Seoul: North Korea's missile launch and what it means

Alright, let's get this straight. Another missile launch from North Korea? Surprise, surprise. It's like clockwork. Kim Jong Un rattles his saber, the world pretends to be shocked, and then we all go back to scrolling through TikTok.

The Usual Song and Dance

So, Pyongyang launched an "unidentified ballistic missile" into the East Sea. Cool. Japan's "absolutely unforgivable," according to someone named Shinjiro Koizumi. I'm sure Kim's quaking in his boots. Honestly, the level of performative outrage is almost as annoying as the missile launches themselves.

And the Kremlin? They're all like, "Oh, North Korea has a 'legitimate right' to ensure their security." Give me a break. Is that what they're telling themselves about Ukraine, too?

Meanwhile, South Korea's planning a nuclear-powered submarine. Which, offcourse, is going to escalate things. It’s like giving a toddler a flamethrower and expecting him not to burn the house down. Only this toddler has nukes.

Ahn Chan-il, some defector-turned-researcher, says South Korea getting a nuclear sub will give North Korea "anxiety." Anxiety? They're already living in a permanent state of paranoia. A new submarine ain't going to change that.

The Trump Card (Again)

Remember when Trump was all buddy-buddy with Kim? "We fell in love," he said. Yeah, well, how'd that work out for ya? He met Kim three times and ultimately failed to secure any lasting agreement on North Korea's nuclear program. Some love story.

Now, some South Korean lawmaker, Lee Seong-kweun, says Kim is still open to talks with Washington. Seriously? After everything? Are we that desperate for a photo op? I mean, the guy's meeting with Putin and Xi, for crying out loud. He's got new best friends now.

And speaking of Putin... Kim has been emboldened by the war in Ukraine, securing critical support from Moscow after sending thousands of troops to fight alongside Russian forces.

Seoul's Skyline Shenanigans

Speaking of South Korea, what's with this Supreme Court ruling about development near heritage sites? Seoul's Mayor Oh Se-hoon is all excited about building skyscrapers near the Jongmyo Shrine. "A new transformation where history and the future can coexist," he says. Yeah, right. More like "a new transformation where history gets bulldozed for condos."

The Korea Heritage Service is freaking out, saying the construction project poses a "grave threat" to the shrine's value. UNESCO is probably side-eyeing the whole situation, too. I mean, remember what happened to Germany’s Dresden Elbe Valley? They lost their World Heritage status over a bridge. Are we really going to let Seoul turn into another generic, soulless metropolis just so some developers can make a quick buck?

For more on the implications of the ruling, see What Supreme Court's heritage ruling means for Seoul, Korea’s cultural legacy.

We're All Just Playing Kim's Game