emp was not a problem then because we didnt explode them over computer chips and delicate electronic devices
the difference in what is manufactured and how is why it is an issue
and I spoke to some former spooks who did frequency analysis for DOD, they are greatly concerned about EMP and think faraday cages are a waste of time for the common man
they recommended going 400 feet underground
As I said, effective range isn’t that great. An old fashioned low altitude detonation over a city would be far more destructive.
Worst case scenario would be frying computer chips in a limited sized radius. Is the net effect worse than a large storm? Maybe, maybe not. Computer and smart phone sales would shoot up. Infrastructure controls would be repaired.
A USN SSBN somewhere would then put a far more destructive payload on Pyongyang.