Paper
James M. Acton, Ankit Panda
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Source: Getty
In The Media
U.S. Special Envoy Says Restarting Reactor Could Be Serious Move
Satellite images show activity at Yongbyon nuclear complex in North Korea.
Published on Sep 12, 2013
Source: Al Jazeera
Carnegie's James Acton discussed satellite images that show activity at Yongbyon nuclear complex in North Korea. Acton told Al Jazeera that the West needs to start talking again to Pyongyang. "Although this is not a surprise, it is serious," Acton said, "becasue it is yet another indication that North Korea is not going to be willing to give up its nuclear weapons program."
"Quite the contrary," Acton added, "it now appears to be intent on expanding the size of its arsenal." North Korea says it has a nuclear weapons and there is external evidence of that claim, Acton said, so this reactor is about expanding its arsenal. North Korea does not have a large arsenal at the moment so one and a half bombs worth a year is a significant expansion, Acton pointed out.
"What I think ought to happen in private," Acton concluded, "is talks with North Korea about risk reduction, about trying to make it clear to North Korea that proliferating nuclear technology or material - as it has done to Syria in the past - that there will be consequences to pay."
About the Author
James M. Acton
Jessica T. Mathews Chair, Co-director, Nuclear Policy Program
Acton holds the Jessica T. Mathews Chair and is co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
- Nuclear Weapons and the Future of American Power
- The Latest Iran Deal Ignores the Lessons of the PastCommentary
James M. Acton
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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