North Korea’s Aggressive Rhetoric Sparks U.S. Concerns of Impending Military Action

Recently, evaluations have emerged suggesting that North Korea’s threats toward the Korean Peninsula have crossed a dangerous threshold, leading American officials to predict the possibility of lethal military action within weeks.

According to The New York Times (NYT) on the 25th (local time), U.S. officials are concerned that Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea’s recent hardline stance, appears to be part of a “provocation” pattern. Still, the level of aggression is higher than in previous statements.

Officials argue that they should take these provocations seriously and prepare countermeasures. Although they do not foresee a full-scale war in the Korean Peninsula, they point out the possibility of an attack in a way that avoids a rapid escalation of tension.

The NYT cited the Yeonpyeong Island shelling incident in November 2010 as an example. It was an incident where 4 people, including 2 marines, were fuelled due to North Korea’s artillery provocation.

North Korea’s aggressive actions have been increasing in frequency. Most recently, on the 24th, they test-fired a new strategic cruise missile, Bulhwasal-3-31, and on the 14th, they launched an ultra-sonic medium-range ballistic missile (IRBM).

On the 5th of this month, the North Korean military fired 200 rounds of coastal artillery, mainly at sea near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea. In response, the Marine Corps countered with over 400 rounds of fire from K9 self-propelled guns and tank guns.

At the same time, Kim, in his policy speech at the Supreme People’s Assembly on the 15th, stated that the expressions “self-reliance, peaceful reunification, and national solidarity” in the constitution should also be deleted and the concepts of “reunification, reconciliation, and kinship” should be removed entirely. He also ordered the demolition of the Three Charters for National Reunification monument, which he called an ‘eyesore’ at the southern gate of the capital, Pyongyang.

In response to these actions, U.S. officials said that even though North Korea’s wide-ranging strategy is to create anxiety, the threat has crossed a dangerous threshold, and there is an unprecedented level of cooperation between Russia and North Korea, so they should prepare for military action.

Jonathan Finer, Deputy National Security Advisor of the National Security Council (NSC) at the White House, pointed out at the Asia Society Policy Institute forum held in Washington that day, “North Korea has chosen to continue going down a very negative path.”

Daniel Russel, Vice President for International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, argued that recent remarks by Kim show an intention to attack beyond the 2010 Yeonpyeong Island shelling, saying, “We must prepare for the possibility of Kim Jong Un taking shocking physical action.”