Report: Work Underway At North Korea's Nuclear Testing Facility
The Facts
According to a US-based think tank report, North Korea has completed the restoration of Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Facility's "Tunnel No. 3" and is now working on "Tunnel No. 4".
This comes as Japan, South Korea, and the US suspect that Pyongyang is preparing to make its first nuclear test since 2017.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
North Korea's actions pose a severe threat to the stability of the Korean peninsula and the security of the rest of the world. The US has so far failed to negotiate an end to nuclear weapons in exchange for humanitarian aid - it's time for some new ideas about how to resolve this threat.
Establishment-critical narrative
Though Kim may seem like a madman, he's simply using the only leverage he has in dealing with South Korea and the US. His nuclear ambitions are designed to seek political gains and sanctions relief after successive American administrations derailed diplomatic routes to denuclearization.
