OPINION: Kim Jong Un-Stoppable

Korea’s Quest for a Rocket

Image+via+KimJunUnLookingAtThings.com

Image via KimJunUnLookingAtThings.com

Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, North Korea has been a spiny thorn in the side of the United States. Whether it be the country’s dismissal of the world’s concerns about their growing nuclear arsenal, their “Supreme Leader” Kim Jong-Un‘s ignorance in regards to foreign policies, or simply the poor treatment of their own citizens, the question of what to do with North Korea has been a persistent issue for the United States.

This challenge grew even more complex with North Korea’s recent satellite launch on February 8, 2016.

Not only do we have no idea what the satellite does, or what purpose it is supposed to serve, but the launch was a direct violation of the UN’s policies regarding North Korea’s space program. While Kim Jong-Un claims that the satellite will be used for “peaceful purposes,” many nations — particularly their neighbor Japan — believe that the Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite could be used to retrieve information about its neighboring countries in preparation for a missile strike.

Scarier still, North Korea had conducted a series of nuclear tests just a month before this new rocket launch. This satellite, along with North Korea’s nuclear history, are signs that North Korea is growing increasingly bold over the past decade and no longer fears the outside world. Many world leaders are concerned that North Korea could be the nation that launches WWIII, which could be a nuclear war with devastating results worldwide. North Korea’s communist allies, Russia and China, have expressed regret that North Korea launched the satellite and are continuing to lobby their ally to return the rocket to earth.

Another nation that shares great concern over North Korea’s recent activity is the small, democratic country of South Korea. Backed by the United States, South Korea has grow into an economically and diplomatically successful country. Unlike their Northern counterparts, South Koreans have no love for nuclear programs and would appreciate the help of the United Nations in constraining their aggressive Northern relatives.

However, we shouldn’t blame all of North Korea for the rocket launch and its nuclear issues; rather, the man to blame is Kim Jong-Un.

Unfortunately, North Korea is a country that has no internet and a media that is solely controlled by the government, leading many citizens of North Korea to believe their country is doing nothing wrong. This also falls on the shoulders of American journalists and media who have done nothing to help ease the situation. Instead of showing North Korea in a serious and dangerous light, American media tends to laugh at North Korea and shrug them off as a minor issue in our lives. If we don’t start seriously working to resolve the issues with their country, North Korea will continue to be a global threat.