SEOUL: Dealing with a notorious murder by detonating a huge diplomatic row, and firing missiles as a practice assault on US bases in Japan -- North Korea’s recent actions demonstrate its willingness to escalate tensions whatever the consequences, say analysts.
Pyongyang on Tuesday banned all Malaysian citizens from leaving North Korea, its latest move in an increasingly heated feud over the assassination of leader Kim Jong-Un’s half-brother in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysian police are investigating the death of Kim Jong-Nam, who was killed last month by two women using VX nerve agent, but all fingers have pointed to Pyongyang as the culprit behind the murder.
The North has denied any involvement, denouncing the Malaysian probe as a "smear campaign" to tarnish the country, before the two engaged in tit-for-tat expulsions of their ambassadors.
Daniel Pinkston, an analyst at Troy University in Seoul, said the North’s belligerent response followed its textbook method of using force to handle political disputes.
"There is a famous quote in their literature: if someone brings a pistol, bring a cannon. That’s how they operate," he said.
The travel ban on Malaysians came on the same day that Pyongyang described the launch of four missiles -- three of which came down in waters that are part of Japan’s exclusive economic zone -- as a practice drill for a strike on US military bases in the country.
The direct challenge to Washington comes with a new, famously unpredictable president in the White House who is still formulating his approach to North Korea.
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump at times implied that negotiations could be an option, but in phone calls Tuesday reaffirmed Washington’s "ironclad commitment" to allies Japan and South Korea and warned of "very dire consequences" for Pyongyang.
"It would seem common sense to behave well before Trump sets his policy, but North Korea is just going its own way regardless of the consequences," said Koh Yu-Hwan, a professor of North Korea studies at Dongguk University.
"Trump talks of achieving peace through strength and the North seems to be applying the same logic, although it can’t compete in terms of strength," Koh added.