I've received a couple of concerned emails from friends and family worried about the situation in North Korea. Everything here is normal, nobody is bothered, and its life as normal. 

You may think all the military maneuvers are a sign of concern and worry. They may be but nobody here seriously thinks anything is going to happen. 

To most Koreans this is normal and they have been seeing things like this for the last 60 years. North Korea has a new young leader who has to prove himself on the world stage and to his domestic audience. The US and South Korean Governments have responded accordingly to keep the situation in check. 

CNN is going into paranoid overdrive as usual. CNN is a "business" and makes its money by generating high ratings and selling advertising revenues. So they have to create "drama" to keep people watching and coming back. 

None of the foreign embassies in Korea have issued any travel advisories for any of their citizens. The UK, Canada, US, and Australian Embassies have issued no alerts as of the present time. Yet TV news would make you think otherwise that we should pack up and run. 

Everyone is going about their business, its life as usual, and you wouldnt know anything was going on except for western media outlets and concerned emails from home.  

Personally I dont watch CNN anymore as its so tiresome dragging out stories, "breaking news" every hour, constant commercial breaks, wasting hours of your life. Its even been revealed that special interest groups or foreign governments pay for airtime of special features or to keep stories out and have their own paid lobbyists as commentators. 

We have four US military bases around Daegu and I'm not aware of any heightened activity. Army personnel are stationed with family and children, they have schools on bases. There are no evacuations going on or cancelled classes as far as I know. 
 
Here is an email from the school board telling us not to worry


 "As many will testify who have lived in Korea long enough, these things happen now and then and they are a part of life here in Korea.Though North Korean military actions may be headline news, to most Koreans these are just another news of the day.

Just two years ago, the North Korean military did attack South Korean military ship, killing 46 navies. A year before that there was even a small scale war on the West Sea. These are skirmishes that have been going on since the end of Korean War. No one wants an all-out war and I don't think there are many who think that could actually happen on the peninsula. 

North Korea can never attack mainland Korea, where US forces are stationed at major cities and military strongholds: An attack on the US forces will mean a war with the US. The recent deployment of the US military powers like B-52 bombers and F-22 stealth fighters is a showcase that gives a strong message to North Korea that the US is ready to defend South Korea. 

And for your information: There will be a safety drill on May 7 and let there be no panic. These drills have been conducted for long time. They are not just for war situations. As a matter of fact, they are more for natural disasters like earthquakes and typhoons."

 
 


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