North Korea is going through one of its periodical fits where it threatens to blow up its neighbors and the US along with them. Since we are about head into foreign policymaking in 2305 - which includes military policy - a few items related to how the US might respond to this event (I'm not sure of the word crisis is appropriate - possibly of you are South Korea or Japan) are appropriate. It's missiles have an outside range of 900 miles, which means it can also hit parts of China, Mongolia and Russia - in addition to American military bases.
By the way, the official name of North Korea is the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea." Which reminds of a quip I once heard that any country that has the word "democratic" in its name is not really a democracy.
For context:
- CIA World Factbook: North Korea. For general background.
- For more background: NYT Topics - North Korea.
- Wikipedia: History of Korea. For broad context - if you are really ambitious.
- Wikipedia: Division of Korea. It was unified under Japanese rule until the end of World War II. The nature of the occupation - brutal - still conditions its relationships with Japan.
- Wikipedia: Korean War. Note that the war is still officially under cease fire. It is not official over.
- Korea was one of the "hot" areas of conflict in what was otherwise known as the Cold War.
North Korea is described in the CIA World Factbook as a Communist state one-man dictatorship. There have been three dictators - grandfather, father, and son - since it was established in 1948. Interestingly the old man still has an official position in the government despite being dead for almost 20 years.
- Wikipedia: Worker's Party of Korea.
- Wikipedia: Kim Il-sung.
- Wikipedia: Kim Jong-il.
- Wikipedia: Kim Jong-un.
The new leader is young and considered to be green and untested. This makes him unpredictable - which worries some.
- Some Q and A regarding North Korea's nuclear capabilities.
A few stories to bring us up to speed on what's going on currently:
- Questions for an expert . . .
- Pyongyang blusters . . .
- Global Powers Cast Wary Eye . . .
- US Missile Shield sent to Guam .. .
