The news of out Korea (North and South) all points to North Korea testing more of their military toys.  Today it happens to be a new type of short-ranged missile. Reports of activity around ballistic missile sites are also coming in, and U.S. officials are warning that more nuke tests should be expected in the coming months.

All of this makes me ask – What’s up with North Korea?

Originally, I thought the nuke test took place to correspond with Memorial Day as NK executed other such tests on U.S. holidays in hopes of getting our attention.  This time, however, the level of continued military testing seems rather unusual.  Rather elevated.

Sure, it could be the North simply playing with their toys, but the timing and activity level is questionable.  All of this makes me ask what is North Korea trying to get from the world community?  As the country has virtually no energy resources, could they be trying to get more oil?  Do they want increased grain shipments?  In the past, the NK leadership would hit and “we need…” in exchange for an end to the testing.  No so this time.

Something doesn’t fit.

While the useless body called the U.N. sits around debating what type of draft resolution should be presented, North Korea goes on their way testing.  Even if sanctions are past against North Korea, what is the U.N. going to sanction?  The country already has nothing.  You can’t really take away something from a person who has nothing to begin with.  The only outcome of sanctions will be increased anger (or aggressive positioning) on the part of North Korea.

So, really, what’s the deal and how is the world going to react?