DPRK needs handling with care

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea's satellite launch in December and recent announcement that it would conduct a "higher-level nuclear test", and the reaction they have evoked from some countries are increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

On Jan 22, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 2087, which demands that the DPRK fulfill its obligations under resolutions 1718 (2006) and 1874 (2009), under which the DPRK should not test-fire any more ballistic missiles, conduct further nuclear tests or take other provocative actions. Pyongyang responded to the latest UN resolution, saying that it would "take physical action to strengthen self-defense military capabilities, including nuclear deterrence" and seek an end to the denuclearization talks.

The DPRK's latest statement once again highlights its determination to develop and possess nuclear weapons at all costs. Before the UN resolution, however, the DPRK had given promising signals that it was more keen on developing its economy and improving its people's livelihood, which the international community interpreted as a sign of Pyongyang's possible shift from the "military first" policy to economic reform.