Kim Jong-Un is including Austin, Texas on his list of places he is threatening to bomb.
Analysis of North Korea’s military capability put doubt on their leader’s bluster. They don’t have Intercontinental Ballistic Missile technology yet.
If North Korea can marshall a missile attack, it would most likely be against a neighbor like South Korea or Japan.
That risk is something the U.S. government is taking seriously. US B2 bombers flew from bases in Missouri to simulate a bombing attack on North Korea.
In addition to Austin, the list of U.S. cities targeted on a map in photos released by the government of North Korea include San Diego, Washington D.C., and the state of Hawaii. The photo labeled “U.S. Mainland Strike Plan” was published in the Korea Worker’s Party paper the Rodong, and it shows arrows pointing to each of these places.
Why Austin? Is there anyone who knows anything about Austin who doesn’t love the place? It has some of the best BBQ in America, and Apple has a factory there. The Kim family loves Macs.
While the threat against North Korea’s nearby neighbors is being taking seriously, the threat against Austin is not. The hashtag #whyaustin trended on Twitter as the Twitteratti started making jokes:
Kim Jong-un’s startup flopped at SXSW Interactive. #whyaustin.
— Sarah Beckham (@sarahlbeckham) March 29, 2013
He wanted to test out the force field around Rick Perry’s hair. #whyaustin
— Kim Barnett (@bluespoonaustin) March 29, 2013
Kim Jong-un taking Austin’s plastic bag ban pretty hard. Why not just write a letter to the editor? #whyaustin telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews…
— Omar L. Gallaga (@omarg) March 29, 2013
Only a town full of hipsters would respond to a bomb threat with a hashtag #whyaustin
— Becca Aaronson (@becca_aa) March 29, 2013
There is also the theory that this is all about protecting Korean BBQ:
Austin is home to U.S. strategic BBQ reserves. RT @dblanchard: He just wanted some brisket. #whyaustin #sxdprk twitter.com/dblanchard/sta…
— Paul Szoldra (@PaulSzoldra) March 29, 2013