U.S. Department of Defense

The following viewpoint contains excerpts from a Department of Defense (DOD) report to Congress on the security situation in Korea. The United States maintains a close security alliance with the Republic of Korea (ROK)—South Korea—to defend against possible invasion or other action by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)—North Korea. The Defense Department holds that the DPRK, despite its poverty, maintains a large military force including ballistic missiles and possible nuclear weapons. It concludes that North Korea remains a major threat not only to South Korea, but to regional stability and United States security.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How does the report characterize North Korea’s domestic situation?
2. What is North Korea’s military goal, according to the...