North Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, began its nuclear program in the 1950s, and in the years between then and the 1960s, a number of programs were created. The North Korean government created two programs, the Atomic Energy Research Institute and the Academy of Sciences. However, the real nuclear testing began when the state struck up an agreement with the Soviet Union, and in the late 1950s, nuclear workers were being trained in the Soviet Union.
Over time, North Korea shifted its stance on Nuclear production from active to inactive, depending on the policies that the government puts forth or agrees to at the time. The state of North Korea is the only state to have ever removed themselves from a treaty that supports the non-use of nuclear weapons, the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons which indicates their lack of caring about peace in terms of nuclear warfare. North Korea has continually disregarded and violated the international norms opposing nuclear testing, between the years of 2009-2017. The international community has repeatedly attempted to end North Korea's nuclear testing, and have been unsuccessful.
In 2018, talks of re-starting the shutting down of North Korea's nuclear programs began again, and during the current President of the United State's term, President Trump has made repeated attempts to negotiate with Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. Despite President Trump's attempts at peace and Kim Jong-un's apparent interest in denuclearization, North Korea has continued to fire missiles and conduct nuclear testing. Some of the believed causes of this policy issue are the state's repeated belief in its need to assert itself as a dominant state. By flaunting its nuclear program, North Korea insists upon keeping its missiles, to prove to surrounding nations just how powerful it is. In the past, attempts to end North Korea's nuclear programs have ranged from peace talks with negotiations, offering things in exchange for denuclearization. The success of these policies has varied, with the state agreeing in some instances but refusing to do so in others. In the end, however, North Korea has not complied and has continued to conduct nuclear tests.
Open communication is an extremely effective tool in promoting the reduction or completion of nuclear disarmament, and by collaborating on treaties and policies with other major powers, the actual involvement and commitment to these policies can occur. By collaborating on such treaties, the U.S. can hold these other nations across the globe accountable in reducing the use of nuclear weapons. In the past, such treaties have been accepted but then violated by North Korea, but this policy option would attempt to solve this issue of commitment.
According to the U.S. Department of State, as of October 7, 2019, a new treaty was proposed called "Creating [the] Environment for Nuclear Disarmament" which seeks to communicate with interested countries and prioritize taking steps to an environment focused on nuclear disarmament. In the brief, "U.S. Priorities in the UN First Committee," Ambassador Robert Wood does an overview of some of the current global priorities of the U.S., including "... a focus on the security threats posed by Iran, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Russia, and China to the existing international order" as well as creating "...the environment necessary for further nuclear disarmament." This will help in the U.S.'s attempts to continue peaceful talks with North Korea in hopes of future denuclearization.
