To the extent that sanctions are designed to change the DPRK’s behavior, it is important to understand what effect sanctions have been having on the DPRK.

Opinion on the matter is extremely varied. Some say that sanctions are extremely tough and may be even be perpetuating genocide, while others in the international community say they are too soft and need to get tougher.

The one striking commonality is that no one seems prepared to argue that sanctions have achieved their stated objective, despite more than 10 years of trying.

Even the UN’s