Siegfried Hecker on Denuclearization

After the June 12th meeting between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump, the US is pushing for rapid denuclearization. But, even in a best case scenario, what is a realistic timetable? And now that North Korea has nuclear military capabilities, how might the US encourage the North Koreans to develop nuclear energy for their electrical grid instead? Dr. Siegfried Hecker is the former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a senior fellow at FSI, and an expert on denuclearization. He is also the only American scientist to have toured North Korea’s nuclear plants for enriching uranium. In this timely conversation with FSI director Michael McFaul, Hecker explains the logistical challenges of denuclearization, how the North Korean case is different from Iran, and what scenarios to watch for as the US contemplates a new relationship with the North Koreans. If you like what you hear, you can get additional content from scholars at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies by following us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, and by subscribing to our newsletters and updates.