U.S. Foreign Policy Towards North Korea

• Authors: Lucia Husenicova
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The U.S. relations to Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are since the end of the Cold War revolving around achieving a state of nuclear free Korean peninsula. As non-proliferation is a long term of American foreign policy, relations to North Korea could be categorized primarily under this umbrella. However, the issue of North Korean political system also plays role as it belongs to the other important, more normative category of U.S. foreign policy which is the protection of human rights and spreading of democracy and liberal values. In addition, the North Korean issue influences U.S. relations and interests in broader region of Northeast Asia, its bilateral alliances with South Korea (Republic of Korea, ROK) and Japan as well as sensitive and complex relations to People’s Republic of China. As the current administration of president Donald J. Trump published its National security strategy and was fully occupied with the situation on Korean peninsula in its first year, the aim of the paper is to analyse the changes in evolution of U.S. North Korean policy under last three administrations, look at the different strategies adopted in order to achieve the same aim, the denuclearization. The paper does not provide a thorough analysis, neither looks at all documents adopted and presented in the U.S. or within the U.N. It more focuses on the general principles of particular strategies, most significant events in mutual relations as recorded by involved gov­ernmental officials and also weaknesses of these strategies as none has achieved desirable result. In conclusion, several options for current administration are drawn, however all of them require significant compromises and could be accompanied with series of setbacks dangerous for regional stability and U.S. position in the region.

Keywords

EN

North Korea; nuclear program; missile program; U.S. foreign policy objectives; non-proliferation regime; sanctions

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Łódzki. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
• Journal: International Studies. Interdisciplinary Political and Cultural Journal
• Year: 2018
• Volume: 22
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 65-84

Dates

published

2018-11-09

Contributors

author

Lucia Husenicova

• Matej Bel Universtiy in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, Faculty of Political Science and International Relations, Department of Security Studies

References

• Agreed Framework between the United States of America and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, 1994. Web. http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Infcircs/Others/infcirc457.pdf
• Albright, Madeleine. The Debate over How to Deal with North Korea. Interview: Frontline. 27, March 2003. Web. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/kim/interviews/albright.html
• Atlas, Terry, and Siegfried, Hecker, Dealing With Russia and North Korea: An Interview With Siegfried Hecker, “Arms Control Today”, vol. 46, no. 9 (2016), pp. 36–38. Web. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24878344
• Bush, George W. Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the State of the Union. Washington: State Union Adress. Web. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29644
• Bush, George W. Statement on Completion of the North Korea Policy Review. Washington. Web. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=45819
• Carter, Jimmy. The Baffling “Hermit Kingdom.” Interview: Frontline. 21, March 2003. Web. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/kim/interviews/carter.html
• Crail, Peter. US, North Korea hold bilateral talks, “Arms Control Today”, vol. 41, no. 7 (September 2011), pp. 39–40. Web. http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/23629122.pdf
• DPRK FM on Its Stand to Suspend Its Participation in Six-party Talks for Indefinite Period. Korean Central News Agency, 2005. Web. http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2005/200502/news02/11.htm
• DPRK Foreign Ministry Declares Strong Counter-Measures against UNSC’s “Resolution 1874”. Korean Central News Agency, 2009. Web. http://www.kcna.co.jp/index-e.htm
• DPRK – Russia Joint Declaration, 2000. Web. http://www1.korea-np.co.jp/143th_issue/2000072101.htm
• DPRK Successfully Conducts Underground Nuclear Test. Korean Central News Agency, 2006. Web. http://www.kcna.co.jp/index-e.htm
• Fitzpatrick, Mark. Leap Day in North Korea. Foreign Policy Argument. Web. http://foreignpolicy.com/2012/02/29/leap-day-in-north-korea/
• Fitzpatrick, Mark. Obama’s Prime Nonproliferation Failure, “Arms Control Today”, vol. 46, no. 10 (2016), p. 11. Web. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44155151
• Galluci, Robert L. The Debate over How to Deal with North Korea. Interview: Frontline. 5, March 2003. Web. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/kim/interviews/gallucci.html
• Han, Yong-Sup. North Korea Behavior in Nuclear Negotiation, “The Nonproliferation Review”, vol. 7, no. 1, (2000), pp. 41–54. Web. https://www.nonproliferation.org/wp-content/uploads/npr/han71.pdf
• Independent Task Force Report No. 64. U.S. Policy Toward Korean Peninsula (2010). Web. http://cns.miis.edu/inventory/pdfs/koreanuc.pdf
• Kim, Sung Chul and Kang, David. Engagement with North Korea. A Viable alternative. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2009
• Klinger, Bruce. Deny, decieve, and delay – North Korea’s nuclear negotiation strategy. “The Journal of East Asian Affairs”, vol. 26, no. 2, Fall/Winter 2012.
• Lee, Chae-Jin. A Troubled Peace. U.S. policy and the two Koreas. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 2006.
• Lynch, Column and De Luca, Dan. With U.S. due to Trump’s latest sanktions, “Foreign Policy”, December 13, 2017. Web. http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/12/13/north-korea-had-spurned-talks-with-u-s-due-to-trumps-latest-sanctions/
• Meyer, Patrik K. U.S. Threat of War on North Korea: Fulfilling‚ Rocket Man‘ Kim Jong Un’s Wishes, “The Diplomat”, September 27, 2017. Web. https://thediplomat.com/2017/09/us-threat-of-war-on-north-korea-fulfilling-rocket-man-kim-jong-uns-wishes/
• Miller, Steven E., Stephen W. Bosworth, and Siegfried S. Hecker. Dealing with North Korea’s Nuclear Program. “Bulletin of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences”, vol. 65, no. 4 (2012), pp. 12–17. Web. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23359193
• Nikish, Larry. A. Korea: U.S. – South Korea Relations: Issue for Congress, CRS Issue Brief for Congress IB98045. Washington: Congressional Research Service, 2005. Web. https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/IB98045.pdf
• Non Proliferation Treaty. Web. https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/npt/text
• Opening Statement by Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Senate Foreign Relation Committee, January 18, 2005. Web. http://foreign.senate.gov/testimony/2005/RiceTestimony050118.pdf
• Prichard, Charles. Failed Diplomacy. The tragic story of how North Korea got the bomb. Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2007.
• Qiunones, Kenneth. Dualism in the Bush Administration North Korea Policy. “Asian Perspective”, vol. 27, no. 1, 2003.
• Remarks by President Bush and President Kwasniewski. The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, January 27, 2004. Web. http://poland.usembassy.gov/poland/bush_kwas_transcr.html
• Tobey, William. Obama’s ‘strategic patience’ on North Korea is turning into strategic neglect. “Foreign Policy”, February 14, 2013. Web. http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/02/14/obamas-strategic-patience-on-north-korea-is-turning-into-strategic-neglect/
• Wit, Joel S. and Poneman, Daniel B. and Galluci, Robert L. Geoing Critical. The first North Korean nuclear crisis. Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2004.

Identifiers

DOI

10.18778/1641-4233.22.05