North Korea could launch a nuclear or ICBM test before the US midterms, escalating tensions

North Korea has been ramping up its ballistic missile testing under the Biden administration, with former senior Trump administration officials warning that Pyongyang could launch a nuclear or ICBM test before the U.S. midterm elections.

North Korea fired two shorter-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan on Thursday, just hours after Vice President Kamala Harris had toured the DMZ. The South Korean and Japanese militaries said the missiles traveled 180 to 217 miles. These are the fourth and fifth short-range ballistic missiles the DPRK has launched in the last five days as Harris has been visiting Japan and South Korea, and the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). 

Pyongyang conducted similar missile tests before President Biden visited Seoul in June.

But Biden administration officials announced earlier this year that North Korea had tested a…