South Korea To Hold Artillery Drills Next Week Near Disputed Boarder

With tensions already high following last weeks artillery act by North Korea and the joint U.S. South Korean navel exercises taking place this week that all sides involved would be searching for a method or means to ease the temperature back from the boiling point. Today the South Korean government did just the opposite in announcing they would be holding artillery drills beginning next week.

South Korea plans to hold major artillery training exercises next week – including some in an area close to its disputed maritime border with the North, media in Seoul reported today.

Analysts warned the move, which emerged as the South's military completed joint drills with a US aircraft carrier group, could increase tensions already running high in the wake of last week's attack by the North.

Given the unpredictability and paranoia of the North Korean government why give them further reasons for its military to lash out.

Dealing with the North on a diplomatic level is almost impossible given they never comprise on the being discussed. As the Wikileaks cable stated

One from April 2009 quoted Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei as saying that "North Korea wanted to engage directly with the United States and was therefore acting like a "spoiled child" in order to get the attention of the "adult." The cable continued: "China therefore encouraged the United States, 'after some time,' to start to re-engage the DPRK."

Perhaps the most telling cable is the one which states that China is frustrated with North Korea
While China is North Korea's strongest ally it seems that they have little control over its actions Republicans complaining about China's influence not withstanding.
The reality is that North Korea acts this way because is it has always worked in its favor.