All sticks, no carrots: The failure of US deterrence strategy toward North Korea



Analysis All sticks, no carrots: The failure of US deterrence strategy toward North Korea Washington’s approach has left Pyongyang unconvinced that cooperating would help it avoid a bloody nose Timo Kivimäki May 30, 2022 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON The USS Abraham Lincoln transits the South China Sea, prior to its deployment to waters near North Korea as part of efforts to enhance deterrence \| Image: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's Flickr (April 5, 2022) North Korea developed its nuclear weapons despite U.S. threats and sanctions largely because it perceived Washington’s hostility as something that depended on the nature of the U.S. rather than on something Pyongyang itself did. According to a study that will be published by the Asian International Studies Review, the problem was in an American strategy that was based on an incorrect theory of deterrence. U.S. governments have assumed that deterrence would be most successful if the government insisted on tough measures even when North Korea cooperated: Only a bloody nose could persuade Pyongyang Read More © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01New North Korean ICBM delivers big political message, and likely bigger payloads 02How North Korea-Russia ties will challenge next US president, no matter who wins 03What to make of the stunning collapse in value of North Korean won 04What to know about Kim Yong Bok, the man leading North Korean troops in Russia 05If Trump: How erratic leader’s reelection could scramble North Korea policy 06North Korea’s admission of drone incursion exposes glaring gaps in air defenses 07The war in Ukraine is transforming how Europe perceives North Korean threats 08What North Korea stands to gain by sending troops to fight in Ukraine

Analysis

All sticks, no carrots: The failure of US deterrence strategy toward North Korea

Washington’s approach has left Pyongyang unconvinced that cooperating would help it avoid a bloody nose

Timo Kivimäki May 30, 2022

All sticks, no carrots: The failure of US deterrence strategy toward North Korea

The USS Abraham Lincoln transits the South China Sea, prior to its deployment to waters near North Korea as part of efforts to enhance deterrence | Image: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's Flickr (April 5, 2022)

North Korea developed its nuclear weapons despite U.S. threats and sanctions largely because it perceived Washington’s hostility as something that depended on the nature of the U.S. rather than on something Pyongyang itself did.

According to a study that will be published by the Asian International Studies Review, the problem was in an American strategy that was based on an incorrect theory of deterrence. U.S. governments have assumed that deterrence would be most successful if the government insisted on tough measures even when North Korea cooperated: Only a bloody nose could persuade Pyongyang

All sticks, no carrots: The failure of US deterrence strategy toward North Korea

LATEST ANALYSIS

Similar Articles

About the Author

Timo Kivimäki