As noted, the Obama administration’s Nuclear Posture Review offered a carrot to North Korea (DPRK) to give up its nuclear ambitions and rejoin the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The plan, as explained by James Millar, deputy undersecretary of defense, was “to encourage North Korea to…desire to be one of those states that are compliant with their nuclear nonproliferation obligations.”

It did not take North Korea long to respond. Surprise of surprises: They don’t believe a word the Obama administration is saying. And surprise of surprises, as “reporting” by the state run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) makes plain, they are not going to be persuaded to give up the nuclear ace they have as their hole card. If anything, they will redouble their efforts to build a nuclear force: