Friday, January 4, 2008

Korea Vulnerable

I have spent a significant portion of my adult life in Korea. I am married to a Korean and have a son whose genes are half Korean. I work here. I live here. And the future scares the hell out of me even more so were I back home in the BushCheney-ravaged US. Why? Korea is poor in natural resources, but has a huge population density. Can you say conflict?

Korea's situation is like that of Ireland. One is an island, the other at the end of a peninsula blocked from China by an unfriendly and already-economically devastated brother. Isolated, relatively speaking. Both are extremely reliant upon, nee dependent upon imported energy. When TSHTF, these two nations are among the most vulnerable of the OECD nations.

As stated before, one of the problems with our oil addiction is it is so pervasive. Oil is in the price of everything, either directly manufactured with oil, with things made with oil, or transported by it. Everything. As the price of oil rises, so does everything else. Eventually. Producers try to keep prices down to avoid demand destruction, but how long can they wait? Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

Documentary with parallels to the Korean situation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sPDNR2YS3s

Recent Korean news:

Soaring Oil Price a Warning Signal for Korea’s Economy
Optimism Alone Can't Solve the Oil Problem
How Will $100 a Barrel Oil Impact Consumers?
Korean Air Hikes Fuel Surcharge by w100,000
Nuclear Power in Korea
Transportation in Korea

On a positive note, the Korean government isn't as stupid or bullheaded as BushCheney. They know there is a problem. They are setting aside money to invest in energy resources abroad and are planning to build additional nuclear reactors. (Is nuclear an option?) I hope they move fast. Will the recession underway in the US and subsequent likely depression prevent this? If so, watch out. We will be living back in the Choson Kingdom. That's Iron Age.

When TSHTF, what are people going to do? What are WE going to do? (More on that later.)

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