What Surprise?

North Korea's long-term goal has always been reunification of the Korean peninsula – under the unconditional rule of Pyongyang's socialist dictatorship. While the United States, Japan, and other countries have tried to deter North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs by offering aid, only a short-sighted strategist would reason that Pyongyang's objective is to secure financial support. The largest obstacle to reunification, from the North Korean perspective, is the US-South Korea military alliance. Long-range nuclear weapons capable of hitting the US mainland might force the Washington to think twice before assisting South Korea in a war with the North. Considered from this perspective, why would Pyongyang ever give up its nuclear program? – YaleGlobal