North Korea: Ticking time bomb

WHILE the Western world keeps its eye on Iran, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, as well as Islamic terror groups, a more insidious danger lurks in eastern Asia that could prove to be far more deadly.

North Korea yesterday celebrated what it called a successful hydrogen bomb test — a milestone that, if true, marks a huge military advance for the despotic and reclusive regime and a big challenge for Democrats and world leaders to know how to respond.

North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, declared that he was “opening the year with exciting noise of the first hydrogen bomb!”, according to a statement signed by him and read on state television.

The United Nations frets that such a test could destabilise the region — but it could do much more than that.

It could lead to a much wider conflict. Mad men with military might have created global conflict. It could happen again.

We ignore the actions of madmen like this at our peril.