So as we all know, the stakes in Kim's poker game with the world just got raised dramatically with the latest Nuclear test.

I suppose it's anybody's guess what happens from here, but if tensions escalate further, what would be your tipping point to cancel any Seoul/South Korea trip?

Personally, I've already bought tickets for the last 2 weeks of December, but I'm wondering whether to hold off on booking any non-refundable accommodation. And whether it's too late to buy travel insurance.

I'm on SQ7/8 (both flights are via ICN) in the next few weeks and then again in January, not planning to cancel anything.

Not too late to purchase travel insurance. Should be fine if you buy it now since now travel advisory has been issued.

When I went to Seoul last year it was while tensions were flaring up as well and nothing happened. The mood in Seoul did not reflect any of these tensions. There were warnings from the DMZ tour company that they might need to cancel due to the tensions but the tour went on as usual anyways.

We head over at the end of October and bought cancel for any reason trip insurance. We are a little nervous but our friends locally don't seemed too concerned.

This has been discussed many times over the years in this thread and across every travel message board.

I have lived here for six years. This happens countless times per year. Kim Jong Un puffs his chest out, American media freaks out, but life goes on in South Korea.

I received email from the Embassy today that they are continuing with a normal schedule and life goes on as normal. I certainly am going on with my normal life. I'm more worried about my daily schedule and weekend plans than North Korea when I wake up.

Personally, the American media has nothing to do but ratchet this up for the 24 hour news cycle. The Korean media reports it, yes, and it is important, yes, BUT it is not affecting daily life. I'm currently sitting in class on a break from teaching, kids aren't thinking or talking about it.

Kim Jong Un is a rich man in a poor country. He's not going to give that up. He also knows if he did anything, he'd be blown away in a matter of seconds by his allies and the US in Korea and Japan.

If you're really that worried, it's up to you to cancel your tickets, but I think it's a big mistake. You'd be missing out on a great trip.

You'll be okay but bundle up because I have a feeling this Seoul winter will be an extra cold one! Fat Boy is always being dumb up there.

Well seeing as they just fired another missile over Japan I would say current tensions are rather high !!

News worthy but, shooting in Washington getting more coverage. You cry wolf few times and people start caring less.

Koreans are desensitized to it. Seems he's trying to rattle the Japanese now.

What are the chances the Nork elites would off KJU if they came to fear he would bring them to ruin? I think it is certainly possible. He doesn't rule alone. Is it unreasonable to think the Norks with influence and awareness of their some-animals-are-more-equal situation, namely the party bosses, the elites, the apparachiks who go abroad, and so forth, would also be afraid of losing a war with the west, just as they are fearful of the state security apparatus that helps keeps them toeing the line? That seems pretty reasonable to me, as an outsider. If there was a war, and they survived, how many of them would end up in secret CIA prisons here and there around the world? Even if they were not imprisoned, where can they go? If the state can't or won't protect them from less privileged Norks, which would be the case after the Nork government lost a war and collapsed, life in a secret prison might seem preferable to life in former North Korea. Those Nork party bosses would be treated worse than collaborators in Europe after the end of WWII.

Aside from that, shortly after 9/11, US military forces started a significant buildup in the Persian Gulf region, so the war in Iraq was unsurprising from a certain perspective. But to the best of my knowledge there has been no commensurate buildup to counter Nork aggressiveness, and not just that. No one in the region wants to deal with a collapsed North Korea and the millions of stateless refugees that would result.

No one wants a war.

There's enough US firepower in Guam and Japan to level North Korea but no one wants troops on the ground. It'd have to be Korean troops leading the good fight.

I think the only worry I have is because this time, Trump keeps on prodding Kim, which I think is a little irresponsible seeing as the South Koreans and Japanese, not the Americans, would be the ones hit the hardest if hostilities resume. But that's a discussion for omni-pr, not here.

Anyway the majority of my flight tickets and accommodation are non-refundable fare classes so it's not like I can really pre-emptively cancel Plan to just buy travel insurance and go ahead with the trip.

I don't have "cancel for any reason" travel insurance available where I'm from. If I buy normal travel insurance, my assumption is that I can only claim cancellation benefits basically if my home country issues a travel advisory that specifically advises against "non essential travel" -- would that (generally) be a valid assumption?

You need to read the fine print in any travel insurance policy extremely carefully.

To be honest, travel insurance isn't that useful if anything went down. Just enjoy yourself and bring a warm jacket and clothes. December in Seoul is quite cold!

Thanks for this thread and opinions of those closer to tgge situation. We are scheduled to be in Seoul at the end of December and do not have any thoughts of cancelling..how cold is cold?