North Korea’s Nuclear Issue: Security Implications for Asia

The security environment of Asia is threatened by the nuclear weapons development programme by North Korea. Threats of economic sanctions by denying economic aid and resolutions by the UN Security Council to punish Kim Jong-il regime have only reinforced Pyongyang’s resolve to pursue its chosen path. Not only the future of the Six-Party Talks seems uncertain, there seems to have little hope to bring the recalcitrant country to the negotiating table. Pyongyang has chosen its nuclear development program as a bargaining tool to extract more economic assistance as no other country would rejoice if North Korea collapses. If North Korea collapses, the new environment will drastically change the strategic landscape in Asia. It is difficult to predict what the policy options of countries like Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the US would be. This paper speculates some of these issues.

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