North Korea: Peace? Nuclear War? Paperback

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“This is a timely and comprehensive book by real experts on negotiating with North Korea about their nuclear arsenal. This book could not be more timely. It provides expert and thoughtful advice for the next Trump-Kim summit meeting. And it provides a basis for making an informed opinion on the value of that summit. Read it!” – William J. Perry, Former US Secretary of Defense

“Americans, it seems, will do anything to North Korea over the nuclear dilemma except try to understand it – the ‘bozone’ layer of anti-intellectualism that shrouds policy making. For those brave souls who do try, there is no place better to start than this volume incisively curated more than simply edited by one of the deans of Asian studies, Bill Overholt. It assembles the best thinkers – and sometimes practitioners – from America and Asia, and turns them loose to agree or disagree but in the process to enlighten.” – Gregory F. Treverton, Former Chair of the National Intelligence Council

“The strength of this volume is its focus on what has changed in the last few years in the political and economic developments in both North and South Korea and in the strategic situation on the Korean Peninsula, its neighborhood and globally. In many instances, the question of whether changes, for example in North Korea, are real or simply hopes is controversial. This volume does not shy away from these controversies. Many points of view on these topics are represented here. The book should be valuable for people who want to improve their grasp of the complexities surrounding the issue of peace on the Korean peninsula and the North Korean nuclear program.” – James A. Thomson, President Emeritus of the RAND Corporation

North Korean nuclear weapons create today’s greatest issue of war and peace, the only imminent risk of nuclear war. President Obama told President Trump this was the most urgent issue he was inheriting. The Korean people have been suffering war, division, famine in the north, and risk of annihilation for far too long. Is there now a chance for peace and denuclearization?

Half a century ago, facing of an overwhelming and imminent threat, a militarily and economically inferior South Korea was developing nuclear weapons. Nixon intervened decisively, but the halt was sustained by South Koreans’ recognition that nuclear conflict would end Korean civilization. Is a similar outcome possible in the North today? Could it be linked with a broader peace or even unification?