North Korea’s letter attempts to drive a wedge between the United States and its Asian partners

James Hannah, independent.co.uk

Image from article, with caption: Kim Jung-Un’s regime is arguing that their nuclear programme is a defensive action, required in response to Trump’s threats

The letter could reflect a cowed Pyongyang suffering under deeper sanctions – a bellicose cry for help. Or it could be further escalation of rhetoric between Pyongyang and Washington

Excerpt:

The latest round of North Korean public diplomacy, an “open letter” attacking Donald Trump, comes at a time when major political events have taken place in China and Japan, and on the eve of a high-profile visit to Asia from the US President. As a result, two big stories, one a long-term process of great power competition in Asia, the other an increasingly immediate crisis on the Korean Peninsula with potentially devastating results, look increasingly interlinked. ...