North Korea executed 5 security officials, South Korea says

[abaris]

That won't happen. China is much more comfortable having that regime as a buffer than having to work at ameliorating a humanitarian crisis, which the regime's downfall will precipitate.

This is why China won't play ball in helping to control DPRK's nuclear program.

That's another thing to consider. The downfall of that regime would lead to a massive humanitarian and economic crisis for the surrounding nations. Most of all South Korea, which would have to shoulder the rebuilding efforts if they were to reunite. They're rich, but not that rich to shrug off something like that.

It was already hard for Germany taking over the GDR, but it would be at least ten times as hard for Korea, given the total absence of any infrastructure in the North.