The basic situation hasn’t changed in 50 years; it was a stalemate then and it is a stalemate now. Back then it was a stalemate because of the backing of external powers of course.
Eventually North Korea devoloped a sufficient conventional capicity to deter attack- through an ability to inflict unacceptable losses on our allies and our troops stationed nearby rather than an ability to wina prolonged war- even as the willingness of outside powers to intervene on its behalf waned. By the late 80s the CIA was speculating that they might have a nuke, although it’s an open question of when they actually got their POS weapon.
The rhetoric may be different now than it was ten years ago but the situation is still the same. Back during the Clinton administration it was in the best interest of the North to be a cock tease to try to get what sustanance it could out of the outside world.
It was at the same time in the best interest of Clinton and the rest of the world to see if there was a negotiated solution to be had. There was really nothing much to lose given the situation while the possible gains were worthwhile.
At this point they think they have more to gain by talking tough, whether they think they’re going to get bribed to shut up or if they think they can rally support at home through a crisis. The Chinese may be getting annoyed with them but the primary goal of the Chinese is to prevent a mess forming on their border. If NK imploded then they would face massive imigration problems, the possibility of civil war on their border and the possibility a few decades down the line of a more powerful unified Korea with which to contend. They want to status quo, albiet much more quiet than it has been lately.
The only real danger is if Kim feals collapse is imminent. He is presumably aware of what happens to dictators and their families when they’re toppeled by coup or popular revolution. Hint- it involves the gruesome death of everyone out to the 3rd cousins. Either Machiavelli read human nature well or everyone has read Machiavelli. So as long as he doesn’t feel that a full scale war is less dangerous than the status quo, the status quo will prevail. A palace coup will likely be his ultimate end if he takes things too far though. The eunics can get upity if they feel their own master is more of a threat than the outside forces.
Short version of the story: There is no story.
Go lift weights and worry about whether or not you need a male escort to your car.