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Time of Reckoning: The North Korean Bomb, the United States, and the Future of the Korean Peninsula

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2025

Alexandre Y. Mansourov
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Despite Chinese intermediation and South Korean flexibility and generosity in the past three years, prospects for security settlement on the Korean peninsula and normalization of relations between Pyongyang and Washington and Tokyo seem to be farther than ever. The six-party talks are stalled, and early implementation of the principles embodied in the 19 September 2005 Joint Statement on Denuclearization of the Korean peninsula is put in doubt. North Korea continues to publicly build up its semi-opaque nuclear arsenal. In turn, the United States insists that “all options are on the table” and keeps on “kicking the can down the road” in terms of its policy of “regime change,” while intensifying its efforts through “proliferation security initiative,” in various multilateral fora, and via other venues to form an “anti-DPRK coalition” aimed at restraining, if not rolling back, the North Korean arduous march to the nuclear superdome.

Type
Research Article
Information
Asia-Pacific Journal , Volume 4 , Issue 10 , October 2006 , e6
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2006

References

Notes

(1) See “US Anti-Terrorist War Flayed,” KCNA, Pyongyang, April 7, 2005.

(2) “DPRK Foreign Ministry Clarifies Stand on New Measure to Bolster War Deterrent,” KCNA, Pyongyang, October 3, 2006.

(3) David E. Sanger and Jim Yardley, “US Warns North Koreans About Nuclear Test,” The New York Times, October 5, 2006.

(4) Tony Karon, “North Korea Calls the U.S. Bluff,” Time Magazine online edition, October 9, 2006.

(5) “North Korean Nuclear Test Imminent?” The Dong-A Ilbo, Seoul, October 5, 2006.

(6) “Bush: North Korea defies international community,” CNN online edition, October 9, 2006.

(7) “Security Council formally urges N. Korea to scrap nuclear test plans,” Yonhap News Agency, Seoul, October 7, 2006.

(8) “Source: N. Korea may drop test if U.S. holds talks,” CNN online edition, October 8, 2006

(9) According to the KCNA announcement on October 9, 2006, “The field of scientific research in the DPRK successfully conducted an underground nuclear test under secure conditions on October 9, 2006, at a stirring time when all the people of the country are making a great leap forward in the building of a great, prosperous, powerful socialist nation. It has been confirmed that there was no such danger as radioactive emission in the course of the nuclear test as it was carried out under scientific consideration and careful calculation. The nuclear test was conducted with indigenous wisdom and technology 100 percent. It marks a historic event as it greatly encouraged and pleased the KPA and people that have wished to have powerful self-reliant defense capability.” See KCNA, Pyongyang, October 9, 2006.

(10) “N. Korea tests nuclear weapon at Hwadaeri near Kilju: Defense Ministry,” The Yonhap News Agency, October 9, 2006.

(11) Reportedly, Pyongyang decided to shut down the so-called New York channel by recalling its deputy head of the U.N Mission, Han Song-ryol, who was in charge of the DRPK- US contacts, from New York without sending any replacement.