North Korea and missile tests

Once again, North Korea’s missile launches ignite global debate. Should the world respond with sanctions to weaken the regime, or lean toward peace talks, which for years have brought no results? Advocates of hard power call for a stronger U.S. and NATO presence in the region, but that could just as well trigger more provocations. The most controversial theory claims Pyongyang’s program is not independent at all but quietly backed by major powers, exploiting tension for their own ends. Is North Korea really in control, or merely playing out someone else’s script?