I think this is more, NK is a pawn of China and Russia, both of whom give them nuclear technology and seem to be using them as a proxy against US. Iran's the half of it. This is great power politics in motion.
Some suggest the two trawlers taking out two guided missile destroyers chartered with protecting their carrier group and effectively taking out two carrier groups in Asia was electronic warfare by China. Now, is NK goading us into war so they can take or destroy SK, which would appreciably weaken the West? Don't forget, China wants the hemisphere, Russia wants the USSR, starting with Ukraine, and they all want US. Iran wants global caliphate as do the Arabs. Such bottom lines are called dominant narratives by Gen. Hayden. Wonder what we actually consider the dominant narratives of these countries to be.
Politeness doesn't hack it, we're under attack. jmho.