North Korea's Nuclear Program
In the past few years, North Korea have claimed themselves of holding nuclear warheads along with other chemical weapons. Three years ago, in October, the government of North Korea had stated that they had successfully performed a nuclear test, basically telling the world that North Korea may be a nuclear powered country. Since 2006, North Korea have claimed themselves of being a nuclear powered nation and that they had conducted several experiments. The latest experiment happened in May 2009 and it is believed that that experiment caused a magnitude of 4.7. Up till 2003, North Korea had been an NPT signatory, but after 2003, they withdrew.
The fact that North Korea may hold nuclear warheads threatens much of the world. Not only does it have the power to destroy countries and cause World Wars, it also threatens the worlds peace. After the Obama administration showed their anger by going against the North Korean government, the DPRK was disappointed as the North Korean-American relations got worse than they were before. Even the UN rebuked the country, the North Koreans were mad and they eventually pulled out of the nuclear disarmament talks to focus on its nuclear program.
Today’s world is irritated by the North Korean Nuclear program. Even when North Korea has support from various countries like Pakistan, Iran, and Cuba, much of the world today is very much against the North Korean program. The United States has even threatened the North Koreans by using military actions after stating their anger when former President George Bush said, “North Korea is a regime arming with missiles and weapons of mass destruction, while starving its citizens. States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger.” In fact, even President Obama said, “North Korea’s actions endanger the people of East Asia and their actions go against the International Law. United States must take action in response to their program.” The Russian government was also angered by the recent attacks as the Prime Minister and President of Russia, Putin and Mendeleyev, have demanded a meeting with the World superpowers. Even though China isn’t as much involved with the issue, China is eager to solve this issue as there would be an influx of North Korean immigrants coming into Asia, if North Korea does hold nuclear bombs. Other countries like India are trying to stop the North Korean program as the North Koreans are also trading nuclear material to other nations.
The main country that would be in danger if North Korea holds nuclear warheads (according to reports, they hold 6), would be their rivals, South Korea and Japan. As North Korea’s neighbour rival have had a huge war back in 1950’s shows their anger and hatred towards each other. However, in the past few years, the South Koreans have aided North Korea with food and several companies like Hyundai. Since South Korea are being threatened by the North Korean Nuclear program, South Korea has limited their aid. South Korea does aim to diminish the nuclear program of North Korea in peaceful ways and eventually become allies with their Korean counterparts. Japan on the other hand, are very much against the North Korean nuclear program as Japan is an island that could easily dominated by the nuclear bombs as it already has been in World War II.
So, in conclusion, North Korea are one of those countries that are aiming to build a nuclear warhead, as well as helping other 3rd world nations gain access to nuclear weapons like Myanmar. North Korea’s program also affects other neighbouring countries and does have the chance to destroy the worlds peace, annoying many of the nations.
Points to pay attention to:
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Regional cooperation with North Korea as a step toward nuclear weapon free zones – independent of the NPT.
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Global policies of dealing with rogue nuclear programs, as this is obviously an issue with many countries
Helpful Sites:
North Korea’s Nuclear Program (NY Times): http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/northkorea/nuclear_program/index.html?scp=1-spot&sq=north%20korea%20nuclear&st=cse
*This site has many good resources alongside the article, under “North Korea’s Nuclear Program Navigator”
The Disarmament committee on Nuclear Weapons: http://www.un.org/disarmament/WMD/Nuclear/index.shtml
The NPT :
http://www.un.org/events/npt2005/background.html
The IAEA website on North Korea:
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/IaeaDprk/
You can always use sites like Wikipedia, many teachers don’t like it but it’s the best site for brief information and I give you the permission J.
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