Publication

What is North Korea’s nuclear doctrine? In answer to this question, this publication contends 1) that the country's nuclear posture has become more aggressive over time, despite a popular misperception that the role of nuclear weapons in the DPRK is purely for deterrence; and 2) the state has adopted a posture that is common among weaker nuclear weapon states. The author also outlines that North Korea's nuclear doctrine poses a fundamental question to existing theories of nuclear deterrence: how little is enough to credibly threaten nuclear retaliation in the absence of necessary capabilities?