[karma_vaccum123]

Problem is...North Korea is a legitimate existential threat to a key US ally (South Korea) and a meaningful threat to others (Japan).

We have fun laughing at North Korea but they are armed to the teeth and are indeed capable of turning Seoul into a cinder.

[snerbles]

This capability comes with or without nuclear weapons as well, since Seoul is located well within artillery range of the north.

[sliverstorm]

You wouldn't know it given the land size of the country, but NK used to have the third largest standing army in the world, after the USA & PRC. (They are fourth now, after India)

[douche]

Which would stand up just about as well as the Iraqi army did in either Gulf War after a week's worth of airstrikes from a CAG in the Sea of Japan, cruise missiles and land-based bombers out of Japan. It'd be a turkey-shoot.

[snerbles]

In the week we obliterate the DPRK, they'll flatten Seoul.