I think the argument can be made on behalf of their own rational self-interests. Do other countries in the region feel safer with North Korea maintaining a nuclear arsenal? Japan and South Korea probably do not. Would China prefer that North Korea have long-range nuclear strike capabilities that guarantee the US can never leave the hemisphere, and that NK can effectively challenge their political authority in the region? Probably not.<p>All things being equal, the choice is between the US&#x27; nukes, and the US&#x27; nukes aimed at NK&#x27;s nukes, and NK&#x27;s nukes aimed who knows where (not necessarily just as the US.)