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This makes sense to me at first blush - DPRK’s primary defensive strategy seems to be “if you attack us, we’ll obliterate South Korea”. Why try to seriously th

This makes sense to me at first blush - DPRK’s primary defensive strategy seems to be “if you attack us, we’ll obliterate South Korea”. Why try to seriously threaten the US mainland, when it’s significantly easier to hold millions of US-allied civilians hostage?

dragontamer 5y ago
You're thinking in terms of US-centered politics. North Korean politics are game-of-thrones style medieval kings and queens. Kim Jong un is the supreme-ruler of North Korea. At a relatively young age of 38-years-old, he barely commands respect of his political apparatus. Kim Jong-un has killed his brother and uncle in a dramatic show of force to consolidate power. It seems like he's decided that annoying the USA is now to his own political gain. Kim Jong-un's primary motivation is to perpetuate his myth and legend, to continue to prove to his people that he's a god-given King who deserves to rule over the nation. Much like his father. But any of Kim Jong Un's political rivals can capture the "mandate of heaven" if they prove themselves worthy on the public stage. ----------- From the perspective of "proving that god / the heavens are on Kim Jong Un's side", pissing off the USA unnecessarily does a good job at that.
- notahacker 5y ago
  And even without the factional struggles and insane personality cults, the DPRK's position is that the US is the real enemy preventing unification with their southern neighbour. For both ideological and strategic reasons, any country wants the capacity be able to threaten their real enemy, not just their immediate neighbour, especially if that neighbour is - according to their political theory - a kindred nation under the yoke of the hated enemy. Missile threats to the US probably irritate their tacit Chinese allies less than missile threats on the Korean peninsula too...
lobocinza 5y ago
Because some day the supreme leader will be in a bad mood and finally decide to push that button.
dirtyid 5y ago
Because "if you attack us, we'll obliterate San Francisco" is much better insurance policy. And SK has been pursuing missiles for NK decapitation strike for past few years with US blessing. So it's also message for US to keep SK on leash and that US ultimately is culpable for SK behavior.
vkou 5y ago
> Why try to seriously threaten the US mainland, when it’s significantly easier to hold millions of US-allied civilians hostage? Because if South Korea falls out of US favor for whatever reason (revolution, coup, geo-politics, Trump Jr. becoming god-king-for-life with an allergy to Korean food), the current defensive strategy stops working. If you want to know how much help an allied civilian can expect in the long run, you could always ask the Kurds in Syria. You'll be betrayed whenever it is politically expedient. Having ICBMs is much more effective defensive strategy, because it works against any non-insane adversary, in any set of circumstances.

dragontamer 5y ago

You're thinking in terms of US-centered politics. North Korean politics are game-of-thrones style medieval kings and queens. Kim Jong un is the supreme-ruler of North Korea. At a relatively young age of 38-years-old, he barely commands respect of his political apparatus. Kim Jong-un has killed his brother and uncle in a dramatic show of force to consolidate power. It seems like he's decided that annoying the USA is now to his own political gain. Kim Jong-un's primary motivation is to perpetuate his myth and legend, to continue to prove to his people that he's a god-given King who deserves to rule over the nation. Much like his father. But any of Kim Jong Un's political rivals can capture the "mandate of heaven" if they prove themselves worthy on the public stage. ----------- From the perspective of "proving that god / the heavens are on Kim Jong Un's side", pissing off the USA unnecessarily does a good job at that.

notahacker 5y ago
And even without the factional struggles and insane personality cults, the DPRK's position is that the US is the real enemy preventing unification with their southern neighbour. For both ideological and strategic reasons, any country wants the capacity be able to threaten their real enemy, not just their immediate neighbour, especially if that neighbour is - according to their political theory - a kindred nation under the yoke of the hated enemy. Missile threats to the US probably irritate their tacit Chinese allies less than missile threats on the Korean peninsula too...

lobocinza 5y ago

Because some day the supreme leader will be in a bad mood and finally decide to push that button.

dirtyid 5y ago

Because "if you attack us, we'll obliterate San Francisco" is much better insurance policy. And SK has been pursuing missiles for NK decapitation strike for past few years with US blessing. So it's also message for US to keep SK on leash and that US ultimately is culpable for SK behavior.

vkou 5y ago

> Why try to seriously threaten the US mainland, when it’s significantly easier to hold millions of US-allied civilians hostage? Because if South Korea falls out of US favor for whatever reason (revolution, coup, geo-politics, Trump Jr. becoming god-king-for-life with an allergy to Korean food), the current defensive strategy stops working. If you want to know how much help an allied civilian can expect in the long run, you could always ask the Kurds in Syria. You'll be betrayed whenever it is politically expedient. Having ICBMs is much more effective defensive strategy, because it works against any non-insane adversary, in any set of circumstances.