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CIAO Focus, November 2006: North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Program
On October 9, North Korea, also known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, carried out an underground nuclear explosion sparking fears of a possible arms race in the region. The test was strongly condemned by neighboring countries, including Pyongyang's closest ally China, which backed the UN Security Council in imposing financial and weapons sanctions on the newly established nuclear power.
In 1994 North Korea agreed to suspend all nuclear-related activities and to allow weapons inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor the country's compliance with the agreement. However, tensions with the United States flared up again following President Bush's post-9/11 axis of evil speech which implicated the North Koreans. In response, North Korea restarted its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon and expelled the weapons inspectors from the country. It also pulled out of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
The current crisis appears to have been diffused, at least for the time being. China made a major diplomatic breakthrough in late October when it convinced North Korea to resume multilateral nuclear disarmament talks for the first time in almost a year.
This month CIAO examines North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
From the CIAO Database:
Uses of Ambiguity in North Korea Agreement
North Korea Triumphs Again in Diplomacy
Japan and North Korea: Bones of Contention
Food Security in North Korea: Designing Realistic Possibilities
North Korea: A Rogue State Outside the NPT Fold
Outside Links*:
North Korea Special Collection (Center for Nonproliferation Studies)
http://cns.miis.edu/research/korea/index.htm
Question & Answer: North Korea Nuclear Standoff (BBC News)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2340405.stm
North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Program (CRS Report for Congress)
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/71870.pdf
International Atomic Energy Agency
http://www.iaea.org/index.html
The Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
http://disarmament2.un.org/wmd/npt/npttext.html
* Outside links are not maintained. For broken outside links, CIAO recommends the Way Back Machine.