Should US Take North Korea Seriously?

             Shame on North Korea.  The North Korean leadership continues to escalate bellicose rhetoric and actions.  Yet, most Americans believe if the talk turns to action, America will turn North Korea into a parking lot.  Most analysts don’t believe North Korea is anywhere near having the technological capabilities to build a nuclear missile, much less deliver one to the American homeland.  However, we should not write off Dictator Kim Jong-un so quickly, as an initial attack could inflict serious damage to the United States and allies.

            Kim Jong-un has ramped up war preparations in the past few months.  North Korea detonated a small nuclear device on February 12, 2013.  Since then, the state controlled media released a propaganda video which depicted a destroyed city resembling New York. 

The nation has said it will no longer abide by the 1953 armistice agreement, which restored the border between North and South Korea following the Korean War.  Kim Jong-un has issued multiple and direct verbal threats to the United States, South Korea, Japan, and others.  The dictator cut the direct line between Seoul and Pyongyang.  Can one imagine if the Soviet Union had done this during the Cuban Missile Crisis?  The North Korean leader has readied military forces, conducted training exercises, and Fox News reports is entering a 'state of war.'  There are seemingly no serious thoughts of an attack on America, yet the United States’ show of force by flying B-2 stealth bombers over South Korea may be an indicator that there is more than meets the eye.

            A new series of released photos in the North Korean war room may inadvertently show a North Korean ‘U.S. Mainland Strike Plan.’  On these maps appearing in the photos, Guam, Hawaii, Washington D.C., and Austin, Texas as potential targets.  Each is obviously a strategic military target.  While analysts dismiss a mainland attack, North Korea has other means to employ, which would more likely resemble a terrorist plot than an invasion.  As a non-party to the Chemical Weapons Convention, North Korea has an estimated 5000 tons of chemical weapons.  They have the demonstrated ability to detonate a small nuclear device, which could lead one to believe they have the capability to initiate a dirty bomb style attack.  In an article on March 30, 2013 by Jim Michaels of USA Today, some analysts believe that an initial attack could be potentially damaging as Kim Jong-un would attempt to overwhelm opposing forces by sheer volume of attacks. 

            North Korea’s best ally and protectorate is China.  Recent and frequent cyber attacks have targeted financial institutions, energy companies, and even the U.S. military.  The cyber attacks are seemingly coming from China.  While the Chinese government vehemently denies involvement in the hackings, one must consider the possibility of a rogue group, or even North Korean operatives attempting to steal the information necessary to aid Kim Jong-un’s quest in creating a nuclear missile warhead.  North Korea, much like their Chinese counterparts, has a state controlled communist media outlet.  Leaked videos and photos from North Korea very well could be to distract from true targets in the event of an attack.  New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Austin, Guam, Hawaii, Seoul, Tokyo, and U.S. military bases have all been singled out by North Korea.  But with chemical warheads and dirty bomb style attacks, cities such as Chicago, San Diego, and St. Louis can not be ruled out as potential targets in an attack. 

Even Milwaukee could be targeted, playing host to homegrown events like Summerfest, or even with the agricultural reputation of the state.  The Department of Homeland Security obtained information that terrorist groups had planned to attack smaller American cities to demoralize the populace’s feeling of safety within the homeland.  A North Korean attack on the mainland would be more similar to a terrorist attack, thus voiding the possibility of a safe feeling anywhere.

            It is unclear how serious Kim Jong–un is about going to war.  It would be an unlikely scenario if the dictator was unaware of the forces that would come down upon his country in the event of an actual war.  However, this is the present problem.  All of the rhetoric is reactive.  There seems to be no sense of a need to preemptively stop possible North Korean aggression against South Korea, Japan, and the United States.  While the rhetoric is increasingly belligerent, the reaction is increasingly reactive.  A more proactive approach to North Korea now could prevent reactive actions if North Korean rhetoric turns to action.  However, much like the Cold War, foreign relations with the rogue nation is much like a game of chess, calculated and precise.  If we play our pieces correctly, we can avoid a war-like conflict with North Korea.  We should still go about our days normally, yet aware of the gravity of the situation.  Awareness to the possibilities could be the ultimate American weapon.  Should the North continue down the path of war, an ignorant America simply writing them off could be Kim Jong-un’s greatest weapon.  Proactive foreign policy and an aware population can change the discourse of North Korea.  The time has come to change our reactive attitudes into proactive ones, thus avoiding the potential need to turn North Korea into a parking lot altogether.

Referenced Articles On North Korea:

• Michaels, Jim, and Tom Vanden Brook. "North Korea could inflict significant damage in attack." USA Today 30 Mar. 2013. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/03/30/north-korea-military-attack-threat/2036639/.
• "North Korea in 'state of war' with Seoul, as US officials denounce remarks, stand ready." FoxNews.com. Fox News, 30 Mar. 2013. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/30/north-korea-in-tate-war-with-seoul-as-us-officials-denounce-remarks-stand-ready/.