Naval role in a scenario to attack North Korea

This would entail both USN and USMC. Obviously neither service would be
operating independently of USA and USAF units. For further discussion
(although other scenarios would be interesting) assume ROK holding the fort.

Scenario A: the PRC not contesting the attack - west side entry (Yellow Sea)
or east side (Sea of Japan)? Is occupying Pyongyang a status thing like
taking Berlin or Paris or London, or is it another city like Washington, DC
or Ottawa? Is an eastern attack more amenable to rolling up the DPRK forces,
or a western attack?

Estimate of naval shipping required? I'd think something beyond what we have
now. I'm guessing the complete FMF plus a bunch of USA divisions needs to be
on assault shipping, in follow-on shipping, or ready close by to be flown
in. Actually, maybe the entire US ground component?

Scenario B: PRC contesting attack - is this doable at all? I doubt it,
unless we threaten the Chinese with strategic nuclear weapons.

Can anyone think of a twist to Scenario A, where something really bold and
innovative could use less forces (say, 5 divisions) to take out North Korea?

I'd guess that naval commanders would rather operate in the Sea of Japan.
But is that the best location for landed troops?

AHS


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