North Korea is stripping its official propaganda websites of sections on unification, shrinking or culling ministries and agencies responsible for inter-Korean relations, and characterizing South Korea as a hostile neighboring country. These actions point to an inflection point in North Korean international affairs, one facilitated by its confidence in its nuclear deterrent, its reinvigorated relations with Russia, and a shifting global geopolitical balance. While such a change does not reduce the risks of escalation around the Korean Peninsula (and may actually increase them), it could see North Korea focus some of its attention further abroad, positioning itself as an active participant in what leader Kim Jong Un called the international ''anti-imperialist joint action and struggle'' at last month's plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party....
