Former US Intelligence Officer Predicts Kim Jong Un Will Be Most Likely To Use Nuclear Weapons: 'If North Korea Deems China Objecting'
Former US spy Markus Garlauskas has expressed concern that Kim Jong Un will likely resort to the use of nuclear weapons if he believes China has turned on South Korea. North.
What happened: Garlauskas, the current director of the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, in conversation with Nikkei Asia, pointed out that the world has historically downplayed the threat from North Korea.
“Historically, we have dramatically underestimated the threat from North Korea. The danger is, in particular, to underestimate one's calculation of risk, one's will to provoke, one's will to engage in limited acts of aggression. »
He also referred to the country's growing confidence in its capabilities, backed by China and Russia, as a factor causing a change in Pyongyang's risk calculation, making it more prone to escalate conflict.
See also: 'Get ready for us': An angry Wagner band would be demonstrating Towards Russia to avenge the leader Prigozhin
The former national intelligence officer for North Korea, who was responsible for the nation's strategic analysis between 2014 and 2020, said Pyongyang's potential perception of being abandoned by China could lead to the deployment of nuclear weapons. "If North Korea feels that China has turned against it or abandoned it, whether that's true or not, that could be the kind of factor that pushes Pyongyang to use nuclear weapons."
>Why it matters: In June, a US intelligence report revealed the likelihood that Kim would use nuclear weapons as a means of coercion to gain political leverage over South Korea and its allies. This was followed by a lack of interest from North Korea in nuclear negotiations, despite repeated efforts by the United States. In August, Kim warned of a possible "thermonuclear war" against the United States and South Korea, criticizing their joint military exercises and threats of retaliation.
Garlauskas' warnings emphasize the importance of focusing on deterrence during conflict rather than just prevention.
Photo by Alexander Khitrov on Shutterstock
Read more: Trump's niece slams photo of ex- president of "the smallest of victories" Highlighted his "humiliation"
© 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Former US spy Markus Garlauskas has expressed concern that Kim Jong Un will likely resort to the use of nuclear weapons if he believes China has turned on South Korea. North.
What happened: Garlauskas, the current director of the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, in conversation with Nikkei Asia, pointed out that the world has historically downplayed the threat from North Korea.
“Historically, we have dramatically underestimated the threat from North Korea. The danger is, in particular, to underestimate one's calculation of risk, one's will to provoke, one's will to engage in limited acts of aggression. »
He also referred to the country's growing confidence in its capabilities, backed by China and Russia, as a factor causing a change in Pyongyang's risk calculation, making it more prone to escalate conflict.
See also: 'Get ready for us': An angry Wagner band would be demonstrating Towards Russia to avenge the leader Prigozhin
The former national intelligence officer for North Korea, who was responsible for the nation's strategic analysis between 2014 and 2020, said Pyongyang's potential perception of being abandoned by China could lead to the deployment of nuclear weapons. "If North Korea feels that China has turned against it or abandoned it, whether that's true or not, that could be the kind of factor that pushes Pyongyang to use nuclear weapons."
>Why it matters: In June, a US intelligence report revealed the likelihood that Kim would use nuclear weapons as a means of coercion to gain political leverage over South Korea and its allies. This was followed by a lack of interest from North Korea in nuclear negotiations, despite repeated efforts by the United States. In August, Kim warned of a possible "thermonuclear war" against the United States and South Korea, criticizing their joint military exercises and threats of retaliation.
Garlauskas' warnings emphasize the importance of focusing on deterrence during conflict rather than just prevention.
Photo by Alexander Khitrov on Shutterstock
Read more: Trump's niece slams photo of ex- president of "the smallest of victories" Highlighted his "humiliation"
© 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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