My Perspective on North Korea

It has been over a week since the last post because I've been caught up studying for the bar exam, and it pretty much consumes all of my energy and doesn't leave a lot of free time. So apologies to anyone who previously relied on Legally Irreverent for daily amusement.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been in the news a lot. On May 25, they conducted their second nuclear test. The DPRK also conducted a surface to air missile test.

The international community, including United Nations Security Council, the EU, the United States, and even the People's Republic of China have issued varying levels of opposition/condemnation/rebuke.

I honestly do not understand why the international community bothers with these sorts of condemnations.

The DPRK has a history of defying UN Security Council Resolutions, and responding to public pressure with the North Korean equivalent of the middle finger (missile test, skirmishes, etc).

The North Korean public displays of capability, abbreviated as PDC, usually serve two purposes. Domestically, the North Korean leadership is constantly in a state of flux. Apart from the leadership at the very top (Kim Jong-Il), the members of the military and the ruling elite are constantly struggling for control. Successful PDCs often correspond to a member of the ruling elite/military asserting their position and relative strength, and the PDCs are used as "merit" to indicate the successful management/development of a particular capability by the leadership.

The international community's public rebuke essentially serves to strengthen the position of the hardliners in the military and the party, and also position of the individuals responsible for the PDC.

So maybe it is the international community's intention to strengthen the DPRK ruling elites?