A Reveiw: North Korea Nucler Proliferation in the Context of the Realist Theory
Authors:
POPOOLA Michael
Publication Type: Journal article
Journal: European Journal Of Social Sciences.
ISSN Number:
0
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Abstract
By the year 1964, all the five emerging champions of the WWII had become Nuclear
Weapon States (NWS). However, a bid to avert the ominous risk which nuclear
proliferation might portend to world security led to the establishment of the Nuclear Non
Proliferation Treaty (NPT) which was signed by many countries. North Korea which was
one of the NPT signatories later opted out to embark on a brazen development and testing
of nuclear weapons in defiance of all nuclear weapon regulatory bodies. This research
discovered that North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons programme was absolutely in
conformity with the proposition of the realist theory. But given the fact that the country’s
belligerent attitude has made it a pariah state and produced adverse effects on its economic
growth as well as the welfare of its citizens, the research suggested that North Korea should
play down on ‘hard power’ which subjects it to international odium and explore the option
of ‘soft power’ which states also use to their own advantage. Descriptive research design
method was used.