I don’t know if their arrogance is bluster, bluff or just plain ignorance.
But either way, if they launched a missile at the US, nuclear or not, they would cease to exist in a very, very short while....................
Ever hear of Thoroughly Modern Milley? (I didn’t think so.) The Norks know him pretty well.
You actually think we’d launch back?
I actually am of the opinion (just my own) that we are a completely corrupted “Paper Tiger”. That an attack like that would not responded to in the manner we assume from a time when we had an actual American government that protected its citizens…instead of hating them with a white-hot passion.
I am absolutely certain that we wouldn’t nuke North Korea under any circumstance. South Korea, Japan, China and Russia would get hit by fallout and South Korea might even get blast effects depending on where we hit. That’s not happening.
But even beyond that, I don’t think we have a government that would act that aggressively against a foreign enemy…against its own people, yes, but they could never get their act together to attack outside of that.
If I were North Korea I would focus on using my weapons nuclear or otherwise to degrade or destroy US-allied military bases and power in South Korea, Japan, Guam etc. so that the retaliation you speak of would be interdicted in part or in whole.