Ultrashroomz said: Well North Koread just sits there, and they haven't really done anything threatening to us. They would've done it by now. Maybe they're playing a game involving nuclear weapons?

They are no big threat to the west, but they are very much capable of destroying south korean cities with a nuke. Seoul is close to the border. I wouldnt be surprised they would throw a couple of nukes and swoop in. That is a real problem. We can't just reserve action for after a country and millions of innocent people have been killed.

I don't think they are stupid enough to mess with China, or even Japan for now. Japan's problem is that if they do make a move on south korea. They get more powerful and Japan is next.

Also, we can't forget the current dictator is one that has lived in the regime fed by his father's lunacy. I wouldnt be surprised if he has mental problems of the Hitler kind.

I doubt any country would want to start a world-ending war over freaking North Korea. As a matter of fact, if North Korea screws up, I can see even China joining in removing the Kim regime from power.

War over the shambles of a country known as North Korea? As if.

Little Kim Jong Un just wants some attention.

I meant peaceful regarding international relations... I know our country has high killing stats, corruption and the likes, I think every brazilian know. :P

Everyone laughs at their attempts of "terror". What do they gain from this? Like others have said already, they can never fight the entire world. Just stop already :/

If this is meant to impress their own people, then that is pointless too. According to the "lore" of north Korea, Kim jong un (or, uh, one of them) has been to the sun, built amazing machines at age 5 and solved most of the problems and diseases in the world single handledly. The poor citizens have no reason to think otherwise and no real means to discern the truth. Its very tragic, really.

Honestly, this is not a big deal.
Politics make it a big deal because it plays on people's fears, and it's an election year, so it's going to be made into one of those "what do you do about North korea" type questions.

The problem is that we've conditioned North Korea into this type of behavior. We give them aid in exchange for reducing weapons. We basically pay them off not to be trouble. Because of this, Korea has learned that all they need to do to get the things they want, is improve their military.

It's like this. If you're a fledgling nation, and you only have lots of farmland, you need to protect that farmland. So you build a military. You trade farm for weapons. In doing so, you can focus on farming improvement which then allows you to upgrade your military. The military in turn, gives you more respect and dominance over the region. Eventually, your neighbors are like, dude you have some sick guns- we should form an alliance...and we'll give you this farmland and subsidize your weapons in exchange for farming technology and border sharing. At one point, any nation could walk through this fledgling nation in free will, and now, they will get a trade agreement jst to set foot inside.

NK is like this. They have tons of minerals but no food. Lots of manpower but no market. But because they've invested their minerals and resources to weapons, they've made strong allies, like China, who are willing to support them in exchange for what is potentially a loose cannon and supplies. Additionally, then you have the rest of the world exchanging them food and medecines just to make sure they don't loose h-bombs on other countries. It's really the most efficient way for them to grow.

Instead of ostracizing them, we should be working with them. This is a Cuba situation all over again.

EDIT: And honestly, I think Kim Jong Un is the best thing to happen to NK in a long time. While yes, there is still the dogmatic rulership persisting, it's beginning to change. Kim has allowed some foreign films into the country, and has allowed dress code changes. He is somewhat westernizing the country, and that is a very big deal.

Some new info:

—North Korea says it successfully detonated its first hydrogen bomb on Wednesday morning at the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site. It called the test a “self-defense against the U.S. having numerous and humongous nuclear weapons.”

—Although there has been no independent confirmation of the test, condemnation has been nearly unanimous. China, North Korea’s main ally, says it did not know anything about the test, adding it “firmly” opposes the move. Similar statements were issued by Russia, the EU, NATO, the White House’s National Security Council, and the UN Security Council.

—There is skepticism from experts about North Korea’s claim. The White House said “initial analysis … is not consistent with” claims of a successful hydrogen bomb test.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/01/north-korea-nuclear-test/422826/