NOTE TO STUDENTS:  Before answering the questions, read the "Background" below.

1. How does U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel describe North Korea's latest threats?

2. Describe the threats made by North Korea.

3. Describe the U.S. responses to North Korea's threats. Be specific:
a) the Defense Department's response
b) the State Department's response
c) Do you think both responses are correct for these different government departments? Should the Department of Defense not take such a strong stand and should the State Department take a stronger stand against North Korea's threats? Explain your answers.

4. What does Asia expert Michael Green believe to be North Korea's motive for its latest threats?

5. How do the AP reporters who wrote this article interpret U.S. Defense Department response to North Korea? (What do they base this on?)

6. What immediate danger does North Korea pose to South Korea?

7. Re-read the last two paragraphs of the article. What do you think the reporters are implying by these statements?

CHALLENGE QUESTION: Read the commentary by Rich Lowry on missile defense at: nationalreview.com/blogs/print/343314
Although North Korea has not carried out any of its recent threats, do you think Mr. Lowry is correct in saying we should have a good missile defense system rather than “simply trust that a lunatic regime running its country like a vast prison camp will rationally calculate its self-interest as we would hope [before attacking the U.S.]“
Explain your answer.