North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Development and Diplomacy

Abstract

Since August 2003, negotiations over North Korea's nuclear weapons programs have involved six governments: the United States, North Korea, China, South Korea, Japan, and Russia. Since the talks began, North Korea has operated nuclear facilities at Yongbyon and apparently has produced weapons-grade plutonium estimated as sufficient for five to eight atomic weapons. North Korea tested a plutonium nuclear device in October 2006. U.S. officials have cited evidence that North Korea also operates a secret highly enriched uranium program, which also could produce atomic weapons. There also is substantial information that North Korea has engaged in collaborative programs with Iran and Syria aimed at producing nuclear weapons.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 04, 2009
Accession Number
ADA501200

Entities

People

  • Larry Niksch

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Construction
  • Department Of State
  • Foreign Relations
  • Fuel Oils
  • Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles
  • Materials Laboratories
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Bombs
  • Nuclear Energy
  • Nuclear Fuels
  • Nuclear Materials
  • Nuclear Reactors
  • Nuclear Warheads
  • Nuclear Weapons

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • International Relations, focusing on Korea-Africa and North Korea-South Korea relations, and Nigeria-Latin American Relations.
  • Nuclear and Radiation Engineering.
  • Strategic Security Studies