Episode 35: Yangmo Ku - Nuclear North Korea

Despite crippling economic hardships and intense international pressure, North Korea has managed to become a nuclear nation. What drove the country to so resolutely prioritize the development of nuclear weapons? What strategies has it used in pursuit of its goals? And what are the broader strategic, geopolitical implications of its nuclear program? The author, Yangmo Ku,  will unpack the complexities of North Korea's nuclear ambitions and achievements and shed light on the conundrum that they pose for both East Asian stability and global security. --------------------------------- Yangmo KuDr. Yangmo Ku is Professor of Political Science and Associate Director of the Peace and War Center (PAWC) at Norwich University. He received his B.A. in German Language and Literature from Sogang University and earned his M.A. in International Affairs and Ph.D. in Political Science from George Washington University. Prior to joining Norwich University, he taught in the School of International Service at American University. Dr. Ku’s research focuses on North and South Korean politics, East Asian security, U.S. foreign policy, and the politics of memory and reconciliation in East Asia and Europe. His new book, Nuclear North Korea: Strategy and Practice from the Korean War to the New Cold War, was published in April 2026. He is also the coauthor of Politics in North and South Korea: Political Development, Economy, and Foreign Relations (2018). He serves as the founding editor of the peer-reviewed Journal of Peace and War Studies and co-editor of PAWC’s forum, Voices on Peace and War. His research has appeared in numerous academic journals. He has also frequently delivered intensive lectures on North Korean nuclear issues and Korean Peninsula politics to U.S. federal government officials in Washington, DC, and Hawaii.