A Shoalhaven man who served in the Korean War laments the continued demise of North Korea.
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After a lifetime of service – six years in the army, six years in the QLD police force and 20 years in the navy – Ben Link, 84, has kept a close watch on tensions at the Korean peninsula.
Starting in 1952, for two years and five days, he placed his life at risk and worked as a military policeman in South Korea, a place that has transformed dramatically since the war.
“During the war, everything was dirt, shit, mud and snow,” Mr Link said.
“I went back to Korea with my wife in 2002, there were proper tarred roads and highways.
“These people are progressive.”
In contrast, at the hands of three dictators, North Korea remains impoverished.
Mr Link believes that while Kim Jong-Un calls the shots in North Korea, it will continue to lag behind the developing nations around it.
“His people are in strife as far as normal living is concerned,” Mr Link said.
“They're short of money because of the money he’s spending on missiles and other crap.
“All he’s doing is making trouble for everybody.”
Last week, North Korea's successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile was a milestone in its long-term effort to build a missile that could carry a nuclear warhead further than before.
This missile had the potential to reach the Northern Territory.
As world leaders including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull discuss the probability of another war, Mr Link is concerned that it may be inevitable.
“It hasn’t happened yet, has it?” he said.
“But there’s always the probability, as long as he’s running around carrying on.
“They'll try to resolve it diplomatically, I don't think it’ll work.”
Mr Turnbull was disappointed that G20 leaders failed to condemn North Korea's provocations.
However, the tests did draw the ire of US president Donald Trump, who has met with Russia this week, and discussed a solution to tensions in North Korea.
The Trump administration has tried to press Beijing to rein in North Korea, a major trading partner of China.
The issue’s likely to come up in conversation at the Korean Veterans memorial service at Bomaderry on Thursday, July 27 at 11am.
