One of the world's most problematic nations is on its deathbed.
Just don't tell Kim Jong Un that. The brash young North Korean leader apparently thinks things are great and has no problem rattling sabers around the world to prove his point.
Complicating matters, there seems to be an ongoing narrative in the mainstream financial media that "nobody'd better talk about the possibility of thermonuclear war" lest it become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I'm hard-pressed to think of anything more dangerous for your money, which is why I want to talk about what you need to do right now… before the shooting starts.
Here's what to do if you're worried about North Korea…
The ongoing political narrative is dire and the headlines surrounding North Korea are downright scary, and it's absolutely fair to be worried about your portfolio.
- "Mike Pence's Warning to North Korea: 'The sword stands ready.'" – LA Times
- "North Korea nuclear weapons increasing" – Washington Times
- "Pentagon to test ability to shoot down North Korean missiles" – CNN International
Anybody looking at North Korea from the outside can tell you that the regime is living on borrowed time.
Only problem is North Korea doesn't see things that way.
The hermit nation has held a massive military parade, tested a few new missiles, and threatened the United States with thermonuclear war – all within the past week.
At the same time, the United States has tasked three aircraft carriers to the area, sent Vice President Mike Pence to the border, and warned that the era of "strategic patience" is over.
China is reportedly working frantically behind the scenes to keep the peace ostensibly because they don't want war on the peninsula, but more probably because they don't want a horde of hungry North Koreans streaming over their borders.
Never one to waste a crisis, Russia isn't standing by idly. That country has apparently moved missiles to Vladivostok and sent ships to shadow the U.S. fleet.
Regular news programs are dedicating lots of time to the crisis but unbelievably, the financial press seems reluctant to talk about what's happening.
I don't know whether they're trying to avoid the obvious because it's so scary or simply trying to wish it away like a five-year-old child wishes away a bad dream by pretending it isn't happening. Either way, the point is moot.
The possibility of a "hot war" is very real and very dangerous for your money.
Forget the notion of a preemptive strike or a limited engagement that's being bandied about. That's wishful thinking at best and incredibly naïve at worst. Even a single missile fired preemptively in anger is going to have devastating consequences.
More than 20 million South Koreans live within artillery range of North Korea, and that means nuke weapons are the least of the worries here. Chemical and biological weapons are.
Not only could Kim order a strike that takes out key South Korean infrastructure, includi…
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About the Author
Keith Fitz-Gerald has been the Chief Investment Strategist for the Money Morning team since 2007. He's a seasoned market analyst with decades of experience, and a highly accurate track record. Keith regularly travels the world in search of investment opportunities others don't yet see or understand. In addition to heading The Money Map Report, Keith runs High Velocity Profits, which aims to get in, target gains, and get out clean. In his weekly Total Wealth, Keith has broken down his 30-plus years of success into three parts: Trends, Risk Assessment, and Tactics – meaning the exact techniques for making money. Sign up is free at totalwealthresearch.com.
Very interesting commentary!
What an interesting article!
Excellent Read! Thanks for this perspective.