Might as well post them in the new thread
Kim Jong Un's Complete New Years Address
"The whole of its mainland is within the range of our nuclear strike and the nuclear button is on my office desk all the time; the United States needs to be clearly aware that this is not merely a threat but a reality."
"As for the Winter Olympic Games to be held soon in south Korea, it will serve as a good occasion for demonstrating our nation’s prestige and we earnestly wish the Olympic Games a success. From this point of view we are willing to dispatch our delegation and adopt other necessary measures; with regard to this matter, the authorities of the north and the south may meet together soon. Since we are compatriots of the same blood as south Koreans, it is natural for us to share their pleasure over the auspicious event and help them."
nkleadershipwatch.org/2018/01/01/new-years-address/
1st contact in nearly 2 years: North Korea calls South via cross-border hotline
South and North Korea made their first contact at the border village of Panmunjom via a communication channel which Pyongyang ordered brought back online earlier on Wednesday, Yonhap reported. South Korea’s unification ministry said that “A North Korean official first contacted the South side via the channel.”
rt.com/news/414871-north-korea-hotline-south-talks/
Nine Reasons Why Kim Jong Un’s South Korea Initiative is More Than Just a Tactic
The potential reopening of North-South dialogue is an important development prompting many pundits to speculate as to whether Kim Jong Un is serious or whether it is merely a tactic. Certainly, the North Koreans recognize the potential for driving a “wedge” between Washington and Seoul by launching such an initiative. But this isn’t just a tactic—a close examination of Pyongyang’s January 3 announcement on opening the inter-Korean communication channel makes it clear that this is the “gold standard” when it comes to North Korean initiatives. It is very serious.
38north.org/2018/01/rcarlinjwit010318/
US must be wary of Kim Jong-un’s ‘olive branch’ offer to South Korea and its Winter Games
While all this may appear to be an unexpected moment of rapprochement and goodwill, it will not come without costs and conditions. If inter-Korean talks do take place at any meaningful level in the coming days, the primary North Korean demand is likely to concern the regularly scheduled US-South Korea Foal Eagle and Key Resolve joint military exercises.
www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2126594/opinion-us-must-be-wary-kim-jong-uns-olive-branch-offer
Kim Jong Un's Trap for South Korea
Both Moon and Trump have put a good face on the relationship despite their ideological and personality differences, but North Korea’s dialogue offer may attempt to exploit the tactical differences between them over how to handle North Korea.
theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/01/kim-jong-uns-trap-for-south-korea/549470/?utm_source=twb
Trump Is Bluffing About Attacking North Korea in 2018
We’re like hack screenwriters who have written ourselves into a corner. We don’t know how to write the happy ending, so we’re looking for a deus ex machina to appear and solve it for us. At the moment, that’s China. But that’s not a very plausible ending, not even for a fairy tale.
foreignpolicy.com/2017/12/28/trump-is-bluffing-about-attacking-north-korea-in-2018/
The United States Should Resolve to Avoid War With North Korea in 2018
Given the difficulty the United States would have in confidently finding and destroying North Korea’s nuclear weapons and mobile ballistic missile launchers, as well as the North’s ability to level Seoul with its formidable artillery and rocket arsenal, would the president actually risk starting a preventive war if Kim fails to cry uncle?
Trump just might.
foreignpolicy.com/2017/12/27/the-united-states-should-resolve-to-avoid-war-with-north-korea-in-2018/
We've Forgotten How To Fear
For a long time, there was a remove when you looked at this era. It was all a bit funny, really, how worried we were back then. There was nothing to be worried about it. Everything was fine. Bullet dodged. You felt smug relief in the distance. You knew something those filmmakers didn’t. You know how this turned out.
I will tell you: It is a very different experience to watch Testament right now, in December 2017, with Donald Trump as President and every little failsafe eroding a little bit more every day. It is a lot fucking different.
deadspin.com/weve-forgotten-how-to-fear-1821497982
Oh, and there have been reports of NK preparing for a missile test in the coming days/weeks, NK analysts on twitter have been saying that's such claims are false. While activity is occurring at their missile facilities, they don't seem to imply an imminent test
