[Michael Barnes]

NORKS don't have an adequate supply line for a sustained engagement. If any arty is lobbed, it will be ferocious with the NORKs looking to invade and entrench themselves in Seoul as a bargaining chip for withdrawal (give us lots of mula, or we piece meal destroy Seoul).
The key for them is trapping as many civvies as possible in the opening salvo which would mean putting a lot down range SOUTH of Seoul while simultaneously destroying all of the DMZ. Most of their equipment going into Seoul will never move North again. NORKs gear is very dated and their re-supply of parts to maintain complex machinery is highly limited (outside what they might be able to produce themselves).

China want's none of this, a serious buildup in that area means China loses quite a bit of ground in its own aspirations of taking back Taiwan.

If I had to take a guess, Everyone surrounding the NORKs are trying to grease the palms of the higher echelon (including Military) for the green light to off the NORK leadership...Just a guess however.

Just my $0.02

[Uncle Ike]

” China want’s none of this, a serious buildup in that area means China loses quite a bit of ground in its own aspirations of taking back Taiwan. “

For another ‘take’ on China’s position in this —

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2636228/posts?page=24#24

[1010RD]

The NORKS are bluffing. They’ve got nothing to gain and everything to lose.

The Kim family needs a subsidy and nobody’s paying. It’s blackmail, pure and simple.