Forgotten Lesson, Doom of Provocateurs
On January 23, 1968, the Navy of the Korean People’s Army captured on the sea off Wonsan the US armed spy ship Pueblo which conducted espionage activities after intruding into the territorial waters of the DPRK.
Due punishment
As soon as the spy ship was captured, the US held national security meetings and decided to put pressure on the DPRK to release the ship and its crew through all diplomatic channels and take “military retaliatory measures” in case it failed.
Accordingly, it dispatched huge task forces involving the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Enterprise and other 25 cruisers and destroyers on the sea off Wonsan and posed a military threat to the DPRK, saying that it would bomb Wonsan and blow up an airfield and that it might use a nuclear weapon if the DPRK does not surrender the ship.
In order to cope with the prevailing situation, the DPRK resolutely declared that it would return retaliation for “retaliation” and all-out war for “all-out war”, and its entire army and all the people turned out in making combat preparedness for a war while stepping up socialist construction.
Frightened by their unyielding spirit and mettle, the US withdrew silently its forces from south Korea and around the Korean peninsula and begged to hold talks with the DPRK. With the confessions of the Pueblo crew and the letter of their apology and confiscated documents and secret data made public one after another, it had no option but to acknowledge its crimes.
On December 23, 1968, on the 11th month after the ship was captured, the US delivered a letter of apology to the DPRK. In the letter, the US government, acknowledging the intrusion into the territorial waters of the DPRK, wrote that it shouldered full responsibility and solemnly apologized for the grave acts of espionage committed by the ship against the DPRK and gave firm assurances that no US ships would intrude again into the territorial waters of the DPRK. The captured crew were expelled from the DPRK and the Pueblo became a war trophy of the DPRK.
The Pueblo is now moored on the Pothong River near the captured arms exhibition ground of the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, clearly showing the shameful defeat of invaders and provocateurs.
Two traditions—victory and defeat
The Pueblo Incident was not the first time for the US to fall on its knees before the Korean people.
In June 1950, it ignited an aggressive war against the DPRK, it suffered a staggering defeat by the heroic struggle of the Korean people who turned out to firmly safeguard the destiny of their country and nation.
Its military provocations against the latter continued later on, including the RB-47 Incident (April 1965), the EC-121 Incident (April 1969), the OAH-23G Incident (August 1969), etc.
The US egged the south Korean puppets on to commit military provocations at sea, in the sky and on land, the number of which amounted to over 23 800 in 1974, over 28 150 in 1975 and over 400 in the joint security area of Panmunjom from January to July 1976. In a bid to invent an excuse for igniting a war, it fabricated the Panmunjom Incident on August 18, 1976.
Each time, the provocateurs could not escape shame and defeat.
In the 1990s, the US attempted to isolate and suffocate the DPRK militarily on suspicion of the latter’s nuclear development. But, in the long run, the US President sent a letter of assurance promising the provision of light water reactors and substitute energy supplies to the DPRK, and the US was compelled to sign the DPRK-US Agreed Framework, in which it committed not to threaten the DPRK with nuclear weapons.
As seen above, the history of DPRK-US showdown is characterized by the repeated submission and apology on the part of the latter which, forgetting the lesson of its defeats, has ceaselessly committed foolish military provocations, and the proud victory on the part of the former which dealt a telling blow to the US overbearing power whenever it ran amuck.
Still today, the US is hell-bent on an attempt to provoke another war against the DPRK, but it is no more than a silly act oblivious of the lesson of history.
If the US dares provoke the sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK once again, the Korean people will wipe out aggressors mercilessly.
Due punishment
As soon as the spy ship was captured, the US held national security meetings and decided to put pressure on the DPRK to release the ship and its crew through all diplomatic channels and take “military retaliatory measures” in case it failed.
Accordingly, it dispatched huge task forces involving the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Enterprise and other 25 cruisers and destroyers on the sea off Wonsan and posed a military threat to the DPRK, saying that it would bomb Wonsan and blow up an airfield and that it might use a nuclear weapon if the DPRK does not surrender the ship.
In order to cope with the prevailing situation, the DPRK resolutely declared that it would return retaliation for “retaliation” and all-out war for “all-out war”, and its entire army and all the people turned out in making combat preparedness for a war while stepping up socialist construction.
Frightened by their unyielding spirit and mettle, the US withdrew silently its forces from south Korea and around the Korean peninsula and begged to hold talks with the DPRK. With the confessions of the Pueblo crew and the letter of their apology and confiscated documents and secret data made public one after another, it had no option but to acknowledge its crimes.
On December 23, 1968, on the 11th month after the ship was captured, the US delivered a letter of apology to the DPRK. In the letter, the US government, acknowledging the intrusion into the territorial waters of the DPRK, wrote that it shouldered full responsibility and solemnly apologized for the grave acts of espionage committed by the ship against the DPRK and gave firm assurances that no US ships would intrude again into the territorial waters of the DPRK. The captured crew were expelled from the DPRK and the Pueblo became a war trophy of the DPRK.
The Pueblo is now moored on the Pothong River near the captured arms exhibition ground of the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, clearly showing the shameful defeat of invaders and provocateurs.
Two traditions—victory and defeat
The Pueblo Incident was not the first time for the US to fall on its knees before the Korean people.
In June 1950, it ignited an aggressive war against the DPRK, it suffered a staggering defeat by the heroic struggle of the Korean people who turned out to firmly safeguard the destiny of their country and nation.
Its military provocations against the latter continued later on, including the RB-47 Incident (April 1965), the EC-121 Incident (April 1969), the OAH-23G Incident (August 1969), etc.
The US egged the south Korean puppets on to commit military provocations at sea, in the sky and on land, the number of which amounted to over 23 800 in 1974, over 28 150 in 1975 and over 400 in the joint security area of Panmunjom from January to July 1976. In a bid to invent an excuse for igniting a war, it fabricated the Panmunjom Incident on August 18, 1976.
Each time, the provocateurs could not escape shame and defeat.
In the 1990s, the US attempted to isolate and suffocate the DPRK militarily on suspicion of the latter’s nuclear development. But, in the long run, the US President sent a letter of assurance promising the provision of light water reactors and substitute energy supplies to the DPRK, and the US was compelled to sign the DPRK-US Agreed Framework, in which it committed not to threaten the DPRK with nuclear weapons.
As seen above, the history of DPRK-US showdown is characterized by the repeated submission and apology on the part of the latter which, forgetting the lesson of its defeats, has ceaselessly committed foolish military provocations, and the proud victory on the part of the former which dealt a telling blow to the US overbearing power whenever it ran amuck.
Still today, the US is hell-bent on an attempt to provoke another war against the DPRK, but it is no more than a silly act oblivious of the lesson of history.
If the US dares provoke the sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK once again, the Korean people will wipe out aggressors mercilessly.
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