the problem is that you cannot tell whether you're looking at nuclear-armed missile until it hits (or is close to hitting)
during the -say- 30mins of the arrival of Tomahawks / JDAM etc etc etc ... (totally ignoring chemical-armed Scuds, soviet-era multiple-launch missile batteries) the 8-12k artillery pieces within range of Seoul will have been pumping out 4 rounds of high explosive or chemical munitions directly into downtown Seoul
its not that nuclear weapons will be used - they will most likely be intercepted *IF* they're on a missile (and not loaded on an electric sub and motored into Tokyo Bay, or ... wherever they decide to send the fleet of subs one-way) ... its that the South Korean capital is being held by the balls using a rusty 1950s-era knife - what would be the effect of say 600000 high explosive/chemical rounds on say Chicago or NYC ... THATS the down-side to going to war with North Korea as opposed to trying to work out the entire cluster
fluff mess with their leadership
radiation distributed by fallout throughout the region from NK nuclear facilities/cities/leadership facilities being bombed would piss off China, Russia, South Korea, Japan because its THEY that have to deal with it for decades to come
don't misread it that i am either for or against, -should- it happen, the damage NOT caused by the issue in hand (nukes) would be massive
http://www.businessinsider.com/...in-korea-wants-war-2013-4
http://www.iiss.org/...tary-balance-on-the-kore/