Regretfully, the situation on the Korean Peninsula is heading toward dangerous terrain. The game of tit-for-tat retaliations has raised tensions in a volatile region on China's doorstep. The contested parties should each take a step back and exercise the utmost restraint, as this is the only way to de-escalate the tension.

In its latest show of hostility toward its neighbor to the south, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea said on Saturday that it has entered a "state of war" with the Republic of Korea. Pyongyang's hard-line stance continued on Sunday when it issued a terse warning that nuclear weapons are "the nation's life" and will not be traded even for "billions of dollars".

Pyongyang's latest statement on developing a "self-reliant nuclear industry" is in open defiance to the international community's opposition to its nuclear program. The country should understand it too has a stake in peace and stability on the peninsula. The further it chooses to challenge the international community, the less flexibility it will have to deal with its external environment.