Lessons from Caracas: What Kim Jong Un learned from Maduro’s stunning capture



Analysis Lessons from Caracas: What Kim Jong Un learned from Maduro’s stunning capture Brazen US operation will reinforce North Korea’s faith in nuclear weapons, but could also spook it into engagement Chad O'Carroll January 5, 2026 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Images: Rodong Sinmun, DEA, Trump's Truth Social page, edited by NK Pro North Korea wasted no time responding to the stunning U.S. seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend. Within 48 hours of Maduro's capture, Pyongyang’s foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the U.S. "hegemony-seeking," using diplomatic language similar in style to criticism of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in June 2025. But more striking was the Korean People’s Army’ test of a hypersonic missile on Sunday morning, which Kim Jong Un linked to "recent geopolitical crises and various international events,” leaving little ambiguity about the intended audience. [p Read More © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01Chinese authorities seize smuggled goods bound for North Korea: records 02Likely Russian ship docks in North Korea’s Rason port for first time since May 03Trump doesn’t need a grand deal with Kim, but rather small coordinated actions 04North Korean trade with China rises 3.7% in August thanks to wig exports: data 05North Korea tensions expose Seoul’s uneasy relationship with UN Command 06North Korea’s politburo meeting hints at secret changes to senior officials 07The bureaucracy test: Signs to look for before a Trump-Kim summit 08China has reasons to like Trump’s North Korea outreach — and reasons to worry

Analysis

Lessons from Caracas: What Kim Jong Un learned from Maduro’s stunning capture

Brazen US operation will reinforce North Korea’s faith in nuclear weapons, but could also spook it into engagement

Chad O'Carroll January 5, 2026

Lessons from Caracas: What Kim Jong Un learned from Maduro’s stunning capture

Images: Rodong Sinmun, DEA, Trump's Truth Social page, edited by NK Pro

North Korea wasted no time responding to the stunning U.S. seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend.

Within 48 hours of Maduro's capture, Pyongyang’s foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the U.S. "hegemony-seeking," using diplomatic language similar in style to criticism of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in June 2025.

But more striking was the Korean People’s Army’ test of a hypersonic missile on Sunday morning, which Kim Jong Un linked to "recent geopolitical crises and various international events,” leaving little ambiguity about the intended audience.

01Chinese authorities seize smuggled goods bound for North Korea: records
02Likely Russian ship docks in North Korea’s Rason port for first time since May
03Trump doesn’t need a grand deal with Kim, but rather small coordinated actions
04North Korean trade with China rises 3.7% in August thanks to wig exports: data
05North Korea tensions expose Seoul’s uneasy relationship with UN Command
06North Korea’s politburo meeting hints at secret changes to senior officials
07The bureaucracy test: Signs to look for before a Trump-Kim summit
08China has reasons to like Trump’s North Korea outreach — and reasons to worry

Lessons from Caracas: What Kim Jong Un learned from Maduro’s stunning capture

LATEST ANALYSIS

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Chad O'Carroll