a thorn in the giant paw of the Pacific Rim’s lion that is China than a welcomed neighbor in the region.

It would serve Kim Jong Il's best interests to do some research on how the Chinese deal with those who oppose them when their best interests are hanging in the balance. The Chinese government doesn't have the alphabet networks to answer to when they decide to make a move that isn't popular with their people and they seldom shudder at the world communities condemnation of actions they take to rectify what they believe to be internal problems or problems facing their nation within their region. A good case to refer to is the happening in Tiananmen Square in the decade prior to this one. In this present situation, even though the United States would have to file a formal declaration of condemnation with the United Nations, the useless organization that they are for other than humanitarian aid, I am not sure that behind closed doors there wouldn't be a few hand shakes and a few pats on the back.

This is just something Kim Jong Il should take into account when he starts stepping on the big boy's toes and something he should take note of when he starts targeting the US allies to his south. His current demeanor towards those he is dealing with could prove to be the very thing that removes him from power, either one way or another.

Frank Salvato is a political media consultant and the managing editor for The New Media Journal.us. He is a contributing writer for The Washington Dispatch, GOPUSA, OpinionEditorials, Men’s News Daily, Canada Free Press & AmericanDaily. His pieces are regularly featured in Townhall.com. He has appeared as a guest on The O’Reilly Factor, The Kevin Matthews Radio Show (Chicago) and The Brad Messer Radio Show (San Antonio). His pieces have been recognized by the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention and are occasionally featured in The Washington Times and The London Morning Paper as well as other national and international publications.