US Urges North Korea to Halt Provocations, Return to Diplomacy
Voice of AmericaJan 24
NKorea Test Fires New Strategic Cruise Missile
The Facts
According to state media, North Korea tested a new type of nuclear-capable "strategic cruise missile," dubbed Pulhwasal-3-31, on Wednesday.
Though it released a picture showing flames spewing out of a slender missile with a rounded tip, state media did not disclose further details, such as the distance of the flight.
The Spin
Anti-North Korea Narrative
North Korea has once again carried out astonishingly dangerous and destabilizing actions that will further escalate regional tensions, despite repeated calls for Pyongyang to return to diplomatic negotiations. Stability and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula depends on inter-Korean cooperation and the complete denuclearization of the North.
Pro-North Korea narrative
The hype over Wednesday's missile test illustrates how the US and its allies seek to smear North Korea at every opportunity. This launch was merely a routine part of the continuous updating of Pyongyang's weapon system and had nothing to do with jeopardizing its neighbors' security.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that there will be at least one military fatality at the North and South Korean border between Jan. 1 and May 31, 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.