In fact, the missile tests only exposed the great weakness of the North Korean military capability. North Korea is an impoverished country heavily depended on China, Japan and South Korea for its economic survival. However, any sudden collapse of the North Korean regime is likely to trigger a mass exodus of starving people toward South Korea and China and this would be a serious strain on the economies of both countries. This is why both China and South Korea are more concerned about North Korea's collapse rather than any threats emanating from its missile capabilities.

The North Korean regime may be actually trying to stave off an impending revolt inside North Korea by trying to demonstrate its military might. The missile tests are aimed at intimidating the oppressed North Koreans who cannot take any more suffering inflicted by the regime. A hungry man is an angry man and most North Koreans are going hungry every day. By showing their military might, the North Korean leaders might be trying to intimidate their own people. It may be also aimed at blackmailing the United States and Japan to giving more aid. Both Japan and the United States should be more concerned about the immediate collapse of the North Korean state. They should remember that East Germany collapsed when its economy could not sustain the population and exodus from East Germany to West Germany became unstoppable.

The United States, Japan and China should increase their economic assistance to North Korea to stem any sudden collapse.