[SeeSharp]

Window dressing from the PRC.

I don't think so. China has better reasons than any other country to want to see the Norks reform their economy. The Chinese are afraid of losing influence over North Korea through an internal coup (to either the Americans or to the South Koreans - same difference), or that North Korea will simply collapse and China will be overrun by millions of Koreans. It is kind of funny to think of the Chinese fearing a flood of immigrants given that all of China's other neighbors are afraid of China for the exact same reason.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

China, to a major extent, arms, feeds and provides heating fuel to the NKs.
The PRC could snap its fingers and the Kims would be history.

[Viennacon]

I suspect Uncle Jang was China’s ‘inside man’, and a kind of mediator between them and the Pilsbury Dough Boy. Now he’s been... exploded, they’re worried North Korea is beginning to crumble.

More than anything, they just want a buffer country that’s very hostile to South Korea. Keep the peninsular dwellers at bay while China deals with Japan.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Just give the North to the Chinese. Problem solved.