After failed nuclear talks, Kim raises threats—to a point ’

North Korea’s modest provocations in recent days reveal a pivot in its strategy after the failed Hanoi nuclear talks: escalate tensions to convey its frustration but keep its actions measured enough to ensure the U.S. and South Korea don’t abandon diplomacy. It is a new riff on an old playbook for North Korea. The Kim regime has long turned to shows of military might, or outright aggression, when yearning for diplomatic attention from Washington or Seoul. But this time, ballistic-missile launches or nuclear tests would cause the hard-won detente with the country’s chief negotiating partners to crumble. Instead, leader Kim Jong Un finds himself in uncharted waters following February talks where he and President Trump left without a deal on sanctions relief. Boxed in, Mr. Kim is now opting for small-scale provocations to jostle the U.S. back to the negotiating table without causing relations to topple.

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