ABSTRACT
Donald Trump as President of the United States brought tremendous changes to Northeast Asia. The United States altered its perception of North Korea from a “weak and failing state” to be “serious threats to US security.” Without this change, US-North Korean summit talks might not have been realized. His successor, President Joseph Biden, also defined the North Korean nuclear issue as “nuclear programs that present serious threats to American security and the security of the world.” This chapter sheds a light on both pre-existing and new crises for North Korea that have resulted from this shift in regional policy, as well as its effects on neighboring countries, such as Japan and South Korea. Considering the systemic drift of interstate relations in Northeast Asia, the chapter first outlines the US changing policy on North Korea and China; second, outlines scenarios for North Korea’s survival and development; and, finally outlines present and emerging challenges for the future of not only North Korea but also South Korea and Japan as US allies in the region.
