On Wednesday Jan. 6, 2016, North Korea claimed to test a hydrogen bomb. This is North Korea’s first hydrogen bomb test and the fourth nuclear bomb tested this century; others in 2006, 2009, and 2013. North Korea (for those of you who don’t know) is an extremely repressive regime ruled with censorship and a strict dictator. The leader, Kim Jong Un basically brain washes its civilians and keeps them closed from the outside world. In a statement on television, Kim Jong Un bragged that this defiant act would “make the world look up to our strong nuclear country”.

North Korea is dangerous and there are many reasons why the U.S. should care about this alleged hydrogen bomb test.

First of all, it is not certain that this was actually a hydrogen bomb. Experts and scientists seem to think it may just be an atomic bomb which is less severe. The difference between a hydrogen and atomic bomb is that atomic bombs use fission weapons, which break large atoms like plutonium into smaller atoms. Hydrogen bombs use fusion, combining small atoms like hydrogen. This results in a bomb that is “hundreds” of times more powerful than the atomic bomb. It is essentially two separate explosions. Regardless if it was actually a hydrogen bomb, North Korea is clearly trying to send out a message and gain international attention.

North Korea is trying to show its power and let the rest of the world know to take them seriously. North Korea, besides having nuclear weapons, is powerless and suffering economically. They seclude themselves from most of the outside world and now especially with this recent bomb test, they might lose their main trading partner: China. The fact that Kim Jong Un does not care enough about his civilians to grow nuclear weapons in secrecy shows his sole thirst for power.

The problem is that sanctions and “punishments” for North Korea with their past nuclear weapon usage has not stopped them. North Korea has had a history of nuclear weapons since 1980s and they continue to be a threat. North Korea hates the U.S. and wants them to know that they will do whatever it takes to remain in power. North Korea realizes that by losing nuclear weapons, they become susceptible to U.S. power. The U.S. would like to topple the North Korean regime but North Korea will not go down without a fight and will do whatever it takes to succeed. How far will they go?

Now the biggest question is, what should the U.S. do? The most important player in this case is China. China is North Korea’s biggest trading partner, and possibly the only actor that can negotiate with North Korea. China is angry with the situation, especially because they were not warned of the act. On the day of the alleged test, China’s ministry of foreign affairs made a statement that it firmly opposes this and any future nuclear tests by North Korea. If China cuts out all trade and economic relations with North Korea, then North Korea will suffer and might have to agree to disarmament. But if North Korea does agree to get rid of nuclear weapons, can we believe them? Chemical weapons are difficult to assess, and it will be hard to know if North Korea can be trusted. The biggest problem for the U.S. may not lie with dealing with North Korea, but instead cooperating with two major powers with whom the US typically clashes: China and Russia. If the U.S. can cooperate with both of these major powers, they may together come to a resolve and overpower North Korea.