Bonn 2020 – scientific programme

The DPG Spring Meeting in Bonn had to be cancelled! Read more ...

Parts | Days | Selection | Search | Updates | Downloads | Help

AGA: Arbeitsgruppe Physik und Abrüstung

AGA 4: North Korea

AGA 4.1: Invited Talk

Thursday, April 2, 2020, 14:00–14:45, H-HS XVII

Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula — •Tariq Rauf — Vienna

Tariq Rauf (former Head of Verification and Security Policy, International Atomic Energy Agency, responsible for the Director General's report on Application of Safeguards in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea). Nuclear weapons were first introduced into the Korean Peninsula in January 1958 by the US through its defence alliance with South Korea. During the inter-Korean war, the US threatened three times to use nuclear weapons against DPRK. There was no DPRK nuclear weapon programme until decades later. South Korea's nuclear weapons research programme was wound up in 1975 with its ratification of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). In August 2004, the IAEA cited South Korea for previously undeclared nuclear activities involving the reprocessing of nuclear material. Between 9 October 2006 and 3 September 2017, the DPRK carried out six nuclear weapon tests and more than 100 missile tests. Until very recently, annual US-South Korea military exercises had been expanding both in their scope and numbers of troops, including decapitation strikes, and invasion and occupation of major military and other strategic locations in North Korea. After early mutual threats and insults, DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump have held three bilateral summits but as yet no agreement has been possible on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. This presentation will cover developments regarding the DPRK's nuclear and missile programmes, and assess the prospects and possible measures for achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.