Missile Tests and Diplomatic Moves Illustrate North Korea's Security Concerns

In the early hours of March 26, North Korea tested two Nodong medium-range ballistic missiles. It was the first such test since 2009 and the latest in a series of recent North Korean missile and rocket tests. Pyongyang is also threatening another nuclear test, yet at the same time, it is engaging diplomatically with Japan, South Korea and even the United States.

 

This seemingly contradictory behavior matches a long pattern by North Korea, one wherein bellicose rhetoric and seemingly belligerent action are offset by attempted diplomatic overtures. But North Korea's actions also expose the underlying security concerns of the North Korean government and elucidate the limits on Pyongyang's attempts to break out of its diplomatic constraints.