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Source: Getty

In The Media

North Korea Fires Long-Range Rocket

North Korea's latest rocket launch is part of an established behavior, where it hopes that generating international anxiety will bring the global community to offer aid, assistance, and toleration of the regime.

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By Paul Schulte
Published on Dec 12, 2012
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Nuclear Policy

The Nuclear Policy Program aims to reduce the risk of nuclear war. Our experts diagnose acute risks stemming from technical and geopolitical developments, generate pragmatic solutions, and use our global network to advance risk-reduction policies. Our work covers deterrence, disarmament, arms control, nonproliferation, and nuclear energy.

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Source: Sky News

Carnegie's Paul Schulte spoke to Sky News about North Korea's successful launch of a long-range rocket on December 12.

Schulte said that North Korea is "trying to go on its well established path of getting attention, generating anxiety, and hoping to get aid, assistance, and toleration of the regime." He explained that in the past the West has been irritated by these types of actions from North Korea, but has always "come up with the goods." "They have offered fuel, the South Koreans in particular have offered food, which is an important humanitarian issue because many North Koreans are in fact starving,"  Schulte pointed out.

Schulte added that the tactic of continually threatening and then hinting that if the goods were delivered relations would improve has paid off in the past. "It's a form of nuclear extortion," he said.

Regarding China's support for the North Korean regime, Schulte explained that China is standing behind North Korea and has suggested that the real solution to the problem is to improve relations between America and North Korea. "China has a formal military alliance with them," Schulte said.

"North Korea seems determined to have nuclear weapons," Schulte concluded. "They've declared that it's their right and their intention."

About the Author

Paul Schulte

Former Nonresident Senior Associate, Nuclear Policy Program

Schulte was a nonresident senior associate in the Carnegie Nuclear Policy Program, where his research focuses on the future of deterrence, nuclear strategy, nuclear nonproliferation, cybersecurity, and their political implications.

    Recent Work

  • Paper
    Looking Beyond the Chicago Summit: Nuclear Weapons in Europe and the Future of NATO
      • +2

      George Perkovich, Malcolm Chalmers, Steven Pifer, …

  • Other
    Is NATO’s Nuclear Deterrence Policy a Relic of the Cold War?

      Paul Schulte

Paul Schulte
Former Nonresident Senior Associate, Nuclear Policy Program
Paul Schulte
Nuclear PolicyEast AsiaNorth Korea

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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