U.S. Senator: Trade USS Pueblo for 1872 Kanghwa Flag
by Richardson ~ April 18th, 2007. Filed under: America, DPRK Military, Diplomacy, U.S. Military.Update: Not going to happen any time soon (h/t Nomad):
Meanwhile, during a luncheon meeting with South Korean delegates, Chu flatly denied that North Korea is considering sending back the USS Pueblo to the United States.
“Return? Why do we return such an important thing?” Chu [Dong-chan, chief of the North Korean delegation] said when asked about press reports on the possible repatriation of the warship. (emphasis added)
Important? Yes, for propaganda. And probably a few thousand dollars a year from tourists.
Original post: A Republican senator from Colorado has suggested the U.S. trade a Korean flag captured in 1872 on Kanghwa Island for the USS Pueblo:
Sen. Wayne Allard said the U.S. should demand the return of the USS Pueblo, a 906-ton intelligence ship that was attacked and seized by Pyongyang in January 1968. One American sailor was killed in the assault and 82 others were captured and held prisoner for 11 months before they were returned to the U.S.
[. . .]
The senator suggested that the U.S. offer to exchange the vessel for a flag that was captured from a Korean general in an 1872 battle on Kanghwa Island. The flag is currently displayed at the U.S. Naval Academy.
I’m not sure what I think about this. On one hand, it would be appropriate to bring the ship home. On the other, North Korea will spin the return to its captive audience as a sign of the regime’s generosity. But the regime spins things either way, so that may not matter. At this point, none of it matters as it’s not even on the table, any table.
To be honest, I’m also not sure what a Korean flag from that time would look like, as that predates the current flag, the “T’aegukki,” by ten years. This could be it:
April 18th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Senator Allard must be on a “Rocky Mountain high”. Handing the flag over to the Kim dynasty would only reinforce their propaganda that they are the righteous representatives of all Korean resistance to foreign invasions. If he wants to return the flag, it should to to the ROK.
April 19th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
I’d prefer not to give the flag to either the North or South.
In the past I’ve half jokingly said that we should retire the Pueblo with a cruise missile, as it is our property.
April 19th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
Richardson, I’m with you on this one. Two PGMs, at night with no collatoral damage and sink the ship. It is US property seized in international waters that nK uses to futher propoganda and tourism. I’d love to see the Dorks try and raise it.
April 20th, 2007 at 11:33 am
Since everyone outside of the DPRK knows the Pueblo was captured some 40 km offshore, well in international waters, make the ship’s return and an apology for the murder, torture and hostage-taking part of what North Korea must do to get itself removed from the state sponsor of terrorism list. As it is, the display of the Pueblo in Pyongyang highlights to all thinking visitors the piracy and vile propaganda that is a hallmark of the Kim Family Regime.
April 20th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Realistically, probably it will sit where it is until the regime falls. I know we’re not going to send in a missile to dispose of our property, and Pyongyang sure won’t give it back with an apology. Seoul may send it back after the fall, or perhaps it will remain in North Korea as a monument to part of what was wrong with the regime, although there are plenty of those already. So I’m guessing it will come home when the regime implodes and the south absorbs the north. It will be interesting to see what happens if China moves in to lend “stability” to North Korea.
April 20th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
I agree that the DPRK will behave as required as a member of the international community and be able to deliver on specific diplomatic and North-South undertakings only when it ceases to exist.
My facetious Pueblo suggestion is just a way to serve the NKers a nice cool bowl of STFU naengmyun when they make outrageous or maximalist demands and then treat the withdrawal of those demands as a concession to be rewarded.
April 20th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
I should have mentioned that I didn’t think you seriously thought North Korea would actually do what you suggested.