The hard reality is what's changing. My problem with the "they just want deterrence for regime survival" story is that they already have fantastic deterrence, t

The hard reality is what's changing. My problem with the "they just want deterrence for regime survival" story is that they already have fantastic deterrence, the ability to wipe out Seoul at will. Therefore, the nuclear program is harder to see as some purely defensive measure, especially considering its cost and various opportunity costs. What, they'll do all this for... some _extra_ deterrence? Seems possible to me that they seek to neutralize the U.S. by holding it nuclear hostage. Then someday maybe take the South. They've even been talking about EMP blasts, a very useful offensive strategy for them.