After the missile attack on Syria, the North Korean Republic declared that they were right in going in for an independent nuclear program. They felt this is the only way to survive against an American attack. The United States has moved a carrier group into the Korean waters and general McMaster the national security advisor has said that all "options are on the table." The North Korean leader Kim Jong may have thought that he would show to the world and the United States something new by way of a missile launch. Unfortunately, it appears that the missile launch failed.
The information is that the missile exploded just after takeoff. In other words, the missile test was a damp squib.
Kims' show of force
The Korean dictator Kim Jong wanted to mark the occasion of the founder of the North Korean state by the launch of the missile.The test was monitored by South Korea and the US. As usual, Pyongyang is silent and no comment is forthcoming. Though the test failed, Kim Jong showed his belligerence with a massive military parade in the capital. The parade showcased a string of rockets and missiles. However, it is a moot point if the missiles shown in the parade are as effective as claimed. One thing is now clear; that the North Korean technology has miles to go before it can be a cogent threat to the United States.
North Korea does have nuclear weapons but what they lack is a delivery system. They do not have any aircraft which can carry a nuclear device and reach Japan or even South Korea
China attitude
The North, however, does have IRBM in limited numbers and at best they can just hit South Korea. This is something that will have to be factored in and Donald Trump will have to factor this in if he goes for a preemptive strike.
Donald will however not go in for a strike till he gets an assurance from China that it will not intervene. The bravado which he has shown in Syria, may not work in North Korea. There is enough indication that the north will hit South Korea. In case, that happens it will turn out to be a pyrrhic victory.
North Korea, not a great power
Donald may well be aware that North Korea by itself cannot do much. There is no need to get worked up about the missiles of North Korea. It will take at least a decade for Korea to master the ICBM technology. At that time nobody can forecast what the global scenario will be. When the United States was fighting the war in Vietnam, it was never on the cards that the Vietnam and the Chinese would fight each other. So one cannot forecast what the future holds for the Korean peninsula.
