Catching up here really means that they are at 1970’s technology while their targets are all at the cutting edge of 21st century tech. Un is looking to use nukes as “regime change insurance” which is perfectly understandable. However kind of redundant considering that blackmailing Seoul with conventional forces has the same effect.
If South Korea and Japan wanted to go full nuclear with long range missiles and aircraft to carry them, they can do so within a month. The resources are there. The only thing stopping them are treaty obligations to the US.
Un is trolling Trump for as long as it remains amusing and useful. If anything he appears to be working along with Russian goals of weakening the diplomatic ties between US and South Korea. South Korea’s president Moon Jae-in has been absolutely furious with Trump and always ruled out military options from the very beginning.
