Preemptive Nuclear Strike; An Analysis on the New North Korea Nuclear Law

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: On September 9, 2022, North Korea parliament approved a new law on the use of nuclear arms that its provisions and strategic consequences are of very notable. Zeynab Farhadi, Researcher of Asian Affairs

Based on the new nuclear law, the nuclear state of North Korea has been defined as irreversible. In the meantime, the right to use preemptive nuclear strikes for self – protection has been recognized. The new nuclear law of September 9, 2022 will replace the previous 2013 law that outlined the nuclear state of North Korea for the first time.

The measure is taken by Pyongyang while from international observers’ point of view North Korea is preparing itself to resume new nuclear tests which are supposed to be done for the first time since 2017 followed by historic meetings between North Korea and the United States of America.

North Korean leader Kim’s statement on the law is very interesting. He said in a speech that “the most important aspect in the approval of the new law is the outline of an irreversible path which makes impossible the deal over our nuclear arms”. He added:” even if the country is subjected to a hundred years of sanction, it never quits its nuclear capability”.

The law is important from different aspects. From one hand, it provides a strong legal guarantee to strengthen North Korea’s position as a country that has nuclear arms and makes the nuclear policy of North Korea transparent and precise. On the other hand, the law makes the scope of authorities and action of North Korea much wider than the previous law.

While it was spelled out in 2013 law that North Korea can use nuclear arms to avert offenses or assaults made by a nuclear hostile country and make retaliatory attacks, the new law goes far beyond that and let nuclear preemptive strikes.

One can mention the following factors on the reason why the previous law was amended and the recent one was approved:

  • Compulsion of the world community to admit the situation of North Korea as a “nuclear country”;
  • Re-enforcement of the position of North Korean leader and protecting him in circumstances when there is a contingency of Pyongyang regime change by the U.S. and South Korea;
  • South Korea’s Kill Chain Strategy; based on the strategy, South Korea can assault nuclear infrastructures and commanding system of the country in case it suspects the occurrence of an imminent assault by North Korea. According to Kim, the strategy paves the ground for long term tensions between the two Koreas and makes the security status of Pyongyang more fragile and vulnerable.
  • Election of Yoon Suk – yeol as the President of South Korea in March 2022, his tough policies as well as positions versus North Korea. During his presidential campaign, he promised South Koreans to adopt tougher positions on North Korea in comparison with previous South Korea’s presidents who used to have compromising approach, and if it requires, he will make preemptive strike against North Korea.

The approval of the new North Korean nuclear law will be coupled with important effects and consequences at regional and international levels. The first strategic consequence of the approval will be fragility of security environment of North East Asia and encouraging regional players to strengthen their military capability.

It is obvious that the U.S. regional allies, i.e. Japan and South Korea will be among these players. Mounting economic pressures and imposition of further economic sanctions on North Korea are among other predictable consequences of the decision. The U.S. increased presence in East Asia, holding military war games and maneuvers with the collaboration of regional allies will be the third conceivable consequence of the decision.

To finally conclude, it can be said that the decision made by North Korea escalates regional tensions more than ever and deepens concerns about the risks emanated from miscalculation or unwanted nuclear clash in Asia and Pacific region.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

LATEST CONTENT

Zionist Regime’s Post-War Map for Gaza

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Middle East issues said: After nearly 150 days have passed since the attacks of Israeli planes on Gaza and the unprecedented genocide in this city, regional and international efforts to end the Gaza crisis have intensified.

Reasons for Inaction & Inefficiency of Intl Organizations in Providing Aid to Gaza

Strategic Council Online: An expert on regional issues said: With the start of the Gaza war, many major powers and international organizations not only did not take honest action to support the defenseless Palestinian people, but instead, with their support for the actions of the Zionist regime, they caused their crimes to increase over the past five months.

France and the Two-State Solution in Occupied Territories

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on regional issues said: The announcement of France’s agreement with the formation of two states in the Occupied Territories is a measure to raise the international image of France and reduce domestic pressure on the Macron government for inaction against the Israeli crimes in Gaza.

The Prospect of US Military Withdrawal from Iraq

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Although most currents, politicians and even ordinary people in Iraq call for withdrawal of American military forces from their country, there are sometimes differences of opinion regarding the time of this withdrawal. On the one hand, Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, the Prime Minister of Iraq, is very serious in demanding the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. Still, he wants to achieve this goal through “negotiation and political deal”. On the other hand, the Iraqi Resistance groups want the Americans to leave this country as soon as possible. The American side is also talking about a military withdrawal from Iraq in the next three years.

Russia’s Multifaceted Relations with Neighbors

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert said: After Russia attacked Ukraine two years ago, the country’s relations with some of its European neighbors were severely disturbed in such a way that a clear future cannot be imagined for it.

Solution to Get Out of FATF Blacklist and Get Rid of Its Heavy Costs?

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The Financial Action Task Force, FATF, announced on Friday, February 23, that the name of the Islamic Republic of Iran remains on the “blacklist” of this international organization. A decision that was not unexpected for the authorities of our country. According to the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, one day before the release of the FATF statement, due to the current sanctions, Iran is looking for its own FATF, as it uses other tools instead of SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications). On this basis, it seems that while the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon were removed from the “Grey List” of FATF in the previous reviews in June 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran is not trying to be exempted from the blacklist. But what kind of organization is FATF, and why are some in Iran against joining it? And what is the way out of this situation?

Loading

Últimas publicaciones

Zionist Regime’s Post-War Map for Gaza

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on Middle East issues said: After nearly 150 days have passed since the attacks of Israeli planes on Gaza and the unprecedented genocide in this city, regional and international efforts to end the Gaza crisis have intensified.

Reasons for Inaction & Inefficiency of Intl Organizations in Providing Aid to Gaza

Strategic Council Online: An expert on regional issues said: With the start of the Gaza war, many major powers and international organizations not only did not take honest action to support the defenseless Palestinian people, but instead, with their support for the actions of the Zionist regime, they caused their crimes to increase over the past five months.

France and the Two-State Solution in Occupied Territories

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on regional issues said: The announcement of France’s agreement with the formation of two states in the Occupied Territories is a measure to raise the international image of France and reduce domestic pressure on the Macron government for inaction against the Israeli crimes in Gaza.

The Prospect of US Military Withdrawal from Iraq

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: Although most currents, politicians and even ordinary people in Iraq call for withdrawal of American military forces from their country, there are sometimes differences of opinion regarding the time of this withdrawal. On the one hand, Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, the Prime Minister of Iraq, is very serious in demanding the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. Still, he wants to achieve this goal through “negotiation and political deal”. On the other hand, the Iraqi Resistance groups want the Americans to leave this country as soon as possible. The American side is also talking about a military withdrawal from Iraq in the next three years.

Russia’s Multifaceted Relations with Neighbors

Strategic Council Online – Interview: An international affairs expert said: After Russia attacked Ukraine two years ago, the country’s relations with some of its European neighbors were severely disturbed in such a way that a clear future cannot be imagined for it.

Solution to Get Out of FATF Blacklist and Get Rid of Its Heavy Costs?

Strategic Council Online – Opinion: The Financial Action Task Force, FATF, announced on Friday, February 23, that the name of the Islamic Republic of Iran remains on the “blacklist” of this international organization. A decision that was not unexpected for the authorities of our country. According to the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, one day before the release of the FATF statement, due to the current sanctions, Iran is looking for its own FATF, as it uses other tools instead of SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications). On this basis, it seems that while the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon were removed from the “Grey List” of FATF in the previous reviews in June 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran is not trying to be exempted from the blacklist. But what kind of organization is FATF, and why are some in Iran against joining it? And what is the way out of this situation?

Loading