It could be a whole new ball game. It is now up to China to get its act together and place stiff headlock around N. Korea's neck. However, I am not so optimistic. Communist regime tend to have inertia which is nearly impossible to break even when their long-standing dogma poses an imminent danger. I suspect that, when they finally change their mind, it would be too late to make any difference.
They will end up triggering a strategic earthquake in E. Asia.