It may well be that Kim Jong-un has calculated two likely outcomes surrounding his fate: a long-term decline in the importance of Pyongyang to Beijing that leads to his demise, or a high-risk venture provoking the US into military intervention against North Korea. Illustration: Craig Stephens
It may well be that Kim Jong-un has calculated two likely outcomes surrounding his fate: a long-term decline in the importance of Pyongyang to Beijing that leads to his demise, or a high-risk venture provoking the US into military intervention against North Korea. Illustration: Craig Stephens
North Korea nuclear crisis
Comment /  Opinion

Why Kim Jong-un may be banking on a US military strike to ensure his survival

Bob Savic says with China enforcing UN sanctions and getting closer to South Korea, the North Korean leader may well force America’s hand to show Beijing and Moscow his indispensability as the leader of a buffer state

Bob Savic
Bob Savic

Updated: 7:29pm, 6 Oct, 2017

Why you can trust SCMP
It may well be that Kim Jong-un has calculated two likely outcomes surrounding his fate: a long-term decline in the importance of Pyongyang to Beijing that leads to his demise, or a high-risk venture provoking the US into military intervention against North Korea. Illustration: Craig Stephens
It may well be that Kim Jong-un has calculated two likely outcomes surrounding his fate: a long-term decline in the importance of Pyongyang to Beijing that leads to his demise, or a high-risk venture provoking the US into military intervention against North Korea. Illustration: Craig Stephens
READ FULL ARTICLE