Reply to post: What sort of sanctions are left that haven't already been put on them?

What sort of sanctions are left that haven't already been put on them?

The only sanctions that matter are from the Chinese. Without them North Korea can't survive. The problem for China is that now that they've allowed a nuclear power to grow in their shadow, they can't risk pissing them off too badly. I have to think that if they could get a do-over on the last few decades they would have taken a harder line with the Norks in the past to prevent them from becoming a nuclear power.

China has the ability to shoot down a handful of missiles coming from North Korea, but probably not one that is essentially dropped from space without warning (if that's what this "satellite" is or is the dry run for) Now they are as vulnerable as everyone else to North Korea, so they have even more reason to stay on their good side.

South Korea is who really needs to worry here. While a nuclear attack on South Korea by the Norks would quite possibly result in the US nuking Pyongyang and ending the problem for good, I wonder if the Norks leadership is cognizant of that? They seem to ascribe godlike powers to 'Dear Leader', they might believe he can protect them, and he might believe he's invulnerable.