Nuclear Matters in North Korea

Building a Multilateral Response for Future Stability in Northeast Asia

The so-called six-party talks dealing with the North Korean nuclear challenge have a mixed track record when it comes to achieving their goal of verifiable denuclearization and promoting peace and stability in Northeast Asia. This innovative form of multilateral diplomacy is entering a critical implementation phase during an important time of political transition in South Korea and the United States. It is time to look for more from the six-party talks, but we cannot expect the talks to deliver desired results unless the participants are willing to empower the process in modest ways.

Nuclear Matters in North Korea explains the findings of a three-year multilateral research project that seeks to bridge differences between the nations with regard to six-party capacity building and to develop a common approach to North Korean denuclearization and related economic engagement. It explores the strengths and weaknesses of the process as they have revealed themselves over the five years since their inception. The book also offers practical solutions to the myriad of implementation challenges the region faces with regard to nuclear dismantlement and verification, coordinated economic assistance and investment, and striking the right balance on the security front by reconciling the prospects for U.S.-North Korea normalization, inter-Korean reconciliation, and the development of a regional security forum.