North Korea Conundrum

Perhaps later this week, North Korea will attempt to launch a rocket in what the nation insists is its space program. Most other governments, however, suspect North Korea is simply using the concept of a space program to cover the development of missiles that could deliver nuclear warheads to the U. S., for example. By all accounts, it already has nuclear bombs, though they would probably have to be miniaturized to fit atop a missile, which is another technological challenge.

Whatever North Korea's actual intent is, the fact is that rockets constitute a dual-use technology. Rockets can be used to open space, or to terrorize and destroy places on Earth. The fact also is that a nuclear missile attack on another nation would be suicidal for the Pyongyang regime. Hopefully, it will stick to building a space program if it insists on having rockets at all.