Turning It Up to Eleven: Belligerent Rhetoric in North Korea’s Propaganda
Dr Mason Richey
Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press
After contextualizing North Korea’s capacity for belligerent rhetoric directed toward the United States and its north-east Asian allies, the author examines the contention that rhetoric from Pyongyang represents a conflict escalation risk or even a casus belli. The results of statistical tests indicate a negative correlation between Pyongyang’s rhetoric and international diplomatic initiatives, but no correlation between North Korea’s verbal hostility and its provocations.