North Korea has launched yet another missile. On Aug. 6, Pyongyang fired an unidentified projectile into the East Sea. South Korean and Japanese authorities immediately assessed the situation, and military authorities braced for the possibility of further provocations. Yet, this news no longer halts South Korean society in its tracks.

A breaking news alert flashes, the military releases its analysis, political parties issue condemnations, and a few days later, a new headline takes its place. North Korea fires again, we react again, and we return to our daily lives. Perhaps this very numbness is the most dangerous transformation of all.