North Korea: Realism Rears its Ugly Head

Paper Summary:

This paper takes the realist IR theory and applies it to the DPRK during its nuclear standoff with the United States. The paper shows how the DPRK's pursuit of a nuclear program represents the realist idea of absolute capabilities. It also discusses how the DPRK has the means to create and sustain a nuclear program that would rival that of U.S. and her allies; and the significance of such a reality.

From the Paper:

"In the early 1990s, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, North Korea or the DPRK, entered into a pact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) therefore allowing their various nuclear facilities and installations to be inspected; the DPRK signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), asserting a commitment to disarmament and no development. In 1994, DPRK and the United States of America entered into an agreement framework (AF); in this agreement the DPRK would shut down their factories capable of developing weapons grade nuclear material and the U.S. would replace two nuclear reactors in Korea. In 2002, the U.S. showed intelligence evidence that DPRK had been pursuing a nuclear weapons development program, violating the 1994 agreements and the NPT; having admitted to the existence of a program, the AF collapsed. After having been dubbed an axis of evil and target by the U.S. for its war on terrorism, DPRK withdrew for the NPT, and unprecedented move. The DPRK has been approaching this issue from a realist perspective."

More papers on North Korea: Realism Rears its Ugly Head:

• Analytical Essay # 150212 : "Can the U.S. Persuade North Korea to Dismantle Its Nuclear Capability?"
• Essay # 87956 : "America and North Korea "
• Analytical Essay # 130799 : "North Korea and Christianity"

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