Anyone for a game of Ping Pyong?

Tension between South Korea and their neighbours to the North have again escalated after what has been a period of relative calm between the two sides, which are still technically at war since the Korean War in the 1950s "stopped" after the signing of a fragile armistice.

Having had two rather liberal presidents in recent times, the North and South began a Sunshine policy whereby trade, investments and cross border relations flowed with relative ease.

However, all that seems to have changed after the recent election of South Korea's new president, Lee Myung-Bak, a conservative who has infuriated those in Pyongyang by linking economic aid to the North's nuclear disarmament as well as revisiting the topic of North Korea's dismal human rights record.

Mr Lee's actions of late have resulted in a series of hostile dialogue between the North and South which to date has no end in sight.

The catalyst for a gradual deterioration in relations began in March 27, when South Korean officials were asked to leave from a joint industrial complex just north of the border.

The North then began test-firing its missiles the following day and subsequently accused Seoul of breaching the sea border, when three warships allegedly entered North Korean waters.

Tensions escalated when Seoul's top military general, General Kim Tae-Young, hinted at a pre-emptive strike on North's nuclear sites which was followed by a comment by Pyongyang's chief delegate to inter-Korean military talks, Lieutenant General Kim Yong-Chol,who saying that the North would take military countermeasures and leave South Korea in "ashes."
South Korea has responded by rejecting Pyongyang's demand for an apology for the general's remarks and has asked the North to return to talks.

On Thursday the North said that it was suspending all inter-Korean dialogue and closing the border to Seoul officials.

With all these mounting tensions and threats of all out war, one might assume that the Koreas are on the brink of total annihilation. However, given the track record between the North and South, it would be a safe bet to hold that this is nothing short of a political storm in a tea cup.

North Korea just like Iraq in the Saddam era, Iran under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Palestine under Hamas and every other country under every other leader who hates the west is simply bluffing.

The stance from these countries plays like a broken record that cannot be changed, (except possibly via economic sanctions). It is almost like a scenario playing out between a mother and their child if you may.

When the child does not get its way, it sulks and cries and throws a tantrum in the middle of the shopping centre in the hope that the louder its cries of protests, the closer it is to getting its way.

Yet little does the child know that the mother is calling the child's bluff without even a hint of humouring the child's requests.

As such, amidst this political tantrum by Pyongyang, expect little more than a bat of the eyelid by Seoul or the United States. After all, the North requires economic aid and without the constant flow of international assistance, it is simply a country in famine with a million strong army.

Although the scenario of a starving country with multiple nuclear weapons in its arsenal that is led by an anti-Western dictator paints a rather bleak picture, track records have shown that the North is unwilling to unleash total war.

Given the climate and situation back home it is therefore in the best interests of the North to swallow its pride and to resume talks with the South given that the closing of its borders is simply an act of self isolation that will hurt no one but itself.