If you have been watching the news, scrolling through social media or listening to the radio you will notice that there has been a lot of information about North Korea and the threat they could pose. The BBC outlined the somewhat messy history of the U.S. and North Korea, beginning in the 1900s. 

A key focus point was in 1985, when North Korea joined the International Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, barring the country from producing nuclear weapons. The current state of North Korea and the U.S. now is very different from the 1980s version in which large weapon testing has become a frequent event. 

North Korea was first accused of violating the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1993, making them the first country to began their test fires, firing a medium-range Rodong ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan. 

In December of 2002, North Korea announced that they would begin reactivating nuclear facilities at Yongbyon and expelled UN inspectors, followed by the 2003 withdrawal from multiple non-proliferation treaties. 

The years leading up to today were filled with missile tests, military expansion and several international skirmishes. 

In September 2017, North Korea spread claims that they had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, and according to NPR, “leader Kim Jong Un personally signed off on the test.” 

{{tncms-inline content=”<p>“North Korean Leader Kim Jun Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!”</p>” id=”dfea1bcb-d381-4d40-bd62-007e6a22654b” style-type=”quote” title=”Trump Tweet” type=”relcontent”}}

President Donald Trump tweeted in response: “North Korea has conducted a major Nuclear Test. Their words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States.” 

Trump called North Korea a “rogue nation,” and stated that they were a “threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success.” 

The continuation of Trump’s presidency has been marked with increasing threats from North Korea, such as boasts about a new intercontinental ballistic missile which could “hit anywhere in the United States,” according to CNBC. 

This has been met with responses from the United States, such as Defense Secretary James Mattis’ statements including, “any threat to the United States and its territories including Guam or our allies will be met with a massive military response – a response both effective and overwhelming.” 

Mattis has been clear to emphasize that a military option is not off the table, while urging North Korea to heed the United Nations Security Council’s “unified voice” and commit to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. However, this has not been a motion that North Korea has followed, as it continues to develop long-range missiles, and nuclear warheads. 

According to NBC, Trump’s responses to the threat of North Korea has left the American people feeling less than confident in the White House’s ability to dismantle the risk. 

Trump tweeted Jan. 2 “North Korean Leader Kim Jun Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!” 

This tweet was a reaction to Kim’s New Year’s Day remarks in which he alluded to having a nuclear button at the ready. According to NBC, after that statement from the North Korean leader, Trump tweeted 16 tweets in 24 hours. 

On Jan. 13, Hawaii went through a ballistic missile scare. An emergency alert was mistakenly sent out throughout Hawaii warning of an incoming missile threat. The mistake was later corrected but the damage had already been done. 

This message led to mass panic, with scenes such as parents sheltering their children in storm drains and people abandoning their cars on the highway being shown on news outlets around the world. Hawaiians feared an attack after North Korea issued a statement April 30, 2017 that they had their missiles “assigned to strike bases of the US imperialist aggressor troops in the US mainland and on Hawaii…” according to Hawaii News Now. 

The most recent developments have been the Olympic discussions between North Korea and South Korea. The 2018 Olympics are in South Korea in February, and the meeting between the two Koreas focused on finding a way for North Korean athletes to attend the Games. According to BBC News, Kim Jong Un said that sending a delegation to the Games would be “a good opportunity to show unity of the people.” 

{{tncms-inline content=”<p>Kim Jong-un said that sending a delegation to the Games would be “a good opportunity to show unity of the people.”</p>” id=”2a00cf92-6cb5-43cd-b105-dee76e1178ff” style-type=”quote” title=”Unity” type=”relcontent”}}

Diplomatic talks such as these are also hopeful on the side of the United States’ relationship with North Korea. According to Reuters, Trump said Jan. 11 he has a very good relationship with Korean leader Kim Jong Un. This change of tone could possibly signal a different approach to the North Korean threat. Trump has also recently signaled that he is willing to negotiate with North Korea instead of the consistent rhetoric of insults that has become Trump’s go-to strategy with Kim Jong-Un. 

For many analysts, the talks between North and South Korea, as well as Trump’s new willingness to negotiate could signal a new diplomatic relationship between North Korea and the United States.