Part 2/14:
A detailed analysis by Robert Carlin and Sig Freed Hecker, published on 38 North, emphasizes that the situation on the Korean Peninsula is worse than at any time since the early days of the Korean War in 1950. They argue that Kim possibly has made a strategic decision to pursue war, though the timing remains uncertain.
Notably, Pyongyang has abandoned its historic policy of reconciliation. Its constitution now explicitly designates South Korea as its composed primary foe and principal enemy. Satellite imagery corroborates this shift, showing the demolition of the “reunification arch” in Pyongyang—a symbolic gesture indicating the end of an era of hope for eventual peace.