Let's think about the threat increasingly posed by a nuclear-armed North Korea ruled by a psychopath with near-absolute power. China fears the very real prospect of being overrun by starving Norks, in the event the Kim regime collapses. Thus, they won't do what is necessary to rein in Kim.
It seems likely within 1-2 years Kim will have his threat assembled. At the point at which Kim has a nuke on an ICBM and threatens Seattle with it, what then?
Everybody says the 25 million South Koreans living in greater Seoul are hostages, under Nork guns, missiles, and bombs. Do you believe this U.S. president would shrug off Seattle to save Seoul?
More to the point, do the South Koreans believe it? Indeed, why would they? Donald Trump has made it abundantly clear he puts U.S. interests first. In extremis, it may well be in the U.S. interest to bomb North Korea mercilessly, even if that puts Seoul's millions at risk of annihilation.
If South Koreans conclude this is a likely outcome, might they not surrender to the North, open the border and invite the DPRK to rule them, in order to survive? Do you suppose that is Kim's plan for reunification of the peninsula? I wish I found that scenario farfetched.
