The North Korean conundrum: The logic behind Pyongyang's brinkmanship

Using its now well-known brinkmanship diplomacy, North Korea has successfully brought the superpower, the United States, on to the negotiation table over the nuclear crisis issue. The country's diplomacy seems irrational and unpredictable. Moreover, it is hard not to notice the hostile behaviors of the regime that causes regional security concerns. However, the pending issues around North Korea appear to be an almost insoluble conundrum. The major task is, therefore, to discover how to solve the North Korean puzzle and achieve regional peace from the country's seemingly unpredictable behaviors by understanding the logic behind its diplomacy and wisely dealing with the regime. Washington is encouraged to dialogue with Pyongyang to better understand the North's political objectives. This will also reduce mutual distrust and open up the window of opportunity for better relations between the two sides, generating an appropriate setting to solve the dilemma without further aggravating the crisis situation.Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 43-01, page: 9300.Chair: Quansheng Zhao.Thesis (M.A.)--American University, 2004