Spotlight on North Korea

North Korea’s determination for nuclear armament has been far stronger than the

combined determination of the international community to denuclearize it. The half-hearted

sanctions enacted by the Security Council and individual countries have proved affordable as an

insurance premium in view of the high value of insurance policy found in nuclear weapons.

Instead of crushing North Korea’s backbone, the actions of the Security Council ended up

strengthening its immune system against sanctions.

Decisive difference lies in the nature of alternatives to a diplomatic solution. For Iran, the

alternative is not only more prohibitive economic sanctions but a preemptive military strike from

Israel. In the case of North Korea, the military option has been ruled out from the beginning. The

alternative to a diplomatic solution was nothing more than partial sanctions without teeth and the

absence of massive economic assistance from the outside world and the Republic of Korea.

Thus, North Korea sees no convincing incentives to denuclearize through negotiations.