North Korea has posed one of the most persistent U.S. foreign policy challenges of the post-Cold War period. With recent advances in its nuclear and missile capabilities under leader Kim Jong-un, North Korea has become a grave security threat to the United States and its allies. Over the first 10 months of 2018, Kim held three summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, three with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and one with President Donald Trump, in Singapore in June 2018. This activity produced a number of agreements, though questions remain about their sustainability. Below is a selective list of CRS products covering North Korea, followed by a list of CRS experts and their contact information.
CRS has several types of general distribution products:
In addition to the products listed below, a number of CRS products on other countries (e.g., U.S.-Taiwan relations) may discuss those countries' relations with North Korea. For more, see CRS.gov or contact one of the authors below.
CRS Insight IN11153, North Korea: What 18 Months of Diplomacy Has and Has Not Achieved, coordinated by Mark E. Manyin
CRS Insight IN11067, The February 2019 Trump-Kim Hanoi Summit, coordinated by Mark E. Manyin
CRS Insight IN11023, A Possible Second U.S.-North Korea Summit: What Diplomacy Has and Hasn't Achieved, by Mark E. Manyin and Emma Chanlett-Avery
CRS Insight IN10974, The September 2018 Inter-Korean Summit, by Mark E. Manyin and Emma Chanlett-Avery
CRS Insight IN10916, The June 12 Trump-Kim Jong-un Summit, by Mark E. Manyin and Mary Beth D. Nikitin
CRS In Focus IF10246, U.S.-North Korea Relations, by Emma Chanlett-Avery and Mark E. Manyin
CRS Report R41259, North Korea: U.S. Relations, Nuclear Diplomacy, and Internal Situation, coordinated by Emma Chanlett-Avery
CRS Report R45033, Nuclear Negotiations with North Korea, by Emma Chanlett-Avery, Mark E. Manyin, and Mary Beth D. Nikitin
CRS Report R45169, A Peace Treaty with North Korea?, by Emma Chanlett-Avery et al.
CRS In Focus IF10472, North Korea's Nuclear and Ballistic Missile Programs, by Mary Beth D. Nikitin
CRS Report R41438, North Korea: Legislative Basis for U.S. Economic Sanctions, by Dianne E. Rennack
CRS Report R44994, The North Korean Nuclear Challenge: Military Options and Issues for Congress, coordinated by Kathleen J. McInnis
CRS Report R44912, North Korean Cyber Capabilities: In Brief, by Emma Chanlett-Avery et al.
CRS In Focus IF10467, Possible U.S. Policy Approaches to North Korea, by Emma Chanlett-Avery and Mark E. Manyin
CRS In Focus IF10165, South Korea: Background and U.S. Relations, by Mark E. Manyin, Emma Chanlett-Avery, and Brock R. Williams
CRS Report R44950, Redeploying U.S. Nuclear Weapons to South Korea: Background and Implications in Brief, by Amy F. Woolf and Emma Chanlett-Avery
CRS In Focus IF10733, U.S.-South Korea (KORUS) FTA, coordinated by Brock R. Williams
CRS Report R43835, State Sponsors of Acts of International Terrorism—Legislative Parameters: In Brief, by Dianne E. Rennack
CRS In Focus IF10694, Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, by Dianne E. Rennack, Kenneth Katzman, and Cory Welt
CRS In Focus IF10805, Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATS Act) Deadlines, Time Frames, and Start Dates, by Dianne E. Rennack
CRS Report RL34256, North Korea's Nuclear Weapons: Technical Issues, by Mary Beth D. Nikitin
CRS Report R43480, Iran-North Korea-Syria Ballistic Missile and Nuclear Cooperation, coordinated by Paul K. Kerr
CRS Report R40095, Foreign Assistance to North Korea, by Mark E. Manyin and Mary Beth D. Nikitin
CRS Report R43865, North Korea: Back on the State Sponsors of Terrorism List?, by Mark E. Manyin et al.
CRS Report RL31696, North Korea: Economic Sanctions Prior to Removal from Terrorism Designation, by Dianne E. Rennack
CRS Report RL30811, North-South Korean Relations: A Chronology of Events in 2000 and 2001, by Mark E. Manyin
CRS Report RL32743, North Korea: A Chronology of Events, October 2002-December 2004, by Mark E. Manyin, Emma Chanlett-Avery, and Helene Machart
CRS Report RL33389, North Korea: A Chronology of Events in 2005, by Emma Chanlett-Avery, Mark E. Manyin, and Hannah Fischer
Issue |
Name |
Phone |
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General North Korea issues, including overall U.S. North Korea policy |
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Mark Manyin |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Emma Chanlett-Avery |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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North Korea's military capabilities and the U.S. military response |
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Nuclear Capabilities |
Mary Beth Nikitin |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
Missiles and Missile Defense |
Mary Beth Nikitin |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
Cyber Capabilities |
Catherine Theohary |
7- 0844 |
[email address scrubbed] |
U.S. Military Planning |
Kathleen McInnis |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
Sanctions |
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Dianne Rennack |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Legislation relating to North Korea |
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Dianne Rennack |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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North Korea's economy |
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Mark Manyin |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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North Korea-China relations |
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Susan Lawrence |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
Note: For requests in other topic areas, please contact CRS Inquiry ([phone number scrubbed]).