North Korea and South Korea exchange fire.

[AGS]

This just in: BBC Linky

How long before this finally boils over into open conflict?

1) If there is ever a good time for the North to invade the South it would be now. Or soon, at least. Their relative military strength compared to the South will not improve, it is likely to become worse - so the longer they wait the less chance they have of success. Also, given the (supposed) threat of uprising within his state the NK diktator might just decide it would be a good idea to invade the south and establish his regime for good. Also the North might think it is a good idea to strike now since the US is heavily involved elsewhere and might not intervene.

2) The South might decide to invade the North on the other hand. Given the perceived threat of uprising, the South might think it good to win a military conquest and get it done with before the North disintegrates into a fragmented feudal state with ten madmen vying for rule instead of one, with tons of refugees and to clean that up would be a mess.

(I just had the crazy idea of North and South Korean military types reading this and doing just that, and then ten years from now on cracked.com: "The forum post that started a war")

[ggeezz]

It's all your fault.