Between Autonomy and Influence? Multilateralism and North Korean Foreign Policy in the Six Party Talks

Abstract

This chapter presents an analysis of a generally ignored component of North Korean foreign policy-the realm of multilateralism. The third nuclear test carried out by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 12 February 2013 and the subsequent aggravation of the security situation on the Korean peninsula were only the latest reminders of the formidable challenge posed by the nuclear crisis. While the first documented use of the term 'multilateral' dates back to the year 1858, the noun form of the word only came into use in the aftermath of World War I. The multilateral format of the Six Party Talks (SPT), attended by North and South Korea, the US, China, Japan and Russia, was established in 2003. NFPT suggests that the DPRK's refusal to participate in the SPT was prompted by a perception of a heightened threat to its security following the Banco Delta Asia (BDA)-related sanctions. Keywords: Banco Delta Asia (BDA); multilateralism; Neorealist Foreign Policy Theory (NFPT); North Korean; Six Party Talks (SPT); South Korean