After decades of talk and appeasement, its no wonder that Kim doesn’t take us seriously. Our politicians were content to bribe NK and make it appear as though some meaningful deal was struck by diplomatic pressure. It was all just a show and now Trump is left to deal with the mess. He has to restore U.S. credibility which isn’t going to be easy in view of the pathetic weakness of previous presidents.
The blackmail that worked with all past Presidents: give us money and food or we will do really, really bad things. They threaten, and we acquiesed. "Here! Here's money and food! Please don't do it! The NORKs are like a spoiled child with bad parents. The child throws a tantrum holding his breath and the parents panic and give him what he wants.
With his father and grandfather, it worked like a charm. FatBoy has been 0 for something like 10 so far with his escalations with Trump; the President hasn't given in and offered money and food.
The potbellied little SOB can't figure out why it isn't working, and keeps escalating. Eventually, Trump will lower the boom, but only at the right time. Everyone wants to know "When???" "When???" and assumes that since it hasn't yet happened, it won't.
The only ones who know when are Trump and Mattis, I'd wager.
Your post #14 is fully on the mark and explains precisely what is going on and why the Norks are taking so long to get the message. And I’m not saying they will get the message that Trump is serious. Of course they may not care.