Analysis. Analysis. Four reasons not to take North Korea’s threats of nuclear war too seriously. Today North Korea declared itself in a “state of war” with South Korea. Rockets are reportedly on standby to “mercilessly strike” the United States. Pyongyang has progressively cut off various military hotlines that connect it to the US and Seoul, threatened to close the Kaesong industrial complex staffed by workers from both Koreas, and torn up the armistice agreement that ended war between them in 1953. Chicago Tribune - Front Page. Thousands of newspapers on the Net.