ABSTRACT
External trends have had an internal effect on the defence politics of North Korea in such a way as to heighten the value of nuclear weapons. The end of the Cold War ushered major changes in North Korea’s external security environment which have increased the value of nuclear weapons in the eyes of Kim Jong-Il and his military. Before the fall of the Soviet Union, North Korea was able to exercise considerable bargaining power through diplomatic manoeuvring between China and the Soviet Union. As North Korea adjusts to the changes in its relationships with China and Russia, it also faces a growing security imbalance with the countries it deems its greatest threats: South Korea, the US and Japan. The driving force behind the increase in South Korea’s military capabilities is South Korea’s political desire for a more self-reliant military force, and of course, its growing economic power.
