Kim Jong-un, leader of North Korea, announced in his Sunday New Year’s address that the country is in the final stage of preparations to test-launch an intercontinental ballistic rocket. Though North Korea has tested numerous missiles this year [JURIST report], it will be the first time that the nation will have tested a long range ballistic missile, if the country follows through on Kim’s statement. Donald Trump was not mentioned in the broadcast, but the close proximity of the statement to the US inauguration day raises questions about how the president-elect will respond to this and other provoking statements from North Korea.

At the start of 2016, the US Congress approved additional sanctions [JURIST report] including the seizure of assets and limitation of commerce in response to reports that North Korea tested a hydrogen bomb [NYT report]. In April, the UN “strongly condemn[ed]” [official website] North Korea’s testing of missiles, and in February UN Secretary General described North Korea’s missile launching as “deplorable” [JURIST report]. Outside of its missile program, Kim and North Korea have faced extensive criticism for alleged human rights abuses within the authoritarian state.