CRS Report: North Korea Nuclear Forces Increasingly Capable of Striking US Homeland

A Congressional Research Service report details North Korea's decade-long advancement of nuclear and missile programs, with a US defense official testifying in April 2026 that DPRK forces are increasingly capable of targeting the US homeland and can strike South Korea and Japan. The report underscores a sustained threat trajectory, though specific new capabilities or tests are not detailed. This matters as it signals continued strategic risk to US allies and homeland, potentially influencing regional deterrence posture.