North Korea

North Korea remains important to American foreign policy for several reasons. First, conflict and tension between North and South Korea have direct impacts on U.S. alliance commitments in East Asia, in particular with the strategically valuable nations of South Korea and Japan. Second, North Korea sits at the intersection of U.S competition with Russia and China, two powers that have provided economic support to North Korea and shielded Pyongyang from international sanctions. In this respect, then, America’s approach to North Korea can shape the balance of power in East Asia. Most importantly, North Korea remains a hot spot in U.S. foreign policy because of the threat its nuclear and missile program presents to both U.S. and global security. For the United States, what is at stake in its relations with North Korea is the future of the non-proliferation regime and the global norms that the United States worked so hard to establish.