I am convinced that the only way North Korea is going to survive now is if it is absorbed into China as a semi-autonomous republic, like a Chinese Soviet Union division.  But I do hope to see Korea united in my lifetime.  North Korea is such a Cold War skeleton that needs to be buried.  

Given their history, the North Korean’s will not view Chinese invaders favorably. Since the Kim’s and the rest of their cronies will be on the Chinese list of people who will not be in the new regime, so they can be expected to call for resistance against the Chinese invaders as well, and urge South Korea to make common cause the Chinese. Won’t make much difference, the Chinese will undoubtedly come with overwhelming force.

 

Then there is the North Korean economy to be repaired, the cost of that will cripple either country’s growth for a decade or more. The issues of taking over North Korea are complex, neither side wants the other to have North Korean, but none of them want to get stuck with North Korean either.