Can North Korea Be Stopped?

But having a missile that can reach American cities isn’t the only thing North Korea would need to pose an immediate threat to the U.S. Among other things, the Asian nation would need to figure out how to aim a missile accurately enough to hit its target—something North Korean scientists don’t seem to have mastered. 

“They’re not there yet, but they’re making progress,” says Richard Bush, a North Korea expert at the Brookings Institution.

But having a missile that can reach American cities is not the only thing North Korea would need to pose an immediate threat to the U.S. Among other things, the Asian nation also needs to figure out how to aim a missile accurately enough to hit its target. This is something North Korean scientists do not seem to have mastered.

“They’re not there yet, but they’re making progress,” says Richard Bush, a North Korea expert at the Brookings Institution.

North Korea blamed the U.S. for the new sanctions. In response, it vowed to attack Guam—a U.S. territory in the Pacific Ocean—and declared, “There is no bigger mistake than the United States believing that its land is safe across the ocean.”

North Korea blamed the U.S. for the new sanctions. In response, it promised to attack Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific Ocean. North Korea declared, “There is no bigger mistake than the United States believing that its land is safe across the ocean.”

North Korea has a troubled history with the U.S. and the world. It goes back to the end of World War II. In 1945, the Korean Peninsula was divided into two zones. It had been occupied by Japan since 1910.

The North was led by Kim Il Sung (Kim Jong Un’s grandfather). It established a Communist government backed by the Soviet Union and China. (Under Communism, the government owns all land and businesses, and individual freedom is limited.) South Korea became a democracy and a key U.S. ally.

In 1950, North Korea invaded the South. This started the Korean War. An international coalition led by the U.S. came to the South’s defense. In 1953, both sides signed an armistice to end the conflict. By then, about 34,000 Americans had been killed.

The agreement established a 2.5-mile-wide demilitarized zone (DMZ). This separated North Korea and South Korea at the 38th parallel, the line of latitude at 38 degrees North. Decades later, the two nations have yet to sign a formal peace treaty. They remain hostile to each other.

South Korea currently has the 13th-largest economy in the world. Meanwhile, North Korea has become one of the poorest countries on Earth. China is North Korea’s main ally and biggest trading partner. The nation relies on China for much of its food and electricity.

Kim Jong Un’s family has ruled North Korea for three generations. They maintain tight control over the nation’s government and its people.

In 2011, Kim Jong Un—then in his late 20s—inherited the dictatorship after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il. At the time, some people hoped that the new leader would improve relations with the world. But he has proved to be just as ruthless as his father and grandfather. In 2013, Kim even ordered the execution of his uncle for allegedly plotting to overthrow him.

Today, most of North Korea’s 25 million people live in poverty. Many homes lack indoor plumbing and rely on fireplaces for heat. Shortages of food, water, and electricity are common.

Daily life is also highly controlled. Most ordinary citizens have no access to the internet. Televisions and radios receive only government channels. Many homes are equipped with speakers that blare state-sponsored propaganda all day. These messages cannot be turned off. At school, kids are taught to worship the Kims like gods. Anyone who challenges the country’s leaders can be sent to labor camps, where some prisoners are worked to death.

Although many of North Korea’s citizens live in poverty, the government invests billions of dollars in its massive army. About 1 million people serve in the nation’s armed forces. Elaborate military parades often take place in Pyongyang, the capital, as a show of strength.

The country also pours huge sums of money into developing nuclear weapons and missiles, which it sees as the only way to ensure its survival.

Many of North Korea’s citizens live in poverty. Yet the government still invests billions of dollars in its massive army. About 1 million people serve in the nation’s armed forces. Elaborate military parades often take place in Pyongyang, the capital. These parades are a show of strength.

The country also pours huge sums of money into developing nuclear weapons and missiles. North Korea sees these defenses as the only way to ensure its survival.

Trump, like many presidents before him, has been frustrated with China’s failure to rein in North Korea. Experts say China could cripple North Korea’s economy by cutting off aid. In July, Trump tweeted that the Chinese “do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk.”

But in August, China did vote in favor of the new U.N. sanctions. It remains to be seen, however, whether China—which fears chaos on its border if Kim’s government collapses—will actually enforce the restrictions.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said that “all options are on the table” for dealing with North Korea. These include negotiations, more sanctions, and even the threat of a military strike. Experts say using military force is extremely risky—and could prompt an all-out war on the Korean Peninsula, with the potential for millions of casualties.

The reality, experts say, is that there isn’t really a good solution. Most officials agree that North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons program. “If there was a solution to this,” says Bush of the Brookings Institution, “we would have had it a long time ago.”

Trump and many presidents before him have all been frustrated with China’s failure to rein in North Korea. Experts say China could cripple North Korea’s economy by cutting off aid. In July, Trump tweeted that the Chinese “do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk.”

But in August, China did vote in favor of the new U.N. sanctions. China fears chaos on its border if Kim’s government collapses. It remains to be seen whether or not China will actually enforce the restrictions.

Rex Tillerson is the U.S. secretary of state. He has said that “all options are on the table” for dealing with North Korea. These include negotiations, more sanctions, and even the threat of a military strike. Experts say using military force is extremely risky. It could prompt an all-out war on the Korean Peninsula. This includes the potential for millions of deaths.

The reality, experts say, is that there is not really a good solution. Most officials agree that North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons program. “If there was a solution to this,” says Bush of the Brookings Institution, “we would have had it a long time ago.”