Should Kim Jong-un Fear Being Targeted By A U.S. Airstrike After Soleimani Killing?

Kim Jong-un has not targeted and killed U.S. troops or citizens thus he has nothing to worry about, for now:

In the wake of the drone-led killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, it remains to be seen how the airstrike will affect North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s actions.

Some believe Pyongyang will use the assassination to justify its nuclear program as a necessary form of defense and take its own path toward a nuclear power. But there is also speculation that the North Korean leader may disappear from the public eye ― like his predecessors ― out of fear of a possible U.S. attempt to assassinate him. 

On Monday, three days after the death of the Iranian general in Iraq, the North’s official media outlets carried their first reports on the incident, hinting that the country may chart a new course. 

“There is nothing to hesitate about in the face of growing hostile acts, nuclear threats and blackmail,” the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece newspaper of the ruling Workers’ Party, said in an article. 

“We should continue to strengthen our impregnable military power quantitatively to ensure no one ever considers using armed forces against us until the U.S. withdraws its hostile policy.” 

Korea Times

You can read more at the link, but North Korea doesn’t need to use the Soleimani killing to justify their nuclear program when they have for years said they are not going to get rid of it, it just that no one bothers to listen to them.

I would suspect that North Korea is going to play a wait and see approach after the Soleimani killing. The next thing I think people should be watchful for is if the U.S. restarts the Key Resolve exercise that usually begins in March. If so then the North Koreans will assuredly respond with a provocation of their own.

If North Korea responds with a provocation before March the U.S. will likely respond with restarting the Key Resolve exercise. This will all play out in the February-March timeframe which gives North Korea time to see what happens with the current U.S.-Iran tensions.