I doubt it.
Whenever NoKor issues these kinds of threat, it usually means that NoKor is again trying to catch the attention of the world in order to emphasize its capability and, again, extort another round of negotiations with sanctioning states to loosen the sanctions' choke-hold in its worsening economic situation.
This Attila-the-Hun-strategy may have had worked in the past but that was when China was still tolerating its spoiled-brat behavior. But this time around China has kept its distance, realizing that to get into the fray would be huge gamble which would likely undermine its capitalistic epic rise in the globalized open-world market, and even expressed its aversion toward NoKor's new antics.
As long as China won't put its hand in the Korean Peninsula, its economic privileges are safe. For no self-respecting capitalist would openly hold hands with a communist pariah. This might damage its businessman-like stature.
And with the Pacific fleet lined up along the coasts of East Asia aptly-timed for the US-SoKor military exercises nobody would dare try to challenge that very obvious and Sun Tzu-ish tactical advantage.
Thus, whatever world-war fears that may have been circulating around these few days were probably caused by either ignorance or paranoia.
On priests
By Jean Michaut
How important and timely is the joint declaration made by Archbishop Socrates Villegas and Monsignor Esteban Binghay published in your issue of April 1.
Thanks to both of them for urging all priests to live in humility and simplicity and to be more effective ministers to the Catholic faithful taking Pope Francis as a role model and by doing so, confirming the declaration made by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle in October 2012 as the issue of the Synod of Bishop in Rome when he asked for “humble and less arrogant ministers.â€
No doubt we, lay faithful, are suffering from the attitude of some of our priests who are expressing little to no concern of their flock. Our shepherds are not there when needed. They look with almost disdain at their parishioners. They are not as available as they should be, and they live in an 'ivory tower'. Those priests are destroying the Church that Jesus built. It will be a great service to the People of God if they were removed from their positions and sent to a sabbatical retreat of several years, if needed, to eradicate their present serious problems.