Case Study: The Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea)

Overview

North Korea (DPRK) is believed to possess enough material to produce a small number of nuclear weapons. Since the political division of the Korean peninsula in 1950 when the Korean War started, North Korea has attempted to manufacture and acquire a variety of weapons of mass destruction to attain first-strike capabilities and a military advantage against South Korea.

Missile capabilities

North Korea has the most advanced missile technology among all nations of proliferation concern. As early as around 1969 to 1970, North Korea acquired FROG-5 and FROG-7A missiles from the USSR. Most of its missile technology is derived from Soviet missile technology, which was reverse-engineered by North Korean engineers. In 1984, North Korea successfully tested its first reverse-engineered Soviet Scud-B missile. It has tested missiles with ranges of up to 1,000 km and has tested a missile that could deliver a small payload to the US. North Korea is also the leading exporter of ballistic missiles worldwide, exporting to nations such as Egypt, Iran, Libya, Pakistan, and Syria.

Nuclear Weapons

North Korea is confirmed to possess 25-30 kg of plutonium, enough to produce 5 to 6 nuclear weapons. In 1989, open press sources stated that North Korea constructed a plutonium production reactor and possessed extraction capabilities. North Korea has acceded to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty on April 18, 1985, but did not complete the required negotiation of a safeguard agreement with the IAEA within 18 months. On April 9, 1992, North Korea finally approved its safeguard agreement with the IAEA. Inspections began after the US withdrawal of nuclear weapons from South Korea, which was a condition for North Korea to allow inspections. 6 official inspections were held in North Korea between 1992 to 1993. In 1993, North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, stating that it had a right to withdraw from the treaty in 90 days, as declared in article 10 of the treaty.

Biological and Chemical Weapons

North Korea is believed to possess large stocks of chemical weapons and also an infrastructure capable of producing biological weapons. It has acceded to the Biological Weapons Convention but has not signed the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The Chemical Directorate of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces is believed to be established after the Korean War. North Korea has the capability to manufacture a wide range of chemical weapons, deliverable by many means including artillery, rocket launchers, mortars, and more. North Korea also has the capability to produce nerve agents, blood agents, blistering agents, and choking agents. Some estimates report that North Korea has a stockpile of 250 tons of chemical and biological weapons.