In the latest sign that the North Korean nuclear crisis might be on the verge of settlement, Russia has embarked on a joint, 10-day naval exercise with South Korea and Japan. In addition, this Saturday, 30,000 Russian soldiers will carry out a drill simulating a response to a massive flow of North Korean refugees that might take place as a result of a war or a collapse of Kim Jong-il's regime.

The significance of these events, both reported in Tuesday's New York Times, is potentially staggering. Russia (which has long been one of North Korea's chief allies and suppliers) has never taken part in naval exercises with South Korea and Japan (which have long been North Korea's chief foes). Add to that the border drill—which suggests that Russia is figuring out how to deal with, but not necessarily to prevent, the possibility of Kim's downfall—and the "Dear Leader" of Pyongyang must be getting a tad nervous.

These developments come on the eve of six-power talks concerning North Korea's nuclear-weapons program, to take place Aug. 25-27 in Beijing, involving the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan, and Russia.

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Kim Jong Il is totally fucked.

Kim is like a snotty brat in elementary school, who is protected by his two big brothers. Well, they're moving on to junior high, and Kim is going to be out on the schoolyard all by himself, waiting for an ass-whipping. You can bet the farm the US is sending intelligence messages to Kim's generals encouraging them to overthrow him -- this program worked beautifully in Iraq in the build-up to the invasion.

Though the left-wing won't be pleased, Kim Jong Il is a tyrant that needs to go.

this does seem like good news. regardless of ideology, kim is essentially an oppressive murderer, who would rather let his own people suffer than play ball with the rest ot the world.

however, we should remember that it is largely because of cold war posturing of the Big Kids - the US, China and Russia - that Korea is divided in the first place. the sooner kim's gone, korea is reunited and starts economically outperforming the hell out of the rest of east asia, the better. chosôn punk ROK.