Why Americans Should Care About North Korea

When North Korea dominates U.S. news cycles, the headlines are ominous — a new nuclear weapons test, or a ballistic missile flying into space. Today, however, diplomacy with North Korea has begun. Where this saga goes from here is anyone’s guess. But there are important reasons that every American should be paying close attention.

First, North Korea is a genuine threat to the lives of millions of Americans, both in the United States and abroad. Hundreds of thousands of Americans — civilians and military — live in Guam, South Korea and Japan and are in direct danger from North Korean attack. And whether or not they have mastered all the technology necessary to use it, North Korea now possesses a missile capable of hitting most of the continental United States.