Research Paper on "Nuclear Weapon in North Korea"

Research Paper 6 pages (1919 words) Sources: 8

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Nuclear Weapons in North Korea

There is significant strategic concern both on the national and international levels about North Korea's possession and production of nuclear weapons. Initial reactions included outrage and demands for a cease in activities geared toward advancement of nuclear weapons or facilities were quickly replaced by attempts at diplomacy when North Korea refused to cooperate (Barry, 2007). Subsequent attempts to procure the cooperation of North Korea took a stance of negotiation and consessions. However, this did not change the stance of North Korea. They were no more willing to cooperate or soften their attempts to development of nuclear weaponry.

North Korea is not a state that can exist on its own without the ongoing support of other countries for economic resources as it has a stagnant economy. Yet despite this interdependence, North Korea has historically refused to comply with global attempts to ensure safe and cooperative conduct (Shuja, 2005). This is evidence by their failure to comply with any agreements that they have made with the U.S. To halt their nuclear programs, their withdrawal its cooperation from both the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) (Shuja, 2005). Yet this should be of little surprise as even after agreeing to the NPT North Korea was not forthcoming about its nuclear programs nor did it make arrangements to allow for the onsite monitoring that the treaty required. Further when it finally did comply with monitoring requirements, North Korea asked those inspectors to leave when they began to ask questions and to view things that North Korea was not comfortable with (Muravchik, 2003).

North Korea has historically taken the position that they are entitled to develop and possess nuclear weapons that they this should be of no concern to other countries (Morgan, 2006). It has claimed that the nuclear weapons program ensure their security as well as their ability to remain a sovereign nation (Morgan, 2006). All attempts by both the U.S. And the international community to control or eliminate their nuclear programs have been viewed as threats. North Korea has not established its role in international security management viewing these efforts as the U.S. attempting to enforce its power and interests on others (Morgan, 2006). Therefore North Korea has utilized their stance on nuclear weapons programs to establish their self-sufficiency (Morgan, 2006). Little attention was paid to the threat that nuclear proliferation poses to global and regional security nor the position that the international community would take on these activities (Morgan, 2006).

This strategic unease is one of trans-sovereign concern due to the inability of any one state to effectively address this issue as evidence by ongoing attempts by the U.S. To broker an agreement. Further, countries that are in close proximity to North Korea may feel an increased threat of these nuclear weapons. For example, North Korea warned Japan that it was going to once again engage in the testing ballistic missiles. This threat opened the door to the threat of catastrophic violence by North Korea and an investment on the part of Japan to ensure a non-violent outcome from negotiations (Shuja, 2005). However, Japan did not want to see the U.S.'s blanket acceptance of North Korean nuclear programming as has been the case in India and Pakistan (Waldron, 2004). Japan's fear being that if the U.S. And the international community allow North Korea to continue its development of these capabilities that due to close proximity that Japan has the most to lose.

As a result Japan also came to the negotiating table demanding the disarmament of North Korea in order to ensure their ongoing security (Waldron, 2004). This also led to the potential for global instability as Japan began to look at its own potential for nuclear programming and the role that it plays in providing deterrence for North Korea. Japan was not the only American ally to being to approach the matter from this standpoint, keeping negotiation as the focus while recognizing that there may be other outcomes (Waldron, 2004).

The U.S. has made significant ongoing attempts to disarm North Korea and dissuade them from the continued production of nuclear weapons. These attempts have been met with ongoing resistance and even when North Korea has conceded to any requests they have not been without challenges such as giving false information or not providing all of the details regarding their weapons. However, this continued defiance on behalf of North Korea can in part be attributed to the U.S. changes in their approach to handling the issue as well. The U.S. took an aggressive stance when the nuclear weapons programs were discovered in North Korea but this approach has softened over time.

Initially the stance of the Clinton administration was that North Korea could not be allowed to develop nuclear bombs nor would the U.S. settle for anything outside of complete elimination of nuclear programs (Muravchik, 2003). However, no action was taken to ensure that nuclear weapons did not become a reality despite U.S. threats of military action. When North Korea acknowledged the existence of its nuclear program despite their 1994 agreement with the U.S. And requested that the U.S. engage in an nonaggression pact (Laney). In return they would stop their development of nuclear programs (Laney & Shaplin, 2003). However, the U.S. initially refused due to engage in dialogue due to fear that this rewarding of bad behavior would lead us down a dangerous path and demanded that North Korea abandon its nuclear operations prior to discussions (Laney & Shaplin, 2003). Further the U.S. began to apply pressure to North Korea by suspending shipments of fuel that had been part of the 1994 agreement.

This approach did not prove successful nor popular with U.S. allies who felt that there was still room for diplomacy. North Korea responded to the U.S. demands by increasing their involvement in nuclear programming and refusing to honor any of their previous agreements on rules of conduct and engagement (Laney & Shaplin, 2003). The U.S. through persuasion by their allies agreed to attempt a diplomatic solution to the issue that did not reward the continued threats posed by North Korea. Attempts at engagement were made in conjunction with others interested parties such as China, Japan, and Russia whose goal it was to ensure the security of the intensifying situation and then provided needed aid and reforms to North Korea (Laney & Shaplin, 2003). However, things did not go according to plan.

It can be said that attempts to gain the cooperation of North Korea through negotiation was exhaustive. This process has involved many concessions and attempts to appease North Korea in order to ensure their cooperation. After the initial discovery of the nuclear programs the U.S. And their allies spent years convincing North Korea to sign the NPT (Barry, 2007). Several more years were spent ensuring that they sign a safeguards agreement and then following up on their compliance with the agreement (Barry, 2007). All of these efforts may have been due to our desire to not have to recognize the fact that North Korea may want to possess these weapons as their end result and that ongoing attempts at diplomacy may truly be futile (Muravchik, 2003).

The goal of the international community was to entice North Korea to transition itself to an appropriate sovereign community with promises of ongoing economic support. This would be accomplished through the use of diplomacy rather than threats of force which North Korea could respond to with equal force (Morgan, 2006). The hope being that North Korea will recognize its interdependence on other sovereign states and that continued engagement in nuclear programming could lead to increased economic hardship and isolation (Morgan, 2006). The plan would allow for North Korea to appreciate what cooperation would look like and how it would increase the economic and security assets available to them (Morgan, 2006).

The crisis in North Korea quickly became an international and regional issue with increasing apprehension occurring about North Korea's ability to apply pressure to the international community (Shuja, 2005). This is only intensified by the contradictory statements and intentions of Pyongyang. U.S. attempts to impose sanctions on North Korea were met with opposition from China and members of the Security Council who had the power to veto such actions (Barry, 2007). China took the position that negotiations should occur that allow for peace and continued domestic stability and feared that sanctions would result in instability and destabilization of the geographic area (Barry, 2007).

There was talk in the international community of imposing sanctions through the Security Council or utilizing United Nations sanctions to isolate North Korea but it was determined that due to the current isolation that is experienced in North Korea that this approach would have little impact (Muravchik, 2003).

Despite of all of the efforts made to dissuade and entice North Korea, they will continue to remain a nuclear power. A commitment has been made by North Korea to establish nuclear programs and capabilities and despite their attempts at… READ MORE

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