North Korea has been in the world’s spotlight in 2016, causing many countries to be worried over its actions. The constant threats by North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, to launch missiles and other weapons have been major headlines in the news, much to the dismay of many countries which criticize such militaristic boldness.
Although North Koreans are starving, North Korea has continued to exhibit its military power, conducting nuclear missile tests, much to the disappointment of the United Nations. North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb on Jan. 6, with reported seismic activity supporting its statement. Yet many countries, such as the U.S., highly doubt that the North was truly able to detonate such a nuclear weapon.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said that the reports of the detonation did not indicate that a successful detonation had taken place. Even if North Korea’s claim to have detonated a hydrogen bomb turns out to be false, a more pressing matter has occurred: it has launched a satellite into space via a rocket.
This accomplishment of North Korea has certainly put the U.S. on high alert, because the launch shows that North Korea is capable of launching a long-range missile. In the past, North Korea has threatened to attack the western coast of the U.S., including Hawaii, but not many people on the West Coast seem to be frightened about this.
When interviewed, Kevin Kim, a Loyola High School sophomore, told JSR, “North Korea has posed multiple threats to their closest neighbor (South Korea), but nothing major has really happened other than tension.”
The real question that remains unanswered seems to be whether or not North Korea poses an imminent threat to the U.S. and other countries around the globe. Although some citizens worry about North Korea’s threat to attack, some are not fazed by North Korea’s military exhibition.
