The Impact of the Russia-Ukraine War on the DPRK Nuclear Issue

Abstract

This study reflects the impact on the North Korean nuclear issue by analysing the Russo-Ukrainian war. At the international level, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has changed the geopolitical landscape of the world, leading to increased strategic autonomy for some developing countries. At the regional level, the conflict has led the Six-Party Talks countries to revise their foreign and defence policies, complicating the regional situation, while at the DPRK level, the conflict has strengthened the DPRK’s determination to develop nuclear weapons and strengthen its relations with Russia. In terms of the future direction of the nuclear issue, the DPRK’s strategic goal of survival among the major powers makes the outbreak of nuclear war in the peninsula less likely.