Cross-Border Flooding Disrupts Trade: Heavy rain has again flooded Sinuiju, overwhelming the city’s weak drainage and stalling North Korea–China cargo truck traffic for days, with low-lying neighborhoods submerged and power and water cut in some areas. US–South Korea Missile Sale Sparks Pyongyang Backlash: North Korea condemned a US-approved $125M AIM-9X Sidewinder missile deal to Seoul and warned of a “serious, immediate and powerful response,” also attacking US funding for human-rights monitoring and information-gathering efforts. Nuclear Messaging Raises the Stakes: South Korea’s Unification Minister said North Korea’s nuclear capabilities have grown “100,000 times” over 30 years and argued complete denuclearization is “no longer sustainable,” adding pressure to any diplomacy. Private Talks Suggested on Shared Environmental Risks: US scholar Jared Diamond urged South Korea to avoid publicly “bad-mouthing” North Korea and to pursue private discussions on shared problems including climate change, agriculture, aquaculture, and invasive species. Rural Life and Infrastructure Gap (Telecom Focus): A new installment in a Pyongyang-vs-provinces series examines how telecommunications access—Internet/intranet, mobile service, and broadcasting—may differ between a mid-sized city and a remote rural county seat. Security vs. Environment in the Background: The week also saw broader regional tension tied to US–ROK drills and arms sales, a reminder that environmental recovery and cross-border cooperation can be derailed by conflict risk.