To Test or Not to Test? The Latest on North Korea from Philip Yun - Video
Recently, we’ve heard a great deal about the possibility of a third nuclear test in North Korea. Though the initial speculation of an immediate test a few weeks ago was a false alarm, recent satellite imagery has shown that the infrastructure at the site is ready for a test at any time – all North Korea has to do is insert a nuclear explosive device in the underground tunnel and seal it. At this point, the decision of whether or not to test is purely political – there are imperative military and technological reasons which make a test at some point likely, but ultimately if and when the North Koreans pull the trigger will be determined their political agenda.
The bottom line message: A test is likely. In order to gain any traction on this issue, the United States and China must communicate and agree on a coordinated approach to dealing with North Korea. Here, Executive Director Philip Yun gives us his take on the latest North Korean news.