The Reasons for the Impasse Over North Korea’s Nuclear Program
- 고려대학교 공공정책연구소
- Journal of North Korea Studies Journal of North Korea Studies
- Vol.5 No.2
- : KCI등재후보
- 2019.12
- 4 - 32 (29 pages)
This study tries to find out the reasons for the 26 years of impasse over the North Korean nuclear program. This study focuses on three dimensions. On the North Korean side, the siege mentality with a ‘sense of collective victimhood’ has helped consolidation of its leadership by its clear group membership, but has resulted in an excessive obsession over regime collapse. Such behavior by North Korea has fostered the ‘securitization paradigm’ on the South Korean and American side. This aggravated mutual distrust. In this case a military option seems to be the only solution. However, the geographical disadvantage of South Korea - a half of its population lives within North Korea’s artillery range, and the hegemonic struggle over the Korean peninsula, especially between the US and China made it hostage for a military option. The reasons for the diplomatic failure of Washington and Seoul can be attributed to mutual distrust, misperception and wishful-thinking. This study offers a step-by-step approach with a snapback mechanism as a policy option.
Ⅰ. Preface
Ⅱ. The Causes of the North Korean Nuclear Impasse
Ⅲ. Reasons for the Failure of Past Negotiations
Ⅳ. Concluding Remarks and Implications for North Korea’s Denuclearization