North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons and Missile Programs

North Korea continues to advance its nuclear weapons and missile programs despite U.N. Security Council sanctions and high-level diplomatic efforts. The country’s ballistic missile testing, military parades, and policy statements suggest that North Korea is continuing to build a nuclear warfighting capability designed to evade regional ballistic missile defenses. Such an approach likely reinforces a deterrence and coercive diplomacy strategy—lending more credibility as it demonstrates capability—but it also raises questions about crisis stability and escalation control. Congress may wish to examine U.S. policy toward North Korea. U.S. policy as well as U.N. resolutions call on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and missile programs. Kim Jong Un has repeatedly rejected “denuclearization” talks. According to the U.S. intelligence community’s 2024 annual threat assessment (ATA), North Korean leader Kim Jong-un views nuclear weapons as a “guarantor of regime security.” The Korea People’s Assembly adopted a new law in September 2022 that reportedly expands the conditions under which North Korea would use nuclear weapons to include possible first use in situations that threaten the regime’s survival. In September 2023, Kim promised to boost nuclear weapons production “exponentially” and diversify nuclear strike options. In response to these developments, the United States and South Korea have conducted joint military drills and convened the bilateral Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group and Nuclear Consultative Group to “to strengthen extended deterrence, discuss nuclear and strategic planning, and manage the threat the DPRK poses to the global nonproliferation regime.” The Biden Administration’s 2022 Nuclear Posture Review said, “Any nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its Allies and partners is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime.”