- DETERRENCE: Strategic Negligence and the Sony Sideshow
- DPRK: “Briefing: The North Korean Threat: Nuclear, missiles and cyber”
- GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: South Korea launches world’s second-largest carbon trading market
DETERRENCE: Strategic Negligence and the Sony Sideshow, Peter Hayes, NAPSNet Policy Forum, December 22, 2014
The Obama Administration handling of The Interview sideshow distracted it from stopping and reversing North Korea’s nuclear weapons breakout. The net result was increased risk of war, including nuclear war, making it harder than ever to reverse North Korea’s nuclear threat. By 2020, North Korea may have 79 nuclear weapons of fissile material.
- The real threat from North Korea is the nuclear arsenal built over the last decade, Sig Hecker, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. (7 January 2015)
- North Korea’s Nukes Are Scarier Than Its Hacks, Josh Rogin, Eli Lake, Bloomberg News. (23 December 2014)
DPRK: “Briefing: The North Korean Threat: Nuclear, missiles and cyber”. U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs. (13 January 2015).
Many factors are coming together to indicate an extremely tense 2015 full of confrontation. US officials testified on North Korea’s cyber, nuclear, missiles and financial capabilities. They also revealed intent to “target” North Korean and Kim family finances. The last time the US restricted North Korean access to the international financial system so stringently there were many negative effects such as hastening North Korea’s rush to develop nuclear capability. At least North Korea indicates they know they can’t win a long war, but they apparently have designed a short war – thus lowering the threshold at which they commit national suicide.
- Kim Jong-un ordered a plan for a 7-day asymmetric war: officials. Jeong Yong-soo and Ser Myo-ja, Joong Ang Ilbo. (8 January 2015)
- Top Expert: North Korea could have 20 nuclear weapons by the time Obama leaves office. Jeremy Bender, Business Insider. (13 January 2015)
- Current North Korean cyber-warfare threat to South Korea would be key to potential war-fighting strategy. IHS Jane’s Intelligence Review. (12 January 2015)
GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: South Korea Launches World’s Second-Largest Carbon Trading Market, Katie Valentine, ThinkProgress.org (12 January 2015)
The ROK has launched the world’s second largest carbon trading market behind the EU, as part of its plan to cut emissions by 30 percent by 2020 and with pushback from major industries, including steel. Trading in China’s current seven pilot carbon markets is expected to double in 2015, with a full carbon trading market expected to launch next year and to be larger than the EU market.
- Carbon emissions trading kicks off, Joo Kyung-don, Joongang Ilbo. (13 January 2015)
- Carbon trading begins amid controversy, Chung Joo-won, Korea Herald. (12 January 2015)
- China carbon trading to almost double in 2015, Megan Darby, RTCC.org. (6 January 2015)
The Nautilus Peace and Security Weekly Report captures multiple perspectives on six threats to global security. Our contributors select items that highlight the links among these themes.
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Contributors:
- Deterrence: Peter Hayes
- DPRK: Roger Cavazos
- Governance and Civil Society: Dyana Mardon
- Climate Change Adaptation: Saleem Janjua
- Austral Peace and Security: Richard Tanter
- Climate Change and Security: Richard Tanter
NAPSNet Editor: Rebecca Pollack