North Korea and a

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North Korea and a PEACEFUL Nuclear Program

• The Six-Nation Talks Resumed

2
Background

• The six-nation talks include
• China
• Russia
• Japan
• South Korea
• US
• North Korea

3
History of the debated nuclear program

• North Korea had nuclear weapons programs in the
  80's
• US caught wind of this in 1985
• Under international pressure, Pyongyang acceded
  to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
  Weapons (NPT).
• In July 1990 The Washington Post reported that
  new satellite photographs showed nuclear weapons

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• In 1992, North Korean and South Korean officials
  announced the Declaration on the Denuclearization
  of the Korean Peninsula
• However, in 1993 the North threatened to withdraw
  from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
  --which brought North-South progress to an abrupt
  halt.
• The confrontation between North Korea and the
  United States deepened.

5

• 1994, renewed North-South talks
• Wait! North Korea has enough plutonium to make 3
  warheads.
• US and South Korea try to enforce this to
  shutdown.
• 1995, North Korea needs help with electricity,
  agrees to end nuclear programs
• In 2002, North Korea wants to create a program to
  enrich uranium for nuclear weapons but is in
  violation of earlier agreements.
• 2003, admits to having nuclear weapons

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• WHAT IS GOING ON NOW?

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• Six-nation talks resumed Tuesday in the Chinese
  capital Beijing.
• North Korea wants a nuclear program
• The head of the North Korean delegation, Kim Gye
  Kwan, told China's official Xinhua news agency
  that Pyongyang had a "right" to a peaceful
  nuclear program.
• The US, however, does not want North Korea to
  have anything to do with nuclear weapons or the
  learning of their mechanics.
• Kwan said that North Korea would not accept the
  U.S. blocking this right but there could be
  flexibility in other areas

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WASHINGTON CLAIMS THAT

• North Korea has a secret uranium weapons program
  in addition to its declared plutonium one.

9

• The United States says the North should not
  exercise this right since Pyongyang has
  acknowledged using its civilian program in the
  past as a cover for making weapons.

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HOWEVER

• In a rare interview with CNN in the North Korean
  capital last month, North Korean envoy Kim --
  also the vice foreign minister -- repeated
  Pyongyang's denial that it has a uranium-based
  program.
• Kim reiterated that his country wanted to pursue
  a peaceful nuclear power program.

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WHat?

• "This is a very appropriate policy in light of
  the economic situation of our country. That is
  why we cannot make a concession in this field,"
  Kim (Vice Foreign Minister) said.
• The US argues that there is no need for the North
  to maintain civilian programs because South Korea
  had pledged to provide its neighbour with
  electricity. (This, however, would make North
  Korea reliant on the South.)

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AND NOW?

• Talks will continue until either North Korea
  gives up its proposed program or there is a
  compromise reached