by Donald Rosenberry

Created on: June 14, 2010   Last Updated: June 16, 2010

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is once again highlighting itself on the global political stage.  This time, instead of its usual saber rattling, it has made the dangerous decision to execute a military operation which resulted in the sinking of a Republic of Korea vessel, the Cheonan, and the loss of 46 sailor's lives.  Naturally, North Korea adamantly denies the event was their responsibility and dismisses the conclusion of an investigation accomplished by experts from the United States, Australia, Britain, and Sweden.  This is a decidedly problematic event for world leaders who have been dealing with the North and its leader, Kim Jong Il, for decades.

The people of South Korea are understandably outraged and want something done to punish the north, putting tremendous pressure on their politicians for action.  The international community is also aghast at the brazen and reckless military act.  The US State Department has made it clear that there will be action taken, that the North can not expect to act with impunity.  The event is so blatantly the responsibility of North Korea that the world must respond somehow.  So what should be done?  Is this the time, when North Korea has gone beyond threatening dire international consequences and taken provocative action, for the world to do more than contemplate the value of a regime change?

The very idea that the question is upon us once again implies that we would all like to see someone new and reasonable at the helm in the North.  It is a natural thought that both we and they would be better off with a change in their leadership.  There are those who favor military action to remove Kim Jong-Il and replace him with someone more compliant who would allow for the reunification of the peninsula under peaceful conditions.  While there is no question the world at large possesses the ability to make this change forcefully in one manner or another, the real question is whether or not the world believes that is really a good thing.

The Korean peninsula has been divided for nearly 60 years now.  The bitter civil war of 1950 to 1953 was one of the most brutal ever seen, inflicting a devastating national scar.  To imagine the depth of the effect this could have on a nation, consider that there are still remnants of hostility in the United States from its civil war fought 145 years ago.  In the instance of the US civil war, the two sides have been

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