What to 'do' with North Korea?

North Korea, as we all may be aware, is a very agressive dictatorship. With their recent shelling and killing of four people (two civilians) on a South Korean island, the problem of what to do with a nation that secludes itself from the rest of the planet is one we must face. Certainly diplomacy has been at a stalemate since the Korean War, and with the imminent passing of their leader, Kim Jong Il, we must consider how to prepare for the next leader, likely Il's son. Now, obviously a monarchy or dictatorship is something that leaves no choice to the people, but who am I as an American to say that their political scenario is wrong? I've never lived under a reign similar to that of North Korea so I am surely not one to say that it should change.

The exception, however, is human rights. And certainly North Korea has it fair share of human rights violations, including penalizing those who enter the country illegally (even if the consequences are known). And I feel that we has humans, not as Americans, must decide that we should do something about the abhorrent living situation for many North Koreans. Being brainwashed from birth essentially, it is hard for many North Koreans to accept that their government is inherently corrupt and uses its people as pawns. The government is about money and power, as many governments certianly may be, but they have gone too far. It is time for the rest of the world to take notice. Perhaps diplomacy could take its course if many more nations were involved, or if China stepped up to recognize that North Korea is regressing rather than moving forward. Treaties need to be written up, and action needs to get taken soon, before another war in the Koreas begins.