Security, economics, and missile diplomacy with North Korea

This article reviews American missile diplomacy with North Korea during the Clinton and Bush administrations. North Korea made some missile concessions, such as agreeing to freeze missile tests, but ultimately did not halt its missile programme. US nonproliferation diplomacy was not successful because it did not address the main drivers behind North Korea's missile programmes - security threats, economic compulsions, and domestic political pressures. In the future, international engagement that tackles these causes of proliferation could restrain North Korea's missile advances. Reprinted by permission of Frank Cass & Co. Ltd.