Originally Posted by Jnana

North Korea is preparing for a transition of power to Kim Jong Il's youngest son. They are trying to firm up internal support by thumbing their nose at the US. It is highly unlikely that North Korea would actually do anything that would result in a counter attack. They know the entire country would be a glowing cinder in a matter of minutes. Even a preemptive strike against a missile on the launch pad is not in their interest - that is why they make sure the world knows about the tests.