Tensions Rising on the Korean Peninsula

When Kim Jong-un came to power in North Korea a few years ago it is safe to say the United States didn't know what to expect. I remember a time when people were starting to think that maybe this was a time we could improve relations with North Korea and finally start moving on from the 1950's. Since then, the leader has proven U.S. intelligence wrong many times, and once again we have know idea what North Korean officials are thinking. Since North Korea's newest leader is more unpredictable than ever, it looks like the U.S. is going to have to change up their strategy when dealing with the nation. They seem to be reviving their nuclear program and getting dangerously close to actually creating a nuclear weapon, something western nations historically don't want. They also seem to be stepping up their game in other areas of warfare, like cyber weapons and mobile launchers. If this conflict escalates, the implications could be far reaching and severe. As relations between China and many other counties in the area are already shaky and China being the chief financial backer of North Korea, this could get real messy real fast. I started this earlier in the week and when the class discussion turned to North Korea, it seemed like the issue had escalated even within that 24 hour time period. Since there have been more things added to the equation, and its been less than a week. It will be interesting to see if something significant comes out of this and what the Obama administration has to say in light of the president's recent trip to the area.

Katie Krupica

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