6. North Korea
A perennial wildcard in global security, North Korea’s deepening alliance with Russia has shifted the calculus. With rumors circulating that Pyongyang has deployed troops to assist Russian efforts in Ukraine, the Hermit Kingdom is no longer a localized threat. While the likelihood of a casual traveler finding themselves in North Korea is remote, the nation’s involvement in a broader conflict would turn the peninsula into a high-stakes battlefield.
As these flashpoints continue to glow red on the global map, we are left to wonder if the guardrails of diplomacy are strong enough to hold.
