There are many mixed messages among commentators and policymakers about whether or not the sanctions regime in place against the DPRK is severe or not. Some say that sanctions are already “maxed out” with little left to sanction, others insist that there is plenty of headroom left. If comparisons are made, it is often about whether or not the Iranian sanctions regime should be “cut and pasted” onto the DPRK. But what would that look like?

The purpose of this article is to clear some of this confusion by comparing the DPRK sanctions regime with the sanctions