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Despite the threats of a nuclear-armed dictator, it doesn't appear that America is ready for a new Cold War. At least, not if bomb shelter sales are any indicator.
The question was prompted by a weird story in U.S. News and World Report. Titled "Americans Reconsider Bomb Shelters Following North Korean Threats," the article then proceeds to never mention bomb shelters, instead interviewing a South Korean professor who says, in essence, that there's nothing to worry about. We decided to see if there was any reason for such a headline.
It seems obvious that areas that might be more likely to be struck by a North Korean missile would be more likely to invest in a bomb shelter. So the first question to answer: How far can a North Korean missile reach?
The answer, it seems, is "not to America." As Max Fisher writes at the Washington Post, North Korea has a variety of missiles. Many are untested. One, the KN-08, could reach 6,000 miles, enough to hit California — if it worked and if the North Koreans actually have it and if it were accurate. But it's the only one that would reach, so we'll go with it.
Next, we looked for a bomb shelter sales establishment in that range. And we found American Safe Room, in Oakland, Oregon. According to DistanceFromTo.com, Oakland is 5,300 miles from Pyongyang. That's in range.