Guests Ankit Panda, a nuclear policy expert, and Patricia Lewis, director of the International Security Program, dive into North Korea's nuclear ambitions and global implications. They discuss the historical evolution of its nuclear program and the failure of past international diplomacy. The complexities of negotiating with North Korea are explored, alongside Japan's security dilemmas and South Korea's fluctuating stance on peace initiatives. They also examine future challenges, contemplating the implications of North Korea's nuclear strategy on U.S. policy and international relations.
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insights INSIGHT
Nuclear Program's Longevity
North Korea's nuclear program predates Kim Jong-un and will likely continue after him.
Their program began in the early days of the nuclear age, not under Kim Jong-un.
insights INSIGHT
Early Nuclear Ambitions
North Korea's nuclear interest started after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Kim Il-sung established an atomic energy research institute in 1952, marking the beginning of their nuclear ambition.
insights INSIGHT
Purpose of Nuclear Weapons
North Korea's nuclear weapons primarily ensure the Kim regime's survival.
They are not effective coercive tools for territorial revisionism.
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This book delves into the history of North Korea's nuclear weapons development, its current capabilities, and the implications for international security. It examines how North Korea transitioned from being considered a minor power to a significant nuclear threat, and discusses the challenges of containing its arsenal. The book provides insights into Kim Jong Un's strategic motivations and the broader geopolitical context.
North Korea shocked the world in September 2017 by exploding the most powerful nuclear device tested anywhere in 25 years. Months earlier, it had conducted the first test flight of a missile capable of ranging much of the United States. Soon after, Kim Jong Un, the reclusive state’s ruler, declared that his nuclear deterrent was complete. World leaders, intelligence officials and many ordinary people around the world shuddered at the thought of a fully nuclear-armed North Korea. But how did this brutal nation build such a sophisticated nuclear programme? If the international community had taken non proliferation more seriously after the Cold War could things have turned out differently? And what should be our end game with the North Koreans? Should we be seeking an Iran style nuclear deal or would that be a fatal error of judgment? In September 2020 we were joined by Ankit Panda, renowned security expert and author of 'Kim Jong Un and The Bomb', who spoke to Dr Patricia Lewis, former Director of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research and head of international security at Chatham House, about how this small nation became a nuclear power—and how we can learn to live with it. The event was chaired by Edward Lucas. To find out more about Ankit Panda's book click here: https://amzn.to/3noOBcP
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