He who controls the military controls the country. End of story.

In fully authoritarian country yes,but the thing is not in those not wanting to be portrayed as such. It is really about avoiding international SANCTIONS which couldn't do much to Kim Jong Un but could harm for example Putin or Łukaszenko who still profit from selling something abroad. And for less authoritarian government fear of being accused of "totalitarian tyranny" goes even more far away. Moreover if you would try to crush "peaceful protests" by violence you risk American or other military intervention "for protection of democracy" and so on. To avoid it ruling ones cannot do violent massacre or even mass arresting people and cannot stop fake news media ("the press") so it becomes waiting and propaganda game.

The only question that should be asked is do members of the military want their children to grow up in a wasteland of poverty?

Really no problem for them as long as they are those rich ones living in guarded estates or so. "The problem" is they might begin to fear they would lose it all and die.

He who controls the military controls the country. End of story.

In fully authoritarian country yes,but the thing is not in those not wanting to be portrayed as such. It is really about avoiding international SANCTIONS which couldn't do much to Kim Jong Un but could harm for example Putin or Łukaszenko who still profit from selling something abroad. And for less authoritarian government fear of being accused of "totalitarian tyranny" goes even more far away. Moreover if you would try to crush "peaceful protests" by violence you risk American or other military intervention "for protection of democracy" and so on. To avoid it ruling ones cannot do violent massacre or mass arresting people.

The only question that should be asked is do members of the military want their children to grow up in a wasteland of poverty?

Really no problem for them as long as they are those rich ones living in guarded estates or so. "The problem" is they might begin to fear they would lose it all and die.