ABSTRACT
Geopolitics on the Korean Peninsula concerns the positional advantage that external powers may obtain by manoeuvring to control access to this gateway, or to prevent access to it by rivals. In the context of the geopolitics of the Korean Peninsula, North Korea is China’s strategic asset. China’s relationship with the North may deteriorate but its existence and survival is sufficient for China’s geopolitical objectives, despite its exasperating behaviour. The North habitually claimed that the United States threat was the reason for the development of the nuclear programme and that nuclear weapons were necessary to ward off the threat of an American attack. China’s position as supporter and patron of the North conflicted to a large extent with its role as facilitator of the Six Party Talks. The regime has survived despite these predictions through its resort to terror and tight control, and also the demonstration of success in developing nuclear weapons.
