The Facts
On Thursday, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that "everybody is holding its breath" over North Korea's reported preparations to carry out its seventh nuclear test — the first since 2017.
Though the IAEA is hopeful that it doesn't happen, Rafael Grossi argued that indications "go direct in another direction" and that a nuclear test would indicate "a program which is moving full steam ahead."
The Spin
Republican narrative
You can't blame Kim Jong-un for flexing North Korea’s military muscle when Biden is recklessly saber-rattling with Taiwan and China. How does Kim know the US will not also team up with South Korea for an invasion of the North? Trump's relationship with and policies towards North Korea maintained stability in the Korean Peninsula.
Democratic narrative
Kim Jong-un's geopolitical actions have been erratic, and his missile launches are destabilizing the Peninsula. Instead of provoking a confrontation, Kim should take the Biden administration up on its offer to meet without preconditions and settle any of his grievances peacefully. Biden is showing strength and prudence in the region.
