evidence: North Korea (officially called the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) is isolated, impoverished, and a proclaimed enemy of its southern neighbor, South Korea (officially called the Republic of Korea)—an important U.S. ally. Kim Jong Un, who inherited the title of supreme leader from his father and grandfather, regularly threatens Japan, South Korea, and the United States with missile strikes. At home, Kim has silenced all opposition by detaining between 80,000 and 120,000 political prisoners, purging high-ranking officials, and likely ordering the assassination of his half-brother. [...] North Korea is a nuclear power with a complex relationship with China, and preventing both an interstate Korean war and a North Korean internal collapse are critical U.S. national security interests. Along with continued weapons and missile tests, small-scale military and cyber provocations by North Korea pose significant risks as each incident carries with it the potential for further and potentially uncontrollable escalation. Outright threats from North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un are also cause for concern, as he claims that North Korean weapons can now reach U.S. territories and even the U.S. mainland.