Will North Korea collapse?

. . . or will riots break out as a new leader is selected this week?

Nah on both counts.

But things will no doubt continue to be "interesting." There's a lot of creative tension (heh) with China, and the outcome of the party meetings that began the other day may only deepen the mysteries of the Hermit Kingdom. Utter chaos, though, is unlikely.

Good primer in New Republic, here.