KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The U.S. strike that killed Iran's top military commander may have had an indirect casualty: a diplomatic solution to denuclearizing North Korea.
Experts say the escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran will diminish already fading hopes for such an outcome and inspire North Korea's decision-makers to tighten their hold on the weapons they see, perhaps correctly, as their strongest guarantee of survival.
North Korea's initial reaction to the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani has been cautious. The country's state media was silent for several days before finally on Monday issuing a brief report on the attack that didn't even mention Soleimani's name.
The Korean Central News Agency report didn't publish any direct c
