"Since I doubt the average NK citizen has weapons, how would you suggest they take matters into their own hands against a well armed, well trained military?"
That well armed, well trained military are citizens too. If they can stand by and watch as their fellow countrymen die of starvation without rebelling against their oppressors then they are not human. I can't get too upset when a subhuman culture destroys its self.
Communism is a disease. Often it's fatal for those infected, but the one thing we do know, is that it can not be cured by appeasement. That only prolongs and spreads the illness.
No argument from me about the malignancy of communism. I just wonder how realistic it is to expect sufficient numbers of citizens to band together and overthrow an entrenched regime.
Infiltration at top levels with an ensuing coup would be more likely to effect change. But just as unlikely I'm afraid.