Somewhat similar to what happened that “led” Japan to bomb Pearl Harbor. Japan boxed themselves into a corner and decided it was best to fight they way out.
Puggsley is finding out how his military has become woefully decrepit. Those generals have been living off the fat of the land.
Japan knew that if they did not use the Philippines as an “aircraft carrier” sitting in the Pacific, the U.S. would. They couldn’t very well get the Philippines but leave the U.S. Pacific fleet in tact in Hawaii. Pearl Harbor was attacked to extend how long Japan had to build up its bases all around Asia, starting with the Philippines and its great harbor at Subic bay. Before the U.S. could get its act together Japan had bases all the way down the Pacific and around to Thailand.
I don’t think the dictator of North Korea has any such grand intentions of possibilities in front of him.