This February, North Korea began building up its nuclear arsenal, until it is big enough to make it past American nuclear weapon interceptors. Since the large development in North Korea’s arsenal, they have upped the threats to both American and South Korean ships who have been conducting regular training exercises together. North Korea was condemning the training exercises before, but now with the huge build-up of nuclear arms, they have become more vocal about their hatred for U.S. ships in the area. 

North Korea’s response to the training exercises has also included missile tests. The missile tests have put thousands of Chinese, South Korean, and Japanese people at risk of radiation. Then, in response to the missile tests, the U.S. and South Korea started Ballistic Missile Defense drills. 

There is the possibility that North Korea could strike the U.S. mainland with nuclear weapons, however, they do not have enough to strike civilian targets, so in the unlikely event they did strike the continental United States, the greater Chicago area would only have to worry about mild radiation. This excludes the people living near the very major, very important, naval base who will most likely be experiencing slightly less mild, most likely deadly radiation. 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg visited the South Korean capital of Seoul on Jan. 29 to talk of North Korea’s recent threats, and North Korea responded by heavily criticizing the visit and calling it a “prelude to war,” according to KoreaTimes. Stoltenberg arrived in Asia on Jan. 28 to improve relations with Asian partners including South Korea, and Japan. However, Asia is out of NATO’s operational scope which is part of North Korea’s hostility to NATO becoming a part of Asian politics especially since South Korea and Japan are NATO partners. However, not in NATO close relations are maintained between the two nations.

“I think they [North Korea] are trying to be big and scary just to be big and scary,” Social Studies teacher Sarah Stucky said.

North Korea, although most likely will not act on any threats, possesses the means to hit the U.S. and its allies hard, and having good relations with the Chinese Communist Party makes them a bigger threat. North Korea wants to be seen as a nuclear power that is to be feared and it will try its hardest to get to that position.