How’s this for a confidence-builder as John Kerry prepares to sign off on a deal with Iran that will supposedly keep the mullahcracy from developing their own nuclear weapons? In an interview with ABC News’ Martha Raddatz, the Secretary of State appears unaware that North Korea has repeatedly proven itself to have nuclear weapons with three tests of its devices. Instead, Kerry talks about the DPRK regime “potentially” having nuclear weapons in the middle of discussing the show trial and execution of the new Dear Leader’s uncle:

“I mean it really reminded me of — of a video that we saw of Saddam Hussein doing the same thing, having people plucked out of an audience and people sitting there sweating and nobody daring to move or do anything,” said Kerry, according to the transcript provided by ABC News. “Um, this is the nature of this ruthless, horrendous dictatorship and of his insecurities.  And — and I think we — we need to factor that into the urgency of getting China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, all of us, uh, to stay on the same page and to put as much effort into the denuclearization as possible.  To have a nuclear weapon, potentially, in the hands of somebody like Kim Jong In — Jun — just becomes even more unacceptable.”

Actually, it’s Kim Jong Un, and those weapons are already in his hands, as his execution of his uncle makes pretty darned clear.  Furthermore, Michael Warren notes that the State Department briefed Kerry on the last nuclear test in advance, calling him “well-prepared.” Well prepared is not the same as well informed, in this case.  The issue in North Korea isn’t “denuclearization” as it is in Iran by demanding the closure of breeder reactors and centrifuge farms for weapons-grade enrichment of fissile material, but nuclear disarmament of weapons Pyongyang already has built.

And Kerry may need another briefing soon, too:

“Given the latest development in the North, it is uncertain to what directions its political situations would evolve,” South Korean President Park Geun-Hye said in a meeting with advisors on Monday.

“We also can’t rule out the possibility of contingencies such as reckless provocations,” she said, urging the military to step up vigilance near the heavily fortified border with the North.

In the past, North Korea has staged nuclear or missile tests around important political dates. On Monday, thousands of North Korean propaganda leaflets fell on the frontline island of Baengnyeong , warning of an attack on South Korean soldiers stationed there, Yonhap news agency said.