Updated November 29, 2017
U.S.-North Korea Relations
North Korea has posed one of the most persistent U.S.
The sense of urgency has been heightened by North
foreign policy challenges of the post-Cold War period.
Korea’s September 2017 nuclear test, its sixth and largest,
With its recent advances in its nuclear and missile
and multiple tests in 2017 of long-range ballistic missiles
capabilities under 33-year-old leader Kim Jong-un, North
that many observers believe have intercontinental range.
Korea has evolved to become a grave security threat to the
Following two such missile tests in July, Congress passed
United States and its allies. Efforts to halt North Korea’s
and President Trump signed H.R. 3364/P.L. 115-44, the
nuclear weapons program have occupied the past four U.S.
Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act,
administrations. Since 2009, North Korea (officially known
which strengthens the use of sanctions on those who
as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK)
facilitate North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile
has rebuffed U.S. and South Korean offers to negotiate on
programs. In August, the United Nations Security Council
denuclearization, and has continued to develop its nuclear
(UNSC) passed a new sanctions resolution against North
weapons and ballistic missile programs. Although the
Korea (its eighth) that banned all imports of DPRK coal,
weapons programs have been the primary focus of U.S.
iron products, and seafood. In September 2017, after North
policy toward North Korea, other U.S. concerns include
Korea’s nuclear test, the UNSC adopted another resolution
North Korea’s illicit activities, such as counterfeiting
that bans imports of DPRK apparel and textiles; caps
currency and narcotics trafficking, attacks against South
exports of petroleum products and bans exports of gas
Korea, and egregious human rights violations.
products to North Korea; prohibits nearly all joint ventures
with DPRK companies; and imposes new requirements for
interdicting vessels suspected of trading prohibited goods
with North Korea. Also in September 2017, the
Administration issued an executive order that authorizes
secondary sanctions, including on any individual or entity
that conducts trade with North Korea and on any foreign
financial institution that conducts transactions related to
DPRK trade. In November, the Administration re-
designated North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Some U.S. and South Korean commentators have
characterized Trump Administration officials’ remarks on

North Korea as contradictory, particularly on the questions
Source: Map generated by CRS using Department of State
Boundaries (2011); Esri (2014); DeLorme (2014).
of under what conditions the United States would negotiate
with North Korea and whether the United States is prepared
The U.S. Approach to North Korea
to launch a preventive attack against North Korea. In
Since early 2017, the Trump Administration has raised
repeated public remarks, Administration officials, including
North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs to a top U.S.
the President, have emphasized a possible preventive
foreign policy priority and has described its approach as
military attack against North Korea. However, at other
“maximum pressure.” The officially stated policy, unveiled
times, President Trump and other Administration officials
in April 2017, is to “pressure North Korea into dismantling
have said they would be open to dialogue.
its nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programs by
Coordination with South Korea
tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic
measures with our Allies and regional partners.” The
The latest North Korean crisis has highlighted differences
in approach between Washington and Seoul and introduced
Administration has stated that it hopes increasing pressure
will convince Pyongyang “to de
new strains. Already, many observers saw a lack of robust
-escalate and return to the
coordination between the two allies. Amidst North Korean
path of dialogue.” Additionally, Secretary of State Rex
provocations, reports emerged in early September 2017 that
Tillerson has said, “[W]e do not seek a regime change, we
the Administration was considering withdrawing from the
do not seek the collapse of the regime.... ” The
U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement, seen by many as
Administration has urged China, which accounts for around
90% of North Korea’s trade, to
a key pillar of the bilateral relationship. In addition,
apply more pressure on the
following the DPRK’s September 2017 nuclear test,
DPRK to change its behavior. The Administration also has
President Trump tweeted criticisms of South Korea’s
expanded efforts around the globe to convince other
attempts to initiate low-level dialogue with North Korea,
countries to cease or curtail their trade and other
calling the efforts “appeasement.” Although Trump had
interactions with the DPRK.
what many regarded as a successful November 2017 visit to
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U.S.-North Korea Relations
Seoul, and the United States approved South Korea’s
state that Beijing fears the destabilizing effects of a
request to lift restrictions on its missile payload capabilities,
humanitarian crisis, including significant refugee flows
Trump’s words have raised concerns among many in South
over its borders and the uncertainty of how other nations,
Korea about the level of U.S. commitment.
particularly the United States, would assert themselves on
the Korean peninsula if a power vacuum develops. Some
Nuclear, Missile, and Cyber Capabilities
Chinese leaders also may see strategic value in preserving
North Korea has said its nuclear weapons are a deterrent to
North Korea as a “buffer” between China and South Korea.
prevent an attack by the United States. In May 2017,
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testified that
How effectively China implements U.N. sanctions could be
the United States knew little of North Korea’s nuclear
an indicator of Beijing’s willingness to punish the Kim
doctrine, but reiterated previous assessments that
regime. The United States and South Korea have rejected
“Pyongyang’s nuclear capabilities are intended for
the joint proposal of China and Russia that the United
deterrence, international prestige, and coercive diplomacy.”
States and South Korea halt military exercises in exchange
Some analysts worry that the DPRK may become
for a freeze of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.
emboldened to launch attacks if it believes it has developed
President Trump has alternated between praising China for
a sufficiently robust deterrent, or to use nuclear blackmail
its efforts to persuade North Korea to change its behavior
to achieve other policy objectives.
and threatening China with diplomatic and economic
retaliation if Beijing does not apply more pressure.
North Korea has tested six nuclear devices, in 2006, 2009,
2013, twice in 2016, and in 2017. The DPRK government
North Korea’s Human Rights Record
stated on September 3, 2017, that it had successfully tested
The plight of many North Koreans is dire. Reports by the
a hydrogen (thermonuclear) bomb that can be mounted on
U.S. government and private organizations portray extreme
an intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korea continues
human rights abuses by the North Korean government over
to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons. Since the
many years. Multiple reports describe a system of prison
Six-Party nuclear talks (among China, Japan, North Korea,
camps that house approximately 100,000 political prisoners.
Russia, South Korea, and the United States) broke down in
In 2016, the State Department—acting in accordance with
2009, North Korea has restarted its plutonium-production
The North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of
reactor and has openly built a uranium enrichment plant
2016 (P.L. 114-122)—identified Kim Jong-un and other
(other clandestine enrichment facilities likely exist).
DPRK officials as responsible for human rights violations.
In 2014, a U.N. Human Rights Council commission
North Korea conducted four missile tests between July and
concluded that North Korea had committed “crimes against
November 2017 that are widely believed to have
humanity” and argued that the individuals responsible
intercontinental range. Reportedly, analysis from the
should face charges at the International Criminal Court.
Defense Intelligence Agency has found that North Korea
has successfully developed a nuclear warhead that is
Internal Situation
“miniaturized” or sufficiently small to be mounted on long-
Since assuming power in December 2011, Kim Jong-un
range ballistic missiles, and may have produced up to 60
appears to have consolidated his hold on power, though
warheads. Security experts and U.S. officials have also
much uncertainty remains. Kim has engaged in several
voiced concerns about Pyongyang’s improving cyber
purges of high-level North Korean officials. Kim has been
operations, which the regime may use for retaliation,
promoting a two-track policy (the so-called byungjin line)
coercion, espionage, and/or for financial gain.
of economic development and nuclear weapons
development. Although most North Koreans still live in
China’s Role
meager circumstances, particularly outside of Pyongyang,
U.S. policy to pressure North Korea depends heavily on
the DPRK economy as a whole appears to have expanded
China. In addition to being North Korea’s largest trading
since Kim came into power. Previously prohibited markets
partner by far, China reportedly provides food, crude oil,
containing many consumer goods and a range of services
and investment that are essential lifelines for the regime in
have proliferated throughout the country, perhaps providing
Pyongyang. Since Kim Jong-un assumed power in 2011,
a cushion against external economic pressure. Pyongyang
China has held the North Korean regime at arms-length.
appears to be losing its ability to control information
Since becoming China’s top leader in 2012, President Xi
inflows from the outside world. Surveys of DPRK defectors
Jinping has yet to meet with Kim. China also has voted for
reveal that growing numbers of North Koreans are wary of
all nine UNSC resolutions against North Korea, albeit after
government propaganda and have ways to access outside
insisting on changes that often weakened them. China says
sources of news.
that it is implementing UNSC sanctions, and according to
Chinese customs data, year-on-year DPRK exports to China
Emma Chanlett-Avery,
declined by nearly 30% over the first 10 months of 2017.
Mark E. Manyin, Specialist in Asian Affairs
China’s overriding priority, however, appears to be
IF10246
preventing what it calls “chaos and war.” Chinese analysts

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U.S.-North Korea Relations



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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10246 · VERSION 11 · UPDATED

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