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In his essay, Mark Caprio, a specialist on Japan-Korea Relations and professor at Rikkyo University, asks the question “Will North Korea follow Libya’s example and renounce its nuclear weapons programs?” Consequently, Caprio proposes that the United States must take the initiative to create the conciliatory atmosphere needed to nurture peaceful change rather than anticipate North Korea following the path of Libya. A plan that addresses the needs and interests of the North Korean state and by extension the peace and security of Northeast Asia, offers a better chance of securing North Korean cooperation in disclosure and disarmament of its nuclear arms programs, if, in fact, these weapons do indeed exist.

In this essay, Byung Chul Koh, director of the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, asserts that Kim Jong Il’s recent visit to China is a significant event with meaningful implications beyond just North Korea-China relations. Rather, it potentially impacts the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, as well as all of Northeast Asia. However, the single most important outcome of Kim’s visit was North Korea’s reaffirmation of their commitment to the continuation of six-party talks. What is not known, however, is whether the North has agreed or intends to display “patience and flexibility” in a true sense.