Who Gets North Korea's WMDs If They Collapse

Indian Defense Review

Robert J. Peters, The Diplomat/38 North: If North Korea Collapses, What Happens to Its WMDs?



Securing and eliminating North Korea’s nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons could be an insurmountable challenge.


This article was first published at 38 North, a blog of the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins SAIS. It is republished with kind permission.


North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) pose a number of challenges, particularly how to find and secure those weapons if the regime collapses. This paper will look briefly at 1) North Korea’s nuclear, chemical and biological programs; 2) activities coalition forces might conduct in a collapse scenario; and 3) challenges posed by an operation to eliminate the North’s WMD.



WNU Editor: There is no good answer on what will happen to North Korea's WMDs in the event that the regime collapses for the simple reason that no one really knows.