Nuclear North Korea

Will North Korea give up its nuclear and missile programs? Under what conditions could this take place, and what are the consequences if the DPRK insists on being a nuclear weapons state? Perhaps most importantly, what will the passing of Kim Jong Il and a transfer of power mean for stability in East Asia in light of the North Korean nuclear program?

Since 2006, SSP’s North Korea Research Project has considered these questions. Working with colleagues at the Korea Society, Harvard University’s Korea Institute, and the John Hopkins’ School of Advanced and International Study, Dr. Jim Walsh has tried to unpack the causes and consequences of the North’s nuclear program and consider ways to navigate tensions on the peninsula. In the process, Dr. Walsh has traveled to Pyongyang and met with North Korea officials in the US and Europe.

The project looks forward to sponsoring an SSP Working Group on “The North in Transition” during the 2010-2011 academic year.