This month’s NK Update covers North Korea’s military advancements, such as successful tests of an underwater strategic weapon system and the Hwasongpho-18 ICBM variant. It also includes an overview of the Washington Declaration adopted during the US-South Korea summit in April 2023, reaffirming their commitment to the stability of the region.

Cheol-wun Jang, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, emphasizes that while North Korea has made significant strides in long-range ballistic missiles, it has not been successful in the area of artificial satellites. Up until now, Pyongyang has had limited engagement in exchanges with major advanced countries involved in space development. Dr. Jang predicts that North Korea is expected to continue its independent pursuit of space development, which will hinder the country’s progress in the satellite sector in the near future.

Sharon Squassoni, a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, provides insights on mitigating the risk of North Korea’s nuclear weapons while still aiming for complete denuclearization. The author proposes four approaches to achieve this: (1) preventing nuclear war, (2) improving crisis stability for conventional and nuclear forces, (3) weakening North Korea’s nuclear capability through treaties, and (4) removing the destabilizing elements of North Korea’s nuclear program. Professor Squassoni highlights that successful use of nuclear threats by Russia in the Ukraine War could embolden North Korea to engage in strategic provocations. Therefore, she suggests prioritizing discussions on how both North and South Korea can ensure their safety without nuclear weapons and convincing North Korea to renounce its reliance on nuclear weapons as a viable military instrument.