The North Korean regime gains potential customers among the hate America crowd and North Korea itself gains a continued existence on the border of China by causing a problem that only China can solve, if it feels like it, or maybe if you beg and grovel enough (and then again maybe not). The regime stands to gain, the North Koreans themselves stand to gain only destruction be it long and drawn out or quick and painful.
Good points. North Korea emerges as strong man for regimes such as Venezuela, Iran, Yemen. But I don’t see a profit motive for them to take that role. Their export of meth is carried out in lines to Russia, China, Taiwan, and from Taiwan to the Philippines. They don’t need H2 bombs and ICBMs to protect that trade.