The nuclear program has been a dream of North Korean leaders since the end of the Korean War — a deterrent against regime change from the United States, a tool to drive a wedge between Washington and Seoul as part of a grand plan to unify the peninsula under North Korean rule. Regardless of the motive, one question is rarely asked: If Kim Jong-un wanted to denuclearize, could he?

Please join KEI for a discussion of Kim Jong-un’s authority and how the structure of North Korean leadership affects his ability to denuclearize North Korea.