Psychological Underpinnings of International Relations: North Korea’s Desperation Creates Opportunities for Stability in Northeast Asia

Institutional Affiliation

Nova Southeastern Univ, US Army War College

Start Date

16-1-2025 10:45 AM

End Date

16-1-2025 12:15 PM

Proposal Type

Presentation

Proposal Format

On-campus

Proposal Description

North Korea's recent decision to deploy over 12,000 troops to support Russia in the Ukraine war marks a significant shift in its global engagement strategy and reflects a growing sense of desperation shared by both nations. This action, coupled with North Korea’s abandonment of reunification as a policy goal, signals a shift in its survival strategy driven by economic isolation and strategic miscalculations. North Korea and Russia rely on a shaky military alliance born out of pure necessity, global isolation, and desperation to maintain power. Adding fuel to the fire, the recent collapse of Russian-backed regimes like Syria show just how desperate Russia has become. Formal recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state could offer the North Koreans international alternatives to a Russian Alliance. This path offers new avenues to regional stability and improve arms control efforts that create lasting peace. By addressing North Korea’s existential insecurities and recognizing its nuclear status, the United States and its allies could reduce the provocations that often stem from Pyongyang’s perceived need for validation. Drawing on the psychological parallels of neglect and survival behavior, this presentation argues that engaging North Korea on equal footing could transform its regional role from a destabilizing force to a predictable actor, paving the way for long-term peace in Northeast Asia.

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Jan 16th, 10:45 AM Jan 16th, 12:15 PM

Psychological Underpinnings of International Relations: North Korea’s Desperation Creates Opportunities for Stability in Northeast Asia

North Korea's recent decision to deploy over 12,000 troops to support Russia in the Ukraine war marks a significant shift in its global engagement strategy and reflects a growing sense of desperation shared by both nations. This action, coupled with North Korea’s abandonment of reunification as a policy goal, signals a shift in its survival strategy driven by economic isolation and strategic miscalculations. North Korea and Russia rely on a shaky military alliance born out of pure necessity, global isolation, and desperation to maintain power. Adding fuel to the fire, the recent collapse of Russian-backed regimes like Syria show just how desperate Russia has become. Formal recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state could offer the North Koreans international alternatives to a Russian Alliance. This path offers new avenues to regional stability and improve arms control efforts that create lasting peace. By addressing North Korea’s existential insecurities and recognizing its nuclear status, the United States and its allies could reduce the provocations that often stem from Pyongyang’s perceived need for validation. Drawing on the psychological parallels of neglect and survival behavior, this presentation argues that engaging North Korea on equal footing could transform its regional role from a destabilizing force to a predictable actor, paving the way for long-term peace in Northeast Asia.