North Korea, behind its new leader Kim Jong-un, has recently upped the ante in its long-running war of words with South Korea and the United States. In response to recently approved UN sanctions, North Korea is now lashing out in defiance of U.S. policies designed to keep the rogue nation in check. Pyongyang recently conducted nuclear and long-range missile tests that are still being analyzed by international experts. Many believe that North Korea is close to obtaining functional nuclear weapons, but that they have not achieved the level of technical sophistication necessary to present a credible nuclear threat to the U.S.
South Korea, however, has much more to worry given its proximity to its hostile neighbor to the north. South Korea and the United States are currently in the midst of two months of war games that the North is pointing to as provocation. North Korea has responded with its own series of military exercises, although South Korea has not deemed them to be an overt threat.
In addition to increasing shows of force, North Korea has also declared the existing armistice that maintains relative peace between North and South Korea to be void. Pyongyang also shut down a Red Cross hotline that has traditionally been used as a peaceful line of communication between the two sides, coordinating aid shipments and reunions for families separated since the Korean War.
"This is part of their brinksmanship," said Daniel Pinkston, a Korean relations expert with the International Crisis Group. "It's an effort to signal their resolve, to show they are willing to take greater risks, with the expectation that everyone else caves in and gives them what they want."
South Korea, however, has much more to worry given its proximity to its hostile neighbor to the north. South Korea and the United States are currently in the midst of two months of war games that the North is pointing to as provocation. North Korea has responded with its own series of military exercises, although South Korea has not deemed them to be an overt threat.
In addition to increasing shows of force, North Korea has also declared the existing armistice that maintains relative peace between North and South Korea to be void. Pyongyang also shut down a Red Cross hotline that has traditionally been used as a peaceful line of communication between the two sides, coordinating aid shipments and reunions for families separated since the Korean War.
"This is part of their brinksmanship," said Daniel Pinkston, a Korean relations expert with the International Crisis Group. "It's an effort to signal their resolve, to show they are willing to take greater risks, with the expectation that everyone else caves in and gives them what they want."
