North Korea's response to any military action on the part of the USA is to unleash an action to destroy S.Korea. They have the capability to unload ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND heavy artilliary rounds at the ready. The only logical action on the part of the US is to launch a neuclear attack that will obliterate most of N.Korea simultaneously. This will take approximately 15 minutes from launch of ICBMs from CONUS.

Few countries will have been as closely watched from above as North Korea. The position of every artillery battery will be well known and be reachable in a few minutes, no need to traverse the border looking for them. Likewise other strategic targets like those involved in the manufacture of nukes. These facilities can't be carried hither and thither by truck. It seems the Yanks had enough intel on them to thwart the latest bid to unleash a missile. This will be what Trump means by shutting North Korea down with or without Chinese help.

Shutting North Korea down doesn't doesn't require initiating nuclear war so close to China unless the North Koreans are seen to do it first.
The alternative is to continue with fear of what decades of appeasement will embolden the North Koreans to take the initiative and do next.

By the same token no attempt to find and kill their supreme leader would work. It would trigger an attack in which the bad guys would have the initiative, probably massive bombardment of Seoul if the artillery wasn't taken out first.

Bribing China with trade deals would sell out the Rust Belt citizens who elected Trump to stop exporting their jobs to slave countries like China. This would shorten Trump's presidency.

Have a cup of tea and a lie down chaps.

The little fat fool will go that one step too far and his barber, or someone close to him will take him out.

Without a doubt the Chinese view Fat Boy Kim as a useful tool to give it to the West and when they decide that he is past his "useful by" date then the aforementioned "Close" friend will knock him.

They should concentrate on making fun of him especially with cartoons beamed over the border.

North Korea has never attacked anyone (even the Korean War was provoked by South Korean attacks on the North).

North Korea is a responder, reacting in defence of itself. Whereas the US can't go a day without attacking something just to prove how important it is.

Dear Killarney,

«North Korea has never attacked anyone»

Apart from kidnapping Japanese people - but what about its own people?