Skip to page content

North Korea

Featured

North Korea, formerly designated a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States, emerged as a nuclear-armed enigma under the dictatorship of Kim-Jong Il. RAND’s research on both deterrence and failed states includes expert analysis of the North Korean regime, opportunities for its modernization and democratization, and implications for post–Cold War geopolitics.

Commentary
North Korea, Russia and China: The Developing Trilateral Imperialist Partnership
There are no easy ways for the United States and its allies to counter the developing Russia-China–North Korea partnership. But there are options to consider and steps to take. There are also fissures in their relationships to exploit.
Sep 13, 2023
Commentary
A Nuke for a Nuke? Public Debate and Political Party Views on Nuclear Acquisition in South Korea
There is a high level of uncertainty and a lack of clarity surrounding the issue of South Korean nuclear acquisition. What political, security, and strategic factors are key to guiding this debate in Seoul?
Mar 2, 2023

Explore North Korea

Brochure
RAND at a Glance (랜드 연구소 한눈에 보기): Korean Translation
Korean translation of "RAND at a Glance."
Nov 21, 2018
Multimedia
Potential Paths to Korean Unification
In this Call with the Experts podcast, RAND senior international/defense researcher Bruce Bennett discusses several potential paths to Korean unification. Lisa Sodders and Khorshied Samad from the RAND Office of Media Relations moderate.
Nov 14, 2018
News Release
A Study of Potential Paths to Korean Unification Recommends Avoiding Approaches Involving Armed Conflict
An examination of nine potential paths to Korean unification recommends actions that the Republic of Korea (ROK, or South Korea) and the United States can take to set the conditions for stable reunification, should the opportunity arise.
Oct 31, 2018
Report
Alternative Paths to Korean Unification
There are many ways in which Korean unification could occur or be attempted, and each holds vast uncertainties. What actions could South Korea and the United States take to set the conditions for stable reunification?
Oct 31, 2018
Commentary
North Korean Actions Speak Louder Than Its Words
Kim Jong Un has regularly promised to denuclearize, but he's been all talk. And this year, North Korea has probably built five to nine more nuclear weapons. There are steps that could make a difference if taken before the North Korean nuclear weapon threat grows any further.
Oct 11, 2018
Commentary
Making Sense of South Korea's Cautious Optimism on North Korea
South Korea is cautiously optimistic that North Korea will denuclearize, and it hopes that this will lead to the normalization of relations. The vast majority of U.S. observers believe that the North is bluffing. Seoul and Washington should continue to strive for transparency about the future of the peninsula.
Jul 24, 2018
Journal Article
After the Summit: Prospects for the Korean Peninsula
History suggests that the most probable consequence of the Singapore Summit will be difficult and lengthy negotiation followed by slow and inadequate compliance, quite possibly on both sides.
Jul 18, 2018
Multimedia
What's Next for Korea?
In this Call with the Experts, RAND's James Dobbins, Bruce Bennett, and Michael Mazarr discuss the historic summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Jul 9, 2018
Periodical
RAND Review: July-August 2018
This issue spotlights RAND's Gun Policy in America initiative and RAND's evaluation of Housing for Health, a Los Angeles County program that has moved some of its most chronically homeless and vulnerable residents into permanent housing.
Jul 2, 2018
Commentary
Success with North Korea Still Needs Japan
Japan has stakes in the outcome of regional diplomacy involving North Korea. It could play a role far beyond simply writing checks for an agreement, but has not held any bilateral meetings with the other actors. Diplomats hoping to fit their approach to the realities of the geopolitical situation could benefit from Japan's active involvement.
Jun 27, 2018
Commentary
Why This Wasn't Kim's Father's—or Grandfather's—Summit
This is the third time the United States and North Korea have started down a path toward denuclearization and normalization of relations. The difference now is that Trump and Kim have committed themselves earlier on in the process and more publicly than their predecessors did.
Jun 13, 2018
Commentary
Difficulties Integrating North Korean Defectors Suggest Challenges in Reunifying Korea
Despite expansive government aid, North Korean defectors in South Korea remain a nation within a nation, co-existent yet separate. If South Korea cannot fully adopt and assimilate 30,805 North Korea defectors, how will South Korea ever embrace roughly 25 million North Koreans in the event of reunification?
Jun 11, 2018
Commentary
Kim-Trump Summit Rife with Opportunity for U.S.
The growing costs of planning for Korean military contingencies place a burden on U.S. defense resources. If Tuesday's summit becomes a step toward eventual guarantees against aggression, the U.S. could remove a major Korean conflict from the top rungs of its defense planning roster, freeing resources for other worries.
Jun 11, 2018
Report
Lessons from Others for Future U.S. Army Operations in and Through the Information Environment
An examination of the evolution of both allied and adversary use of information power, alongside a comparative analysis of capability areas in which these others excel, can guide future U.S. Army force planning.
Jun 7, 2018
Report
Lessons from Others for Future U.S. Army Operations in and Through the Information Environment: Case Studies
Twelve detailed case studies examine of the activities and strategic goals of allies, adversaries, and potential adversaries in and through the information environment, highlighting insights for U.S. Army planning.
Jun 7, 2018
Commentary
Six Lessons for Today from Past Summits
To prepare for possible meetings with his North Korean and Russian counterparts, President Trump can learn lessons from decades of high-profile summits between U.S. presidents and Kremlin leaders.
Jun 5, 2018
Commentary
North Korea Is Not Like Libya
The prospect of a U.S.-North Korea summit has led to analogies between the present case and that of Libya, which abandoned its longstanding quest to develop nuclear weapons in 2003. But a better precedent would be the 2015 deal that froze Iran's nuclear weapons program.
Jun 1, 2018
Commentary
The Korean Peninsula: Three Dangerous Scenarios
An analysis of three potential security challenges on the Korean Peninsula points to rising threats that will pose significant demands on the U.S. Army. The United States needs to think in new ways about how it should deter North Korea and prepare for a possible conflict on the peninsula.
May 30, 2018
Commentary
Canceled Summit Doesn't Spell End to U.S.-North Korea Nuclear Diplomacy
President Trump canceled his June 12 meeting with Kim Jong-un but left the door open for a future one. Successful diplomacy will require tending and fostering U.S. relations with China, Japan, and South Korea while forging an entirely new relationship with North Korea.
May 25, 2018
Commentary
The Strategic Fallout of U.S. Withdrawal from the Iran Deal
President Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement. What will happen next? Friction between the United States and its European allies will likely increase, while Iran moves closer to China and Russia. Also, the resentment of a new generation of Iranians toward America is likely to grow.
May 10, 2018

Previous
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Next

RAND Topic:
North Korea

Topic Synonyms:
Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

John V. Parachini

Senior International and Defense Researcher, former Director of RAND National Defense Research Institute's Intelligence Policy Center

John Parachini (he, him, his) is a senior international and defense researcher, former director of the RAND Intelligence Policy Center, and a member of the Pardee RAND Graduate School faculty. His primary areas of research include intelligence, counterterrorism, weapons proliferation, and…
Christian Curriden

Defense Analyst

Christian Curriden is a defense analyst at the RAND Corporation. His work at RAND has mostly focused on Chinese and Korean issues, especially PLA research and development, as well as artificial intelligence applications in the PLA. His research has also touched on proxy wars, the Chinese science…

Explore Our People »