Would it be difficult for China to invade and occupy NK?

I think it is meaningless to discuss military operation without knowning the underlying political objective.

Depend on what China want to achieve, the military operation can have various degree of success. If it is to conduct a US-style "regime change" operation, I'd say anyone would fail spectacularly. However, I think if the objective is narrowly focused on the nuclear issue alone, there are probably ways to give North Korea a bloody nose under the element of surprise. Then China can force the North Korea to take a political solution laid on the table.

I think a good example of this approach is 1962 war. China delivered a knock out punch but yet knows its limit.

Its very nice to see at least someone agrees with me that the NK troop arent just going to roll over dead when the PLA drives into their country (thanks Gollevainen). If china does invade NK, i think it will very likely resemble the WWII with mast numbers of ground troops slugging over a few kilometers of entrenched land. But i think if PLA can succeed in taking over North Korea in quick and costless manner, it will definitely give Taiwan something to think about.

plus RedMercury is right, NK wont shell seoul just for the hell it, it will have nothing to gain from that and everything to lose. What people hear on the news about the north is part NK rhetoric and part western biase. I dont believe that Kim and his leadership are crazy or eratic, they are like any other politician in the world. Lets not forget that 40 or 50 years ago, China was just like NK is today. Western stereotype frequently portrayed china as "radical reds", masses of zealots that's more dangerous than the USSR.

I think that a war between NK and China has a good chance of ending up like the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979. Even though China has better military technology and organization now, Noth Korea has better technology and organization than Vietnam did back then. There is a good possibility that if China invaded it could end up like back then, with China paying heavy prices for small advances but still pushing the enemy back.

NK arty attacks SK, SK blames China? Sheesh. Get real.

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Tell me, why did NK arty attack SK? Because China, within this case, chose the military option. Whoever riles up NK gets blamed by a future United Korea.

I WANT to believe in a peaceful and liberal NK. There's signs of that, including that SEZ they tried to set up across the river from Dandong. But then China arrested the guy NK chose to run the operation. How would you like to interpret that? Did China choose to work on its corruption problem over its NK problem, or did China actively sabotage NK's attempt at liberalization?

Anyways, my belief is, even if NK WANTS to be peaceful and liberal, it cannot evolve beyond being a blackmail state. Being a blackmail state is already too easy and effective, and people seem to choose the path of least resistance.

Inst said:

I WANT to believe in a peaceful and liberal NK. There's signs of that, including that SEZ they tried to set up across the river from Dandong. But then China arrested the guy NK chose to run the operation. How would you like to interpret that? Did China choose to work on its corruption problem over its NK problem, or did China actively sabotage NK's attempt at liberalization?

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Here's the actual situation regarding the Chinese businessman, Yang Bin, who was selected to run the North Korean SEZ at Sinuiji, and the reasons for his arrest by Chinese authorities.

A more famous special administrative zone, modeled on Shenzhen
in China, was also set up in Sinuiji on the Chinese border, where the
Yalu River enters the Yellow Sea. A Chinese entrepreneur, Yang Bin,
who holds Dutch citizenship, was appointed by the North Korean
leader as the governor of the zone, which, Yang told CNN, “will have
its own legislative, judicial and executive powers without any interference
from the central government.”58 Apparently, Beijing was not consulted,
and Yang was soon arrested on suspicion of evading taxes in his
hometown of Shenyang and for allowing the visa-free entry of Chinese
and other foreigners to Sinuiji.59 The inauspicious beginning nevertheless
highlights a crucial aspect of zoning practices in China, that is, the
direct involvement of government in regulating the flow of population
and capital in both directions. There is nothing to suggest that the Chinese
government is against the cross-border zoning scheme, and in all
likelihood the zone will prosper under a new, carefully crafted joint
administrative partnership. The lesson is that individual business
tycoons cannot work independently of crucial ties to state officials who
in the final instance oversee and regulate special zones that are an alternate
space of governance.

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From "The Chinese Axis" by Aihwa Ong, Journal of East Asian Studies 4 (2004); 66-69

China was not trying to undermine North Korean liberalization, to suggest so is outrageous. The liberalization of an entire country does not depend upon a single businessman; furthermore, China did nothing to actually stop the development of the zone, North Korea saw to that itself by strangling any entrepreneurial activity by its own people.

Inst said:

Tell me, why did NK arty attack SK? Because China, within this case, chose the military option. Whoever riles up NK gets blamed by a future United Korea.

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Still does not make sense. Just because that's NK's motivation, doesn't mean the SK will blame China. If Canadians carpet bombed NYC because the Russians invaded, would Americans blame the Russians?

I think I stand with Jeff and Gollevainen on this one.

Kim was an Intelligence Officer who surprised everyone when he took over form his Father. I have no doubt that he did a deal with Beijing and that if he really was "out of control" that Beijing would easily and quickly install another General or group of Generals in his place.

No war, no shots, just a simple re-arrangement of the Palace furniture.

I would also think the PRC would have help from within the NK. Maybe a coup from the inside followed by airborne, special forces, Marines and air support to take over NK. This thought process is not ill-rational a would be met with support by most of the world. imagine the PRC stating it was removing a tyrannical regime that was threatening world peace with its nuclear proliferation. The PRC would have a free hand to do its will and would gain massive experience in major military movement operations for future use. its a win win issue of the PRC

yoda9999 said:

Never mind the political difficulties.
Mainly the military issues, like terrain, weather, logistics, that sort of thing.
What would it take for China to take NK? How much planning, what staging areas, how many troops and planes?
I would think that China would have to coordinate with the US and SK. Perhaps China can take out the NK military and political leaders?

This report states PLA is conducting ant-chemical drills on the border. They do this often?

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i think a better option would be to initiate a coup in north korea instead of using military measures. it's a much cheaper and effective way in my opinion.

I think people should be realistic, China is the one country right now that could flip North Korea over like a pancake.

Not to say they're the only country that has the military to do it, but they are in a prime position.

South Korea and The U.S. suffer from being right on the heavily militarized border. The U.S. in particular suffers from insufficient numbers. We're cutting down troop numbers to 27,000 right? Even if that changes it's unlikely we'll have the kind of numbers to field like China. China has over 150,000 troops hugging the northern border and could definitely field double that in a few days.

Chinese forces upon invading would find themselves against the weakest of the North Korean army. Not only that, China would have a clear technological advantage and far superior training. In addition they can just cut North Korea off and immediately force them into unrest.

The North Korean army would also lack the kind of supply needed. The real problem is morale and will to fight. Aside from the simpler reasons like the economic situation and dissatisfaction with the government, is the deep demoralization of having what would be considered your best friend in the world driving tanks into your country.

China would have complete air and naval dominance essentially from day one. With that China would have little difficulty demolishing the North Korean army.

If this was in conjunction with a broader conflict against South Korea and the U.S. in the south, the North Koreans would be fully incapable of even a modest resistance.