A New York Times report here features a North Korean official photo showing the unceremonial expulsion during a politburo meeting of the regime's No.2, Jang Song-thaek, the revered pro-reform uncle and mentor of Kim Jong-un, the paramount leader.

The drama is an omen that a more hard-line regime dictated by military-led vested interests is taking hold in North Korea. The 30-year-old Kim cannot help but be used as a puppet.

It bodes ill for China and regional stability and is likely to scuttle however little that has been achieved in the past six-party talks on North Korea de-nuclearization.

Throw in a right-wing Abe government in Japan wanting to up the ante against China militarily with or without help from the United States, there is an explosive cocktail brewing in North East Asia.

Notwithstanding recent tensions over China's declared Air Defense Indentification Zone (ADIZ), South Korea's relations with China are relatively more benign. But naturally, South Korea would sit up and consider her own options if North Korea should implode.

This is only a curtain raiser. Let's hope the play is not a Greek tragedy.