Edition

Focus on Nonproliferation - Not Disarmament - in North Korea

Focus on nonproliferation - not disarmament - in North Korea, No rush to react to nuke test, North Korean nuclear test: implications for Asian security, North Korea nuclear test prompts warnings and resignation, nuclear defiance out of North Korea, does Iran benefit from North Korea's bluster?

Published on February 14, 2013
 

The Big Picture of DPRK's Nuclear Test

Focus on Nonproliferation—Not Disarmament—in North Korea

James Acton | Carnegie Proliferation Analysis

Kim Jong Un

The physical reverberations from North Korea's third nuclear test took just minutes to die down. But the political, psychological, and strategic consequences will be felt for years to come. The North Korean government has claimed that this test—which appears to have produced a higher yield than the first two—was of a "smaller and light" weapon. The implied threat is that North Korea can now mount a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile.   Full Article

Editor's Note:
Three Carnegie colleagues have written commentaries on the DPRK nuclear test that depart significantly from much of the mainstream reporting and editorializing. These pieces by James Acton, Douglas Paal, and Muthiah Alagappa focus on the need for the United States and others to step back and rethink the priorities and strategies they are pursuing toward the DPRK.



Follow the Nuclear Policy Program
 RSS News Feed Facebook Twitter
Footer information begins here
More from Proliferation News


Douglas Paal | Carnegie Article
In light of the ultimately ineffective start-and-stop negotiations and sanctions of the past twenty-three years or so, the United States needs to call a time-out and take a measured, more patient approach to North Korea and China. Such a shift is necessary for several reasons.     Full Article

Muthiah Alagappa | Pacific Forum CSIS
As expected, the international community has reacted to North Korea's third nuclear test with calls for tighter sanctions and will try to induce North Korea to the long-stalled Six-Party Talks. These are unlikely to succeed.     Full Article

Julian Pecquet | Hill
America awoke to a third North Korean nuclear test on Tuesday. "I tend to think this is a lot to do about not a lot: they've tested before, so they've crossed the Rubicon," said Toby Dalton, the deputy director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.     Full Article

James Acton | Carnegie Q&A
Following through on its threat, North Korea conducted its third nuclear test on February 12. A significant earth tremor originating from the vicinity of North Korea's test site was detected across Asia on Tuesday. It was immediately clear from the seismic data that the cause was an explosion rather than an earthquake.     Full Article

Mark Fitzpatrick | National
Among the issues raised by North Korea's third nuclear test, on Tuesday, is what it means for Iran's nuclear programme. It is sometimes assumed that Iran will benefit from North Korea's nuclear advances. There is also speculation Pyongyang's successful defiance of the major powers will embolden Iran to continue its own defiance.     Full Article
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.