North Korea Collapsing?

Analysis: Could North Korea Be Headed For Collapse? -- Stars And Stripes

SEOUL — It’s a question that has long perplexed those who study North Korea and one that continues to divide experts: How long can the leaders of the world’s most isolated country stay in power?

The question of the Kim regime’s survival — and the potential problems a sudden collapse of the government could unleash — has taken on added significance this year following North Korea’s sinking of a South Korean warship in March and the Nov. 23 bombardment of a populated island along the countries’ maritime border.

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My Comment: I (personally) have trouble seeing the North Korean government collapsing any time soon. It's security apparatus is too vested in the regime for them to change their loyalties .... and they know that positions of influence and privilege would be swept away in the event of an uprising.

The threat of war has been one way for the North Korean government to control its critics, but by using this threat each time the North Korean government lessens its impact. The only way that the North Korean government can legitimize this warning, is to actually conduct armed confrontations and military strikes. Hence .... the South Korean government is now of the opinion that future North Korean provocations and military attacks will become the order of the day, increasing with each provocation and threat.