North Korea chides Grassadellia, calls Menuhaeo and McCaren 'fools'

MAVOCKE--The rhetoric between North Korea and Grassadellia is escalating, as the two nations spar over North Korea's recent threats of war and detainment of a Grassadellian humanitarian worker.

Last week, President Brenton Menuhaeo and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Jim McCaren called for North Korea to stop provoking South Korea and the United States with threats of a nuclear attack.

The president and McCaren also called for the North to release Charlotte Gibbons, a 63-year-old Damoign woman who is being held in Pyongyang after traveling there for a European Union-led humanitarian mission almost four months ago.

North Korean government officials accuse Gibbons of "harboring illegal drug activity inside the DPRK," or Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as North Korea is officially known.

But Grassadellian leaders believe the charges of smuggling drugs against Gibbons were fabricated to provide an excuse for the North to detain a Grassadellian citizen.

"Charlotte Gibbons did not smuggle drugs into or out of North Korea. These are false charges. They were fabricated and made up to justify her detainment, and the whole world knows these are trumped up charges that have no legal justification or grounds for prosecution," David Monteguro, Collester's Chief of Staff, told the GBC in a Friday interview.

At a press conference last week, President Menuhaeo warned North Korea that Grassadellia would not tolerate its citizens being harassed or detained without warrant in other countries.

"North Korea is engaging in a dangerous game of rhetoric and provocation. This is a regime that has oppressed its own people for decades, and is known for playing psychological games with other countries as a method of manipulation. But Grassadellia will not tolerate the abusive treatment and unlawful detainment of its citizens. Anywhere."

Menuhaeo also warned North Korea's new young leader, Kim Jong-Un, that if the rogue nation provokes a military conflict with the United States or its allies, the conflict will not result in a North Korea victory.

"If North Korea provokes a war or a military conflict with the United States or with virtually any other nation, for that matter, it will not end in North Korea's favor," Menuhaeo told reporters.

In response to Grassadellia's warnings, Pyongyang reacted swiftly, chiding Grassadellia for its "arrogance," and calling President Brenton Menuhaeo and Jim McCaren "fools."

"The Grassadellian government is bringing shame on its people by engaging in reckless arrogance," the DPRK said in a written statement. "The DPRK will react with strength and confidence against Grassadellia, the United States, South Korea, Japan, or any other state that threatens the DPRK's interests."

The North Korean government also warned of Western complacency.

"Brenton Menuhaeo and Jim McCaren are fools if they doubt the strength and vigor of the DPRK," the statement said.

Following North Korea's brazen words, Collester released a statement, calling North Korea a "bully" and emphasizing the North's alienation from the rest of the world.

"North Korea continues to engage in careless provocation, the manipulation of other countries through extortion, and inciting violence and war. Unfortunately, this behavior comes at the expense of North Korea's dignity, and only assures further isolation from the international community," the Grassadellian State Department said in its statement.

As the war of words has increased in intensity, some have called for a truce.

"The best interest of all nations would be to end provoking words and engage in quiet peace," Sweden's Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt, a long-time ally of Grassadellia's, said in a written statement for the Swedish government.

Even from within Grassadellia's government, many voiced opposition to the rising tensions.

"This is the United States' problem, not our's," Trinton Sen. Grace Kemp (N) said at a town hall meeting yesterday. "Why are we getting involved?"

And Kalnier Sen. Paul LeBouse (N) condemned President Brenton Menuhaeo, a member of his own party, for increasing tensions between Grassadellia and North Korea.

"By engaging in this petty, adolescent-like game of back-and-forth threats, the President and the leaders of the state department are making Grassadellia look as bad as the United States. We are now joining the US as a war-mongering nation that seeks to bully the rest of the world with our imperialist agenda," the far-left LeBouse, a self-described socialist, told GBC Radio.

On the opposite side, some Conservatives feel the Menuhaeo administration isn't reacting strongly enough, however.

"He keeps saying all these strongly-worded messages to North Korea and warning them there will be consequences if they act unlawfully. But what good is rhetoric if you're not willing to back it up?" Sen. Jim Frasier (C-Deschire), who is the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told the GBC Friday.

But some Conservatives believe the president is reacting appropriately.

"The president is right to tell North Korea, these acts of aggression and defiance will not be tolerated," Sen. Jhana Schueler of Biereland told GNN's Marcy McKay. "Very few leaders are willing to stand up to the North Koreans, and so far, I think Brenton Menuhaeo and Jim McCaren are doing a pretty good job of standing up to them."

As for Charlotte Gibbons, the Grassadellian woman still being detained in North Korea, experts say it is likely she may be released sometime next week.

"North Korea is expected to perhaps launch a small missile that isn't aimed at any real target. That way, they can claim some kind of military victory without provoking the United States into war. And then on Sunday they will celebrate the birth of their first leader, Kim Il-Sung, and after that, the tensions will likely come back down, and Charlotte Gibbons could very well be released sometime next week," Dr. Anders Broven of the University of Roddenclanshire's Political Science Department, told the Grassadellia City Times.

If Gibbons is released, the Grassadellian government is prepared, officials say.

"We are prepared for her possible release. We are working in tandem with the government of Sweden, who will be acting on our behalf. We want to secure her release and, the hope is, North Korea will turn Ms. Gibbons over to the Swedes and they will then bring her back to Grassadellia," Deputy Foreign Affairs Secretary Dawn Hunter-Garrett told the NPF.

Gibbons' family released a statement, asking for prayers and an end to the stand-off between the two countries.

"We ask for prayers during this emotional time, as we seek the return of our beloved daughter, sister, mother and aunt. We hope she'll be home soon."