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The Latest North Korean Rocket Launch

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By William Tucker

North Korea launched another long range UNHA-3 rocket Wednesday, but unlike previous attempts this launch was actually successful. The same cannot be said for the satellite that was put in orbit. According to several reports, the satellite is in an erratic orbit. Shortly after the launch the international condemnation rained down without so much as an acknowledgement from Pyongyang. They done this before and they’ll do it again if it suits their interests. After all, North Korea knows all too well that the international condemnations will not put the rocket back on the pad, nor will there be any consequences to the action. While the international reaction was predictable, it is the internal activities that we’ll have to watch closely. Kim Jong-un has been working to rebalance the North Korean political system and although changes have been made, the final outcome is still uncertain.

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North Korean Assassination Attempt Disrupted

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By William Tucker

Shifting through North Korean news can be at once torturous and humorous. On the one hand, international concern over the upcoming rocket launch has come to dominate headlines, but this news is coming on the heels of the reported discovery of a unicorn lair and the mistaken thought that a U.S. publication had seriously spent time extolling the physical virtues of Kim Jong-un.

Meeting in the Middle: The Importance of a Broad Strategic View in National Security

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Edward J. Hagerty, Ph.D.
Program Director, National Security Studies at American Military University

Israel is rattling sabers and forcefully denouncing Iranian negotiations over its nuclear program as merely a stalling tactic, while Washington and its allies prepare to meet soon in further efforts to deter Iran from its nuclear goals.  Could there be a settlement at hand, or will an Israeli strike lead to a wider regional conflict?

North Korea’s Cyber Warfare Capabilities

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By William Tucker

“The newest addition to the North Korean asymmetric arsenal is a growing cyber warfare capability. North Korea employs sophisticated computer hackers trained to launch cyberinfiltration and cyber-attacks against the ROK and U.S. Such attacks are ideal for North Korea, providing the regime a means to attack ROK and U.S. interests without attribution, and have been increasingly employed against a variety of targets including military and government.

North Korea Launches New Rocket

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By William Tucker

US and South Korean governments are stating that North Korea has launched its newest long-range rocket, the UNHA-3. At this point it looks as is if it has failed. The rocket launch was successful and the first stage had separated successfully, but it was the second and third stages that failed to separate. According to early reporting, this forced the rocket to crash into the ocean.

North Korean Defector Convicted in Assassination Attempt

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By William Tucker

A North Korean defector has been sentenced to four years in prison for attempting to assassinate an anti-North Korean activist today. The court alleged that an individual identified only as An was paid by North Korea to use a poisoned needle to kill his target. An’s target was supposed to be Park Sang-hak, an activist known to fly balloons over the DMZ and into the North.

Under Kim Jong-Un, North Korea Maintains Familiar Policy

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By William Tucker

Since the death of Kim Jong-Il in December of last year, two assumptions were made regarding the future of North Korea. One, Kim Jong-Un would order some form of provocative behavior without any sort of public warning to assert his hold on power, and two, the new leader would enjoy unquestioned rule. The problem with these assertions stems from a common misunderstanding of how North Korea functions.

Report: North Korea Tested an Iranian Nuclear Weapon

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By William Tucker

Over the past few weeks there have been small reports making their way through the press that suggest North Korea conducted two covert nuclear tests in 2010. Further adding to the intrigue is new reporting that suggests one of the tests was a weapon of Iranian design. There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of these claims, but perhaps the most compelling is the lack of any seismic data consistent with a nuclear detonation.