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U.S.‐North Korea Relations: The Nuclear Issue
Author(s) -
Olsen Edward A.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
pacific focus
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.172
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 1976-5118
pISSN - 1225-4657
DOI - 10.1111/j.1976-5118.2005.tb00289.x
Subject(s) - geopolitics , bureaucracy , nuclear weapon , china , political science , cold war , foreign policy , political economy , nuclear energy policy , international relations , public administration , international trade , development economics , politics , law , sociology , economics , nuclear power , ecology , biology
Long term US‐North Korea tensions were intensified since the mid‐1990s by North Korea's pursuit of a nuclear weapons option and the United States' greater focus on its post‐Cold War nonproliferation agenda. North Korea's use of brinkmanship diplomatic tactics caused the United States' post‐9/11 global strategy to pay more attention to the DPRK as part of the “axis of evil.” Both U.S. and North Korean policies displayed hawkish proclivities that heightened the risks ‐ compounded by the geopolitical controversy surrounding the United States' Iraq War. The situation was made more complex by the differing U.S. and ROK perspectives on how to cope with North Korea's challenge. Leaders in Seoul were more inclined toward flexible engagement while US leaders were averse to concessions and hopeful about regime change. Reconciling these differences proved to be difficult, but the six‐party talks helped that process. U.S. policy toward this entire situation aimed at resolving the North Korean nuclear issue could be greatly improved if American analysts and policy makers on North Korean affairs would pay more attention to the nuances behind DPRK policy, be more creative in utilizing China's influence, and improve the United States' policy planning bureaucracy.