North Korea's Nuke Threats

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/03/world/asia/south-koreans-opinion-nuclear-test/index.html?iid=article_sidebar

There has been a lot of news about the nuclear threats our country has received from North Korea, headed by leader Kim Jong Un in their capitol of Pyongyang. Due to recent sanctions put on North Korea by the United Nations to regulate their nuclear weapon manufacturing, the North Korean government has become more belligerent towards the United States, with their officials releasing statements such as, "[The United States] is set to light a fuse for a nuclear war," which was spoken by a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman. Such statements cannot be taken lightly considering the immense amount of danger lying behind them. Referencing back to my group's presentation in class over nuclear weapons, the destruction caused by a nuclear attack is enough to kill and seriously injure millions of people.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/07/world/asia/un-north-korea-sanctions/index.html

I'm sure our government officials have a lot on their plates and must be decisive when choosing what is more important when steering their efforts, but if I were in office, these nuclear threats would definitely be on the top of the "important" list. And in fact, the US government has, indeed, heeded the threats and taken action to strengthen our nuclear defense by employing more missile interceptors and reactivating Missile Field 1, which was mothballed (decommissioned) in 2011. Both actions are to be supported under a budget totaling about $1 billion, according to Pentagon officials. There are also doubts about whether or not North Korea even has the ability to attack the US with a nuclear weapon due to their primitive technology and lack of uranium enrichment knowledge, even though both of those categories are continuing to rise. The price and said doubts might cause you to question the true necessity for such a large investment in missile defense, but Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel believes action is imperative "to not take any chances...to stay ahead of the threat and to assure any contingency." I agree with Washington's reasoning, most of them seeming to be in accordance with missile defense advancement, I believe it is incredibly important that we make sure that in the event a nuclear weapon would be discharged towards our country that we would have the necessary tools to impede it.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/07/world/asia/un-north-korea-sanctions/index.html

However, the threats we have been receiving are relatively new in comparison to another country that has seemed to have always been under North Korea's radar. South Korea has also been issued nuke threats from Pyongyang, but they are not as concerned as we are. Perhaps 30 years ago, nuclear threats from North Korea to South Korea would cause concern and preemptive measures, but in today's day and age South Koreans are well used to the threats from their northern neighbors who like to refer to them as a "group of puppet traitors." Researchers and inhabitants of South Korea explain their reasoning as adaptation, if you will. South Koreans have grown to accept national threats from North Korea as a way of life and are far more focused on domestic affairs such as jobs and their economy.

To be in a situation in which my country's well-being is a secondary concern to the majority of its citizens seems to be very odd and counterintuitive position, but simultaneously, it is understandable. Many South Koreans cannot afford to trouble themselves day after day with every new threat placed on them by North Korea. However, as for my country, we are not accustomed to such threats and I am perfectly okay with taking any preemptive measures necessary to protect our nation, especially with Kim Jong Un's increasing bellicose. It is a heavy situation to be in, we could be on the brink of a nuclear war, but I believe with the right actions taken and the right decisions made by our leaders, we will be just fine.