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August 24, 2009 | Slow Steps! Not All at Once!

Leon V. Sigal: The world needs to focus on first steps toward abolition, not the ultimate goal. Most importantly, before moving to Zero, the West has to achieve major efforts in its relations with North Korea and Iran.

August 17, 2009 | Nuclear Abolition: Now or Never?

Editorial Team: Nuclear disarmament is back on the agenda in the international debate. Atlantic Community members are encouraged to join the conversation as we host a special Theme Week on “Global Zero.” We will present the results from your discussion at the Böll Foundation’s conference “A World Without Nuclear Weapons or Nuclear Anarchy?”

July 13, 2009 | Don't Blame the Security Council for North Korea

Adam Chapnick: As the international community struggles to respond effectively to the missile tests by the North Korean government, critics have blamed the United Nations Security Council for failing to deter aggression and preserve world peace. That blame is misplaced. In this case, responsibility for controlling North Korea falls squarely on China.

April 9, 2009 | HOT ISSUE: The Verdict on Obama's European Trip

Editorial Team: Does one achievement stand out as a significant development at the infancy of the Obama presidency’s foreign policy, or have the early signs of progress been exaggerated out of context? Take part in our poll and vote what you think Obama’s greatest achievement has been.

October 17, 2008 | Japan's North Koreans

E. Ben Heine: The stability of Kim Jong-Il’s regime has depended to a significant degree on financial and material support from Japan’s North Korean minority. This paper analyses the history and organization of North Koreans living in Japan and outlines its significance in future Japan-DPRK relations.

December 3, 2009 | North Korea Going Hungry

North Korea needs to stop trying in vain to feed itself. ++ Given its population and agriculture, it is impossible to grow enough domestically. ++ Investing in industry would bring in foreign currencies with which foodstuffs could be imported. ++ President Obama has already promised to help the ailing economy if Pyongyang moved towards disarmament, but it is clear that nuclear ambitions

August 6, 2009 | Bill Clinton's Double Mission

Bill Clinton’s so called “private mission” in North Korea was definitely in alignment with the Obama administration’s objectives. ++ The off-the-record character of the meeting between the former US President and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Il allowed them to talk about highly sensitive issues behind closed doors, while still complying with UN sanctions. ++ The current US government likely

July 31, 2009 | US Politics of Engagement Will Not Succeed

President Obama’s engagement with US’ adversaries is failing. ++ North Korea and Iran responded to America’s politics of dialogue by testing nuclear weapons and commencing nuclear enrichment. ++ “Obama’s diplomatic hand has been extended for a while now…fists remain clenched.” ++ These oppressive regimes are internally too preoccupied to respond to US rapprochement.

July 8, 2009 | Nonproliferation Needs Action, Not Words

While Russia and the US agree on nonproliferation, global proliferation rises. ++ China and Israel modernize their arsenal; developments in North Korea and Iran endanger world stability. ++ Iran’s nuclear ambitions risk a domino effect with countries at the nuclear doorstep, such as Egypt, Turkey, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. ++ They must either invest in security ties with the US and missile defense

July 7, 2009 | The World Must Be Ready If North Korean Regime Collapses

While North Korea’s autocrat, Kim Jong Il, prepares
for a transition of power, international experts are racking their brains to
determine all possible future political scenarios in the region. Will Kim Jong
Il’s successor establish a more humanitarian system or will the entire regime
come crashing down on the heels of its current iron-fisted dictator. These are
certainly only two of the

July 1, 2009 | North Korea: As Truce Ends, Ships Must Be Searched

The UN resolution banning North Korean weapons trade is ineffective as it requires the regime to consent to foreign inspection of its ships. ++ Yet, North Korea’s belligerent stance gives the US a go-ahead: announcing the end of the truce with South Korea, it allows the US, a combatant in the conflict and leader of the UN Command, to use force. ++ Risk of war is low, the danger of proliferation

June 22, 2009 | Stopping Rogue States will Take More Than Words

“President Obama took office loudly promising to be the anti-George W. Bush of foreign policy,” but what he has received instead is “an education in the reality of global rogues, and how he responds has become a major test of his Presidency.” ++ The US is currently tracking a North Korean ship with suspected weapons towards Burma - will Mr Obama act to inspect the ship even though Pyongyang has

June 11, 2009 | China is the Middleman Between US and North Korea

North Korea’s latest missile attacks and their withdrawal from the armistice with the US could escalate to become a new chapter of the Korean war. ++ “The combination of aggressive behavior and succession questions is a dangerous mixture.” ++ Both North and South Korea have reasons to avoid a new war. ++ Though the US has largely refrained from “sabre rattling,” if a new conflict did break out

June 8, 2009 | Is the US Giving Tacit Approval for Korean Nukes?

Despite overtures from the Obama Administration, Pyongyang
refuses to return to the nuclear non-proliferation negotiating table. ++ The US’diplomatic process is on the verge of legitimizing North Korea’s weapons program which “would fly in the face of American foreign policy” since 1967, undermine the prospects of the proposed negotiations with Iran. ++ “Nuclear proliferation could run out of

May 29, 2009 | North Korea Requires a Two Track Policy

South Korea must recognize that North Korea is not treating its nuclear power as a bargaining chip, but as a safety measure and the core of its survival strategy. ++ The world’s strategy must adapt without giving up the objective of a nuclear free peninsula. ++ This requires harsh UN sanctions with China’s
participation. ++ Despite North Korea’s obstinate position, South Korea should continue

May 27, 2009 | World Powerless to Stop North Korea

There are no realistic means to punish North Korea’s second nuclear test. ++ The test could see other powers in the region take up arms because they believe nothing can be done to persuade Pyongyang to denuclearize. ++ After the first test fizzled, a second was needed so that North Korea could get the US’s attention and prove that it had fixed its technical issues with the missile. ++ But

April 23, 2009 | Diplomacy Key to Finding Common Ground

Challenges facing the world offer President Obama a “moment of unique opportunity”. ++ Negotiations are being held with a number of countries on various strategic and political issues. ++ Action is required following this “concert diplomacy and this will only result out of shared convictions”. ++ Diplomatic processes with North Korea and Iran are ongoing, and their successful outcome will be

April 15, 2009 | North Korea's Self-Imposed Isolation Is Dangerous

North Korea’s closest ally, China, will have to lead any constructive diplomatic response to Kim Jong-Il’s decision to abandon long-running nuclear non-proliferation talks following international condemnation of Pyongyang’s firing of a test missile. ++ China is keen to make its mark on the world stage and “has both the clout and the responsibility to haul Pyongyang back into line.” ++ Getting

April 10, 2009 | Keep Nuclear Weapons to Maintain Peace

In response to the North Korean rocket launch, President Obama committed to reducing the US supply of nuclear weapons. ++ This is not an effective strategy and gives other states an incentive to increase their nuclear capacity. ++ The only means of deterring rogue states from using nuclear weapons once they have acquired them is to threaten a larger response, and secondly, an effective program of

April 6, 2009 | Patience with North Korea Is Required

Threatening North Korea with military action will not work. ++ North Korea knows that it can ask for much in return for the abandonment of its nuclear program, such as food and economic assistance. ++ A treaty would be attractive “if it were signed by all the relevant great powers” as part of a larger international disarmament move. ++ North Korea has become ostracized, and the offer of

April 2, 2009 | Nuclear Stress: From Iran to North Korea

The period between April 4-8 will be characterized by tension given North Korea’s plans to launch a rocket and the suspicion that it might be a long range missile. ++ The US spoke of a defensive response if the rocket heads towards the US. ++ Yesterday’s meeting between President Obama and Hu Jintao could be crucial given China’s role as North Korea’s main oil supplier.

March 13, 2009 | North Korea's Religious Nature

Mike Chinoy says that North Korea should be seen as a “religious camp grafted on to a very conservative, inward-looking society steeped in Confucian tradition, where the purpose of life is to glorify the reigning deity.” ++ Seeing North Korea as Confucian cult, not communist state, may shed some light on its actions. ++ Kim Jong-il appears to want weapons for self preservation

February 23, 2009 | Clinton Visit Leaves South Koreans Uneasy

Sec. of State Clinton “ran through a litany of clichés” about US-South Korean relations on her visit last week. ++ However, her perceived willingness to compromise over North Korean nukes and her appointment of Stephen Bosworth as special envoy has caused stirs among Koreans. ++ Despite promises of enduring friendship with the South, it is the prospect of bilateral US-North Korean talks

February 17, 2009 | US Can Tolerate a Nuclear North Korea

North Korea is taking a hard line with the world over its nuclear arsenal. ++ The US should respond in one of two ways: “benign neglect” or limiting North Korea’s arsenal. ++ The first option would move towards a normalization of relations and end the current bargaining. ++ The second would deliver promised oil and pursue denuclearization talks. ++ Hard-liners and pragmatists

February 11, 2009 | North Korea, Reform or Collapse

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il’s health remains under speculation and with it, the fate of the country. ++ Kim has proved to be a “lousy leader:” he failed to implement the fiscal reform needed to prevent the 96-98 famine and crucially, he has failed to choose a successor. If he dies now, the country may well collapse as factional interests take hold. ++ His last chance lies

January 30, 2009 | The Realities of Nuclear Disarmament

Under Pres. Bush non proliferation efforts suffered a devastating blow: he did after all exit the ABM, ignored the NPT and saw the whole issue as anachronistic. ++ The result has been nuclear testing from North Korea and further proliferation in Iran. ++ The new President seems determined to restore non proliferation to its rightful place and has so far acted on his words. ++ But, for this

December 12, 2008 | Obama Should Pursue Friendly Chinese Policy

Barack Obama’s approach towards China is unlikely to be confrontational in view of the current global situation. ++ The US has plenty of conflict to deal with elsewhere and needs Chinese cooperation in dealing with North Korea. ++ However, the increasing trade imbalance between the two countries is volatile. ++ It should be dealt with by lifting trade restrictions on Chinese goods. ++

October 28, 2008 | "30 Years of China-Japan Relations"

30 years after the signing of the Japan-China Peace and Friendship Treaty, the two countries are now more than ever in a position to create positive change in Asia and abroad. ++ The two countries can cooperate on “the regional financial crisis; nuclear disarmament of North Korea; global warming; and creating a regional immediate response system for natural disasters or infectious diseases.” ++

October 14, 2008 | Nuclear Deal with Korea Back on Track

The nuclear deal with Korea appears to be back on track, which is the only thing President Bush has going for himself. ++ The deal seems predicated on Washington removing Pyongyang from the terror list in exchange for limited inspection access. ++ It is far from an ideal arrangement as “it includes vague and confidential terms that could cause problems.” ++ The obdurate approach of Cheney and his

October 2, 2008 | Crisis in North Korea: Opportunity for Democracy

The possible regime crisis in N. Korea poses a threat of loose nukes, floods of refugees, and long-term economic upheaval, but is also a great chance to reunite the Peninsula under democratic rule. ++ The US-South Korean Forces may need to intervene to keep WMDs out of the wrong hands. ++ S. Korea fears an economic situation like that after the Berlin Wall, but the longer unification is delayed,

July 16, 2008 | Let's Not Pretend We Make Progress on North Korea

Despite hopeful voices that the six-party talks are on a good way to contain Korean nuclear program, Kim Jong Il gives us no reason to believe he really intends to give up his nuclear weapons. ++ Korean concessions are merely publicity stunts. ++ Symbolically, there were traces of uranium on the very documents submitted to D.C. in which Korea declared to come clean of their program. ++ Taking

July 9, 2008 | Learning our Lessons From North Korea for Iran

“If you want to make peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.” ++ The US must heed the lessons learned from North Korea in dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambitions. ++ Had Bush agreed to a dialogue years before Pyongyang’s test explosion in 2006, the US would be negotiating in a position of strength, not weakness. ++ Nations concerned with global security

June 27, 2008 | North Korea's Denuclearization Succeeds

Six-party framework is our best option to achieve the strategic goal of Korea’s denuclearization. ++ Now North Korea is already disabling its plutonium production facility at Yongbyon under the monitoring of US inspectors. ++ The US has no permanent enemies. ++ After North Korea yields its nuclear production records, US president will remove it from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.

May 30, 2008 | McCain's Foreign Policy: More Procrastination

The US position vis-a-vis Iran and North Korea has been weakened in the past several years, not out of a reluctance to engage in talks, or because of the emptiness of threats of using force, but because of a failure to formulate a clear-cut policy. ++ As the military option is unrealistic, America should focus on the many diplomatic and economic levers at its disposal. ++ John McCain’s refusal to

May 14, 2008 | US on the Right Track with North Korea

The US should continue its current path in North Korean nuclear negotiations, rather than exiting or stalling talks. ++ It should prioritize verification of North Korea’s plutonium production records, and push towards dismantlement of the Yongbyong reactor. ++ The US can then concurrently work towards confirming the extent of North Korean uranium enrichment, as well as the extent of its nuclear

April 28, 2008 | Slow Negotiation for Denuclearization in North Korea

Having unwisely abandoned the 1994 Clinton deal that kept North Korea from producing plutonium, the Bush administration’s shift from past confrontational rhetoric is promising. ++ A first step is the assessment of plutonium production capacity thanks to disablement of Yongbyon reactor. ++ Easing of vilification and sanctions together with bipartisan support in the US are necessary to get

April 24, 2008 | Appeasement Politics Weakens US Credibility in Asia

Striking North Korea from the terror list, ignoring China’s muscle flexing, and massive military withdrawal from the region, could generate doubt about America’s security commitments for key allies such as Japan. ++ Confusing short-term domestic politics with long-term strategy has proved adverse to US dominance. ++ Australia, among others, looks ahead for a prospective realignment in

April 16, 2008 | Bush Softens on North Korea's Nuclear Aspirations

Bush’s
chief North Korea negotiator recently reached a deal with Pyongyang based on trust and not
verification ++ This hasty compromise before the end of the presidential term, could set a precedent for other nations determined to develop a nuclear program ++ Seoul and Tokyo are left bewildered by this sudden new policy of “appeasement.” ++ Public awareness will prove pivotal.

March 19, 2008 | Bush Cannot Bequeath a Failed North Korea Policy

The protracted Six Party Talks dating back from 2003 enabled Kim Jong-il to gain time and repeatedly violate commitments. ++ If the instrumental support of Russia and China is secured, Bush should dedicate the next 10 months to rectifying concessions by exercising economic and international pressure on North Korea. ++ Nuclear weapons will still be a threat but this would salvage US original

October 18, 2007 | Is North Korea Hoodwinking the US?

Is the North Korean nuclear threat really softening? Remembering that North Korea is famous for extracting financial concessions in nuclear negotiations, Stephan Haggard of the University of California and Marcus Noland of the Peterson Institute argue that the US is simply being hoodwinked again. They warn that since the US-led sanctions, the North Korean economy has suffered and needs the

September 21, 2007 | Israel's Air Force Raid on Syria. Its Silence. And What It All Means.

Wall Street Journal columnist Bret Stephens breaks down the intrigue surrounding Israel’s military operations over Syria on September 6. “In a country of open secrets,” Israel’s customary fleet of spokesmen and pundits has remained conspicuously silent, says Stephens. But why? None of the explanations circulating in the news media—the theory that North Korea was using Syria as a safe

August 30, 2007 | Seoul's Mistaken North-South Summit

The prospect of a bilateral summit between North and South Korea is laudable, but Bruce Klinger from the Heritage Foundation is suspicious of the motives and the timing of South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun. With national presidential elections approaching, it is in Roh’s interest to gain public approval for unilateral aid to Pyongyang. Such uncoordinated diplomacy benefits North Korea

April 12, 2007 | Robert D. Kaplan on When North Korea Falls

North Korean nuclear tests are symptoms of an unheralded threat: not the exertion of North Korean strength, but the prospective collapse of Kim Jong Il’s government. Weakness in Pyongyang could result in desperation, a WMD attack on the South, or full-on military engagement with Seoul. Drawing on this possibility of collapse, Robert D. Kaplan discusses opportunities for:

1. Reconstruction and