North Korea's rocket test last week was a technological dud and political embarrassment for Pyongyang's enigmatic leadership but hold the applause.

The so-called Hermit Kingdom may have another shoe or two to drop in its unending quest for worldwide fear, respect and economic aid, including a new test of a nuclear weapon, which, as its rocket test was, would be in defiance of international opinion and agreements.

A South Korean intelligence report stated that excavation for such a test is taking place at North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear testing site. A test could be this spring. Pyongyang conducted nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009. Although the excavation work has been going on for months, apparently, Pyongyang's loss of face by last week's rocket fizzle makes an explosion more likely in the short term.

"The possibility of an additional long-range rocket launch or a nuclear test, as well as a military provocation to strengthen internal solidarity is very high," a senior South Korean defense ministry official was quoted as saying last week.

North Korea's new leader, Kim Jong Un, did nothing to dampen anxiety of a possible new provocation in his remarks Sunday during celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of his grandfather and founder of the country, Kim Il Sung.

Kim said, "The days of enemies threatening and blackmailing us with nuclear weapons are over."

"In order to realize our goal of building a socialist, strong and prosperous nation," he added, "we must first, second and third strengthen the people's army on all fronts. We have grown into a powerful military, equipped with our own means of defense and attack in any modern war."

The threatening and blackmailing he was referring to were international demands for North Korea to adhere to provisions of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty that it had earlier withdrawn from; agitation by the United States, Japan and others for new economic sanctions against the country; and Washington's suspension of food aid in response to the rocket tests.

What he failed to mention was that his realm is one of the poorest in the world, with widespread hunger and that tens -- if not hundreds -- of thousands of its citizens try each year to flee to neighboring China.

North Korea, which touted the rocket firing, had claimed it was a launch of a satellite but it was widely suspected as a ruse for the testing of an intercontinental ballistic missile capability.

The United Nations said Pyongyang's s firing of the rocket violated a U.N. resolution that bars Pyongyang from developing long-range missiles.

On Monday, the U.N. Security Council roundly condemned the test and warned of additional sanctions.

The launch, it said, "even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle, is a serious violation of U.N. resolutions."

Given North Korea's history of subterfuge and aggression -- plus its providing of nuclear and rocket technology to states such as Iran and Syria -- and the pre-eminent influence of the country's military, international condemnation and doubts of its sincerity are understandable. If nothing else, North Korea over the years has perfected the game of diplomatic hustle.

In the 1959 film, "The Mouse that Roared," a minuscule European principality facing economic crisis hit on a novel idea of gaining foreign aid: declare war on the United States, send an armed invasion force (with bows and arrows) to New York and promptly surrender. Given that the United States was sending financial assistance to countries it defeated in World War II, the expectation of aid was reasonable.

Aid eventually was won but not from bow-and-arrow aggression by the Grand Duchy of Fenwick but by a comedy of missteps in which Fenwick captured a U.S. super-bomb and held it to ransom.

The Cold War spoof was hilarious but there is nothing amusing in North Korea's behavior. It is still technically at war with South Korea following its 1950 invasion. While its people starve, it has a nuclear weapons program and it exports its technology to rogue states for financial gain, all the while making and breaking international agreements.

During the Clinton administration, for example, Pyongyang agreed to shut down a nuclear facility in return for food and other aid and then promptly began constructing another one to replace the facility it supposedly shut.

In February of this year, in response to a reach out by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama, North Korea agreed to cut nuclear enrichment efforts in return for food. It then scheduled its rocket test.

"North Korea is only further isolating itself by engaging in provocative acts and is wasting its money on weapons and propaganda displays while the North Korean people go hungry," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

Pyongyang's theater of the absurd last week resulted in U.S. suspension of the 240,000 tons of food aid promised and calls for more sanctions. South Korea, a major trading partner, cut much of its economic intercourse as a result of earlier provocations, leaving China -- its benefactor -- a linchpin in any new sanctions regime, but Security Council member China has already said such action would be unwise -- again understandable. A collapse of the regime would result in total chaos on its border.

Whether North Korea baits the international community for economic concessions by detonating a nuclear device or shelling South Korea, as it has in the past, is a coin toss.