Agreed. There was an analogous fear of the Iraqi military prior to our invasion. They worked around their defenses. Same can happen with NK although China adds a complicating factor to the mix.
“...China adds a complicating factor to the mix.”
Something North Korean and MAJOR is, suddenly, “erased.”
The White House drops a note to Beijing: “Doing a little bit of remodeling up the road from you. Pardon our dust.”