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N.Korea has become not only a pain in America’s backside, but now is becoming an albatross to China as well.
There are signs that China is becoming annoyed at the games N.Korea use to blackmail its neighbors into concessions. This is an old game that has been a key to Korea’s survival for hundreds of years. They have become masters of playing one large country off against another.
Using the NATO/US vs. Communist block to their advantage as well as pitting China against the Soviets has allowed them to make enough military gains to become a real pain in everyone’s ass.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, N.Korea has become completely reliant on China for its sustenance, meaning it currently has only one card to play, the US vs. China. The problem is this rivalry at this point in time is neither beneficial for the US or China. There is just too much wealth to be gained by the current trade arrangements to allow the tantrums from a Hermit government to interfere.
So what is the solution? Clearly no one is comfortable with an unstable government possessing nuclear weapons which it may inadvertently set off, sell to others, or even possibly mistakenly launch against others. On the other hand China does not want a “western” friendly country on its doorstep.
I believe both sides would clearly like to see N.Korea both de-nuclearized and a new regime installed.
China will insist on installing another government in N.Korea which will reflect their own best interests, but will be peaceful and not cause problems, unless of course they want them to.
The question is how to do it without massive deaths and billions in destruction.