North Korea's proliferation and closed door are a hardening threat

The position holds that North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programme and its closed, hardening posture are a growing threat that must be contained. Its advocates point to missile tests, enrichment and warheads, to the need for sanctions, and to North Korea's supply of troops, shells and munitions to Russia in return for cash and technology, which they describe as a blood-for-technology transaction.

The position is voiced chiefly by outlets from Western and allied countries: 66 on the standoff on the Korean Peninsula, 59 on North Korea's ballistic and nuclear missile programme and 61 on its alignment with Russia.

The opposing position holds that North Korea's nuclear deterrent and its partnerships with Russia and China are legitimate exercises of sovereignty. The two part on whether the programme is a threat to be contained or a deterrent a sovereign state is entitled to. In recent months North Korea has repeatedly fired ballistic missiles, tested what experts believe is an upgraded hypersonic weapon, dismissed talks after Donald Trump said he planned to meet Kim Jong Un, said it will never give up its nuclear weapons, and opened a first road bridge with Russia.