Is Kim Jong-un's dictatorial reign near an end?

Tensions are raised even higher on the Korean Peninsula after the Kim Jong-un regime has tested their most advanced, highest-flying missile to date. While the dictator's father and grandfather used to routinely make overt gestures and threats aimed at the United States and its allies, they rarely acted materially on such threats, mostly using them to encourage loosening of sanctions for North Korea while bolstering "success" to DPRK citizens using the state-run media.

But with the rise of the newest "Great Leader" of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, the peninsula and world-at-large has entered a new age where the DPRK's cult personality figure has repeatedly shown his intent and will to develop more advanced military weapons, to show the world that they are operational, and to take threats against the U.S. and its allies to a new, more tangible level.

The latest missile test on part of the DPRK demonstrated a swift development in the technology and feasibility of their military arsenal. Rhetoric of days past has turned to the greater world realizing that this is a new type of leader for North Korea. One flaunting a bravado not seen in decades past. One willing to directly challenge Western powers backed by shows of advancing ballistics with the intent to prove to the world once and for all that the United States is not immune to attacks from the hermit regime.

With such an elevated confidence on the part of Jong-un, one may question two things: Has the time arrived when threats from the DPRK, once considered mostly idle, are now viable? And is Kim Jong-un truly unafraid or unaware of the massive military might of the United States that sits now waiting on a hair trigger, monitoring gestures that seem to be steadily morphing into what appears an actionable military threat? In this writer's opinion, Kim Jong-un has crossed the proverbial line in the sand and may prove to his citizens that he is awakening a much larger beast that may soon be forced to finally remove his family's long-treasured intimidation not only of the Korean Peninsula, but of all around the world who sit watching, waiting.