South Korean President Lee Under Pressure to Respond to North Korean Attack

From the Reuters article by Yoo Choonsik and Jeremy Laurence:

"South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's government was criticised at home on Wednesday for its slow response to a North Korean attack, with lawmakers and media saying it was now time to get tough.

"Lee has vowed a firm response to Tuesday's attack by North Korea, but Seoul too has no desire for a serious conflict. While North Korea would certainly lose any war, it would be able to do enormous damage to the South with its vast artillery.

"Lee won office in 2008 vowing to take an uncompromising stand with neighouring North Korea, but for the second time this year his conservative government is being criticised for being indecisive in responding to crises involving the mercurial state.

[...]

"A day after the North fired a barrage of artillery shells at the island of Yeonpyeong, killing two civilians and soldiers, members of Lee's own party and opposition lawmakers accused the South's military of being too weak and responding too late.

"In a fiery parliamentary hearing, Defence Minister Kim Tae-young was grilled by lawmakers who said the government should have taken quicker and stronger retaliatory measures against the North's provocation.

[...]

"Editorials in local media also said it was now time for retaliation.

"The JoongAng Daily urged Lee to send a clear message to the North, saying the North's provocation had 'gone beyond our imagination'.

[...]

"Lee, well known for his hawkish policies, ended the South's Sunshine Policy of engagement with North Korea in 2008, cutting aid and refusing to give in to Pyongyang's demand for concessions, saying the North must first give up its nuclear programmes."

Once again, I've got to say that Obama sending messages of weak support and weakened American strength places our allies in a very difficult situation. It puts lots of political pressure --often domestic-- on our allies in ways that many in the US (including the president it seems) fail to understand. Obama's apology / pledge of American weakness tour was a real blow to American-friendly governments who count on American military support-- as South Korea does. Obama has created needless instability and possible volatility in these countries-- all so he can prove that he's a great guy to the American Left.