A North Korean soldier watches the South Korean side at the border village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone in Korea. Yonhap, Lee Jong-hoon/AP
North Korea Sure Is Acting Like It Wants to Start a War
The rogue nation has reportedly suggested to the Russian, British, and other governments that they might want to evacuate their embassies.
The situation on the Korean peninsula is not getting any better today, as the North continues to posture as though it's ready to start a war. Reports arrived on Friday morning that Pyongyang has loaded two mid-range ballistic missiles onto mobile launch platforms, which they promptly hid somewhere along the east coast. The North has also reportedly suggested to the Russian, British, and other governments that they might want to evacuate their embassy, a move meant to suggest that things could soon get ugly.
They've also let slip that Kim Jong-un has beefed up his private security detail, again acting as though he believes trouble is coming.
The American government is trying to project an "all-is calm" attitude about the increasingly hostile maneuvers—a "regrettable but familiar" pattern, according to White House Spokesperson Jay Carney—but their actions definitely betray a note of concern. They're moving forward with plans to put a missile defense battery in Guam, while South Korea has deployed two Aegis destroyer ships (equipped with state of the radar systems) off their own coasts to be on alert for flying objects.