Given the numbers of NK sleepers, infiltrators and agents provacateur active in ROK how likely do you think it is that it is they who instigate and organize these protests?
Their desire for alliance with the US has always outweighed their few vocal dissenters. Same as it is with other allies.
If it is really 40 million to a hundred, then they certainly don't need us around. They can easily handle 23 million starving slaves by themselves, fat prosperous and healthy as they are... On the other hand, if those 40 million don't really give a sh8t who their ruler is, then --hey--they still don't need us around.