Especially since Mr Kim's provocative bomb test, this time all the neighbours have done their bit, leaving the recalcitrant Mr Kim little wiggle room.
ECONOMIST: Time for North Korea to come clean about its nuclear past
It was a badly-behaving North Korea in October 2006 it conducted a provocative bomb test that persuaded the other five to back tough sanctions, helping the February deal to fruition.
Washington, Tokyo, Seoul and others consider both the rocket launch and the nuclear test provocative acts that threaten regional security.
After a period of time, the North Koreans tend to follow up their effective walkout with a provocative act such as a missile test.
Mr Obama said the test was a "highly provocative act", and called for "swift" and "credible" international action in response.
Analysts caution that it is possible North Korea is simply using the existence of the missile to feed concerns about the isolated state's provocative behavior and won't proceed with a test firing.
This point was brought home clearly by both Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's immediate verbal response to the North Korean nuclear test on Monday and by Iran's provocative launch of warships in the Gulf of Aden the same day.
North Korea's actions have heightened tensions worldwide, though U.S. officials said other nations will not be intimidated by the "provocative and destabilizing" moves, particularly Monday's nuclear test.
CNN: Clinton slams N. Korea's rhetoric, 'belligerent' actions
Diplomats and North Korea observers had anticipated Tuesday's nuclear test as Pyongyang appeared to be repeating a pattern of provocative actions seen before the previous explosions.
With new leaders in South Korea, Japan and China, North Korea's nuclear test also fits another longtime pattern of a undertaking a provocative act early in the tenure of other political leaders, then following it with steps to smooth relations in hopes of persuading the others to provide financial aid and other assistance.
As Mary Lou's skilled subordinates throughout that period, Frank Perley and Ben Tyree, know well, I would frequently test her patience with a late submission and occasionally with a particularly provocative column.
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