The Situation in Democratic

People’s Republic of North Korea

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) currently
possesses a very powerful and dangerous nuclear weapons
programme that is not unknown to the world. A country with a long
history in nuclear weapons research and possession, DPRK has
become a country with an unpredictable behaviour and at times, an
unfriendly disposition against those who do not agree.
 The Situation In Democratic People’s
Republic of North Korea

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) currently

possesses a very powerful and dangerous nuclear weapons
programme that is not unknown to the world. As a country with a long
history in nuclear weapons research and possession, DPRK has
become a country with an unpredictable behaviour and souring
foreign relations.

Background Information
An exhaustive timeline of the series of events between DPRK
and the rest of the world regarding nuclear development are
provided below. To understand the issue at hand, it is necessary
that we acknowledge and discuss all past actions.

1960s: Aided by the assistance of the Soviet Union, DPRK

constructed a nuclear complex at Yongbyon. Originally built and run
in accordanceto the regulations set by the Non-Proliferations of
Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT), the research complex
continued to thrive on its own terms.

1970s: North Korea expanded these facilities to include an

operational natural uranium, graphite moderated reactor.

1977: North Korea agreed to the mentoring of the International

Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its research reactor assembly facility
located at Yongbyon.

1985: DPRK signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear

Weapons (NPT). Shortly thereafter, however, North Korea started
construction on two gas-graphite reactors in Yongbyon and also
started the construction of radio-chemical and reprocessing facilities.
United States intelligence suspected North Korea was attempting to
develop a nuclear weapons program.
1989: While North Korea denies these claims and accusations, the
research complex was closed for approximately 70 days in which
“U.S. intelligence agencies believe that North Korea removed fuel
rods from the reactor at that time for reprocessing into plutonium
suitable for nuclear weapons.”

1990: Before the fall of the Soviet Union, the Soviet government
announced a halt to the exportation of nuclear equipment and fuel to
North Korea.

1990: At the outset of inspections, North Korea admitted in a report to

the IAEA and United Nations to

• Having nuclear material and design information, a fuel rod

fabrication plant and storage facility at Yongbyon,
• A research reactor and critical assembly at the Institute of
Nuclear Physics,
• A subcritical facility at Kim Il-sung University in Pyongyang,
• Two uranium mines and two centers for uranium concentrate
production,
• A nuclear reactor and a radiochemical laboratory under
construction at the Institute of Radiochemistry in Yongbyon,
• A 50 MW nuclear plant underconstruction in Yongbyon,
• A 200 MW plant under construction in Taechon, and
• Three planned 635MW nuclear reactors.

However North Korea declared that its radiochemical laboratory was

intended for uranium separation research and for plutonium waste
management.

1992: IAEA inspections started. IAEA inspectors found discrepancies

between the status of DPRK nuclear programs and DPRK claims in
its formal declarations to the IAEA. After comparing physical
inspection reports with DPRK declarations, IAEA inspectors
suspected that North Korea might possess undeclared plutonium
stores. North Korean officials refused IAEA requests to conduct
additional inspections to clarify the situation. Inspectors were also
specifically blocked from inspecting sites that the North Koreans
denied existed but which were known to IAEA inspectors because of
intelligence (including spy satellite photographs) supplied by the
United States. North Korean representatives subsequently claimed
that the photographs—although derived from multiple imaging
locations—were fake.

1993: Limited inspections of North Korean nuclear facilities took

place. During that time, IAEA inspectors concluded that their
inspections could not provide "meaningful assurance" that North
Korea was using its nuclear facilities for peaceful purposes. United
States President Bill Clinton stated that North Korea's offer to allow
IAEA inspectors access to a portion of its nuclear sites was
"inadequate and unacceptable."

1994: North Korea ignored another call by the U.N. Security Council
to allow more complete and comprehensive inspections of their
nuclear program.

1999: IAEA officials reported to the United Nations Security Council

that "critical parts" of the North Korean reactor at Yongbyon had been
unaccounted for since 1994. Missing parts included those needed to
control nuclear reactions and/or those that would be needed to
construct another nuclear reactor.

2002: North Korea informed IAEA inspectors that the freeze on

nuclear facility use would be lifted. North Korea also announced their
intent to remove IAEA seals and disable surveillance cameras and
ordered IAEA inspectors to leave the country.

January 11, 2003: Withdrawal from the NPT

 Other Factors To Be Considered

Agricultural Situation:
The recent food shortages in North Korea are the result of climatic
disasters, problems with collective farming, and economic difficulties
which began in the early 1990s.

As economic difficulties resulted in a shortage of energy and dearth

of raw materials such as fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals,
agricultural productivity decreased. The situation was made even
worse by the cold weather, floods, and droughts which have occurred
frequently since 1993.

Thus, the food situation in North Korea is now in a state of difficulty.

Recently some policy changes promise encouraging results.

http://www.agnet.org/library/eb/475/

Economic Problem:
In November of 2009, North Korean Workers’ Party finance director
Pak Nam-Gi implemented a currency change with the hopes of
curtailing the market activities in North Korea. However, the change
has been an economic disaster for the socialist state, as it has
worsened the situation. There have been reports of increased
starvation and civil unrest when security forces have attempted to
stop individuals from trading or smuggling food.

The North Korean citizens began resorting to illegal markets, to get

the bare essentials that the government was failing to provide, after
the famine in the 1990s. Pak’s program consisted of exchanging its
currency, where the older Won currency would be changed for new
ones at a rate of 100 to one. It was an attempt to wipe out the cash
holdings of the emerging merchant class, who risked getting caught if
they used the older currency, or deposited them in banks.

As a result, there has been even less available for people to buy, and
prices of what is available have risen sharply. The sanctions imposed
on North Korea by the United States, haven’t helped the situation
either.

http://iamkoream.com/currency-change-worsens-situation-in-north-
korea/

Human Rights
Due to its isolationist nature, North Korea’s human rights record is
difficult to evaluate. However, North Korea maintains a record of
consistent, severe human rights violations, stemming from the
government’s total control over all activity. All sources of media, such
as radio, television, and news organizations, are controlled by the
regime and heavily censored. North Korea is ranked second to last
on the World Press Freedom Index. Reported human rights abuses
include arbitrary and lengthy imprisonment, torture and degrading
treatment, poor prison conditions, public executions, prohibitions or
severe restrictions on freedom of speech, the press, movement,
assembly, religion, and privacy, denial of the right of citizens to
change their government, and suppression of workers’ rights.
Treaties and Agreements violated
• North Korea's actions are a violation of the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968, which North Korea
signed in 1985 and which, under Article III, requires inspections
by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to verify that
non-nuclear weapons states are using nuclear technology only
for peaceful means.
• Second, in 1991, North Korea signed a treaty with South Korea
in which the entire Korean peninsula was to remain nuclear-
free.
• Third, North Korea's actions violate the Agreed Framework,
negotiated with the United States in 1994.
• The Six party talks came to a halt in 2005 when North Korea
said it did not want to discuss the nuclear issue any longer with
the United States.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was opened for signature
in July 1968 and over 188 countries have signed the treaty since
then. One of the major principles of the NPT is the idea of non-
proliferation. Non-proliferation means to stop the spread or
distribution of a specific substance. In the case of North Korea, non-
proliferation means to stop the production of nuclear weapons.

Nuclear weapons are the most dangerous and destructive weapons

that there are today, and were first used by the United States to bomb
Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan to force Japan to surrender WWII,
ending the war. This was the only time that a nuclear bomb has been
used on intentionally against another country. Nuclear weapons can
kill hundreds of thousands of people, and have lasting effects that
can make people sick for many years after the bomb has actually
been used. This is why it is so important to stop the spread of nuclear
weapons. The NPT tries to stop the spread of these weapons
between the Nuclear Weapons States (states that already have
nuclear weapons) and non-nuclear weapons states that have not yet
been able to develop nuclear weapons. The five permanent
members of the UN Security Council, which are France, China,
Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom are the Nuclear
Weapons States under the NPT. All other states are considered to
be non-Nuclear Weapons States according to the NPT. Article 1 of
the NPT says that all Nuclear Weapons States must agree not to
share nuclear military technology with other states. This means for
example, that under the NPT, the United States is not allowed to
share information with other countries that don’t have nuclear
weapons on how to build nuclear weapons. This includes North and
South Korea. Article 2 says that non-Nuclear Weapons States must
agree to not to develop nuclear weapons. Article 2 also asks non-
Nuclear States not try and get the technology that will allow them to
build nuclear weapons. Text of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty:

http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Infcircs/Others/infcirc140
.pdf

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

The Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land between North and South
Korea. Even though a demilitarized zone is supposed to be free of
military activity, the DMZ is actually the most heavily militarized place
on the planet, because both sides use the zone to make sure that
their borders are not crossed and they are safe from attack. North
and South Korea are separated by land mines, watchtowers, razor
wires, tank-traps and heavily armed soldiers. CNN reports that, “On
either side of its 151-mile (248 km) length almost two million troops
face each other off ready to go to war at a moment's notice.”

It is important to understand that while there has been no formal or

declaration of war between North and South Koreans, tensions are
always high. Over the past 50 years, there have been several gun
battles on both sides of the DMZ. Many experts say that if provoked,
North Korea could be ready to attack at any time. On a visit in 2003,
President Bill Clinton called the DMZ “the scariest place on earth.”
AGREED FRAMEWORK
The agreed terms are as follows:

1. “The DPRK would freeze its existing nuclear programme and

accept international verification of all existing plants;
2. The IAEA would verify compliance with the freeze and would
continue to inspect “unfrozen” activities;
3. The DPRK would eventually dismantle all the “frozen” plants;
4. The two governments would seek methods of storing the fuel from
the 5 MW (e) reactor and disposing of it in a way that “does not
involve reprocessing” in the DPRK;
5. The USA would put together an international consortium to arrange
financing for and the supply of two 100MW (e) light water reactors;
6. Dismantling of the DPRK’s plants would be completed “when the
LWR project is completed” (target date: 2003);
7. Both nations would ease trade restrictions and move toward
establishing diplomatic relations;
8. The USA would provide formal assurances to the DPRK “against
the threat of use of nuclear weapons by the USA”;
9. The USA would arrange for the supply of heavy oil to “offset the
energy foregone due to the freeze” of DPRK’s graphite moderated
reactors;
10. The DPRK would “consistently take steps” to implement the
North-South Korean agreement on denuclearizing the peninsula;
11. The DRPK would remain party to the NPT”

The Six Party Talks

The withdrawal of North Korea from the NPT and the Agreed
Framework made the need for a diplomatic approach to solve the
problem North Korea’s suspected nuclear program very clear. This
resulted in the creation of the Six Party Talks. The Six Parties
involved in the talks are the Russian Federation, Japan, The United
States, The People’s Republic of China, South Korea, and North
Korea.

Each of the Six Parties involved has concerns regarding North Korea,
its weapons program and the impact it can have on the region. The
char above shows how important different issues concerning North
Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons is for each party

Since the Six Party talks began in 2003, the United Nations Security
Council has not been involved, since three (the United States, Russia
and China) of the five permanent members were actively involved in
what was considered a “regional issue.” The 6 party talks came to a
halt in 2005 when North Korea said it did not want to discuss the
nuclear issue any longer with the United States.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

In 1957, the United Nations set up the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), in order to be able to talk about and handle the
concern of the development of nuclear technology and energy on an
international level. The IAEA has three areas in which it works:
nuclear verification and security, nuclear safety, and technology
transfer.

Because nuclear technology can be used to create energy and can

be used in a non-violent way (meaning that countries may not be
developing nuclear energy to use them for weapons), it is important
to make sure that countries using nuclear technology are using it for
the right reasons. The IAEA works to prevent the spread of nuclear
weapons. Its nuclear inspectors visit energy sites in different
countries that are suspected of using nuclear energy to develop
nuclear weapons. This inspection and process is known as nuclear
verification. Nuclear verification inspectors visit sites in countries
that have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and that
have internationally agreed that their energy sites are being used
peacefully. By signing the NPT, countries must allow weapons
inspectors from the IAEA to make visits every few years to check up
on their promise not to develop nuclear weapons.

The IAEA also helps the international community, and specifically the
Security Council, in the disarmament of nuclear weapons.
Disarmament is when a country cuts back or reduces the amount of
weapons it has. The IAEA Board of Governors reports directly to the
Secretary General of the United Nations as well as the Security
Council when they are asked to inspect and verify specific countries.

The role of the IAEA is very important in handling nuclear issues with
North Korea. It is important to understand the idea of nuclear
verification and understand the role of weapons inspectors and what
they do.
For more information about the IAEA and nuclear verification, go to:
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/Npt/index.shtml

MAJOR PLAYERS:
United States of America

The U.S. has clearly been concerned about North Korean intentions
of resuming its nuclear program and its overall emphasis on military
production. The U.S. is also concerned that nuclear programs
conducted by countries such as North Korea and Iran, combined with
nuclear weapons programs already developed by India and Pakistan,
will cause other countries to consider such programs as well. Such a
development could frustrate the aims of the nuclear nonproliferation
treaty and threaten overall world security. But there certainly appears
to be aspects of traditional "cold war" policy as well. North Korea is
one of the few remaining countries to maintain a communist-style
state controlled economy. The U.S. is likely concerned about any
unification arrangement between North and South Korea which does
not include fundamental reforms in the structure of the North Korean
economy. Until these changes occur, it appears that the U.S. will
continue a policy to isolate North Korea from the international
community. It is this policy and the North Korean response to it that
has provoked the current confrontation.

Republic of Korea

The recent governments of South Korea have pursued a "sunshine

policy" of engaging in a peaceful dialogue and rapprochement with
North Korea. South Korea therefore opposes the more
confrontational policy of the United States towards its northern
neighbor. A historic summit between the two countries in June 2000
resulted in a mutual resolution to address the question of reunification
through the joint efforts of the Korean people. The South Korean
government has established a "Ministry of Unification" which
promotes projects for bi-national cooperation between the two
countries. Presently plans are proceeding to establish functional road
and railway links and to unify families which had been separated.

Japan

Since the DPRK's nuclear test, Japan has imposed series of

sanctions on the country, including prohibiting DPRK ships from using
its ports and barring exports of 24 items to the DPRK.

The issue of the abductees, who were kidnapped by DPRK agents

from their homeland in the 1970s and 1980s, remains a major
stumbling block toward forging diplomatic ties.

Japan says it will not resume diplomatic ties with Pyongyang unless
the abduction issue is resolved, while the DPRK insists the case is
closed and demands compensation for Japan's colonial rule of the
Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945.
People’s Republic of China

Cooperation between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

(DPRK) and China remains good. The two countries are generally
perceived to be on friendly terms. In June 2008, the Council on
Foreign Relations described China as "North Korea's most important
ally, biggest trading partner, and main source of food, arms, and
fuel", adding that "Pyongyang is economically dependent on China",
which, "since the early 1990s, has accounted for nearly 90 percent of
the country’s energy imports". The investments by Chinese firms in
the DPRK currently account for an estimated €1.5 billion.

In 2006, when the DPRK test-fired a series of ballistic missiles after

China had urged it not to do so, Chinese authorities publicly rebuked
their neighbour, and supported the UN Security Council Resolution
1718, which imposed sanctions on North Korea. At other times,
however, China has blocked United Nations resolutions threatening
sanctions against North Korea.

Russian Federation

There is an exchange of Defense Ministry delegations on the basis of

an agreement signed back in 1992. After dissolution of the Soviet
Union Russia resumed military supplies to the DPRK, underlining the
fact that North Korea is a member of the United Nations enjoying
equal rights and not subject to any sanctions, so no legal obstacles
exist to commercial deliveries of arms and weapons. At the same
time, officials point out that Russia can only supply weapons to meet
the defensive requirements of Pyongyang (not offensive), and only on
the basis of commercial profitability (and taking into consideration the
overall security situation in the Far East

On April 26–28, 2001, North Korean Defense Minister Vice-Marshal

Kim Il-chol visited Moscow, a deal on bilateral cooperation in the
defense industry and military equipment was signed. During Kim's
visit, the two governments also signed a so-called "framework
intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the military industry"
and a deal between the two defense ministries.
Iran

Iran-North Korea relations are described as being positive by official

news agencies of the two countries. Iran and North Korea have
pledged cooperation in educational, scientific, and cultural spheres.It
is also alleged that North Korea provides assistance to Iran in its
attempts to develop nuclear capabilities.

Israel

North Korea does not recognize the state of Israel; instead, it

recognizes the sovereignty of the Palestinian National Authority over
the territory held by Israel. Over the years, North Korea has supplied
missile technology to Israel's rivals, including Iran, Syria, Libya, and
Egypt. Syria, which has a history of confrontations with Israel, has
long maintained a relationship with North Korea based on the
cooperation between their respective nuclear programs. North Korea
has criticized Israel for invading Syrian airspace and for its actions in
the Gaza War. On September 6, 2007, the Israeli Air Force
conducted an airstrike on a target in the Deir ez-Zor region of Syria.
According to Media and IAEA investigative reports, 10 North Korean
nuclear scientists were killed during the airstrike. The DPRK currently
prohibits Israeli citizens from entering North Korea.

2006 and North Korea Weapons Testing

In 2006, the United Nations Security Council became active again in
the issue of the Korean peninsula. On July 5th, 2006, news reports
and military intelligence from the United States confirmed that North
Korea had begun testing intercontinental missiles. Reports stated
that seven missiles were fired during the test, which violated the Six
Party Talk agreements. The Security Council passed Resolution
1695, which condemned North Korea’s missile testing and
called for North Korea to return to the Six Party Talks.

The withdrawal of North Korea from the NPT and the Agreed
Framework made the need for a diplomatic approach to solve the
problem North Korea’s suspected nuclear program very clear. This
resulted in the creation of the Six Party Talks. The Six Parties
involved in the talks are the Russian Federation, Japan, The United
States, The People’s Republic of China, South Korea, and North
Korea.

Then, on October 9th, 2006, intelligence reported that there had been
an explosion underground deep inside North Korea. North Korea
announced that it had successfully conducted a test of a nuclear
weapon. In response to its nuclear test, the Security Council passed
Resolution 1718 against North Korea.

After some careful negotiations, China was able to announce on

October 31, 2006 that the six party talks would resume. North Korea
declared on April 14, 2009 that it would pull out of the six-party talks
for ever and that they would resume their nuclear enrichment
program. North Korea has also expelled all nuclear inspectors from
the country. North Korea has returned to the bargaining table for a
time, but many countries are emphasizing the need to make a great
deal of progress during the next round of talks.
Citations

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=M2JiMDI3OThjNGMwZmUyYTRiMmE2
MDdmZDVmYWQxMTE

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2792.htm

http://www.newsbatch.com/korea.htm

http://www.fas.org/nuke/control/npt/

http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/NONPROLIFERATION

http://www.fas.org/nuke/control/npt/

http://www.iaea.org/About/index.html

http://www.iaea.org/About/history.html

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/08/28/nkorea.options/index.html

http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/agreedframework.asp

http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/ArmsControl/northkorea/#NorthKoreaWithdrawsFromth
eNuclearNon-ProliferationTreatyJanuary2003

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/nkorea/

Park, John S. "Inside Multilateralism: The Six-Party Talks." The Washington Quarterly
28 (2005): p. 75

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/07/04/korea.missile/

http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N06/431/64/PDF/N0643164.pdf?OpenElement

http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/Npt/index.shtml

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/south-korea/100427/north-korea-threat-north-korea-
nuclear
Compiled by:

Sarthak Maggon
(Director – UNSC Affairs)
E: maggonsarthak@gmail.com
M: +91-9899041151