Background Information
North Korea is a famously secretive and isolated country, and it can be difficult to uncover the nation’s internal financial workings. From the outside, it appears that North Korea’s communist economy is heavily reliant on Sanctions that limit global trade – and the country’s global isolation doesn’t help its economy to develop.
At the same time, North Korea is famously known for having a formidable army and military technology. It is one of a handful of countries with nuclear weapon capability, and technology developed in the nation is considered by some to be among the most advanced in the world. With this in mind, it’s natural to wonder: how much does North Korea spend on its nuclear weapons program?
How Much Money Does North Korea Spend On Nukes?
Estimates as to the actual amount that North Korea spends on its nuclear weapons program vary wildly, with some sources suggesting that the program only accounts for 1-2% of North Korea’s military spending and others estimating it as 10% or more.
One major factor missing from these estimations is that North Korea’s resources are not a quantifiable item – we don’t know how much money North Korea has, and we can’t accurately determine the entirety of its military spending without inside knowledge. Some reports also mention that the program is veiled in secrecy and nearly completely unknown to the public, which could be a contributing factor to the difficulty in calculating North Korea’s nuclear spending.
That being said, experts have weighed in on the matter and speculated as to the cost of North Korea’s nuclear program. Most estimates consider both military and civilian spending, with the assumption that North Korea puts a sizeable portion of their resources towards developing and maintaining its nuclear weapons. According to these estimates, North Korea spends between 2 and five billion USD per year on its nuclear program.
Are Those Numbers Accurate?
These estimates from experts in the field are not based on concrete evidence or facts, as accurate figures are generally not available for North Korea’s military spending. A report from the International Crisis Group states that the best estimates regarding North Korea’s nuclear spending are available only through “open-source analysis”, meaning estimates that are based on observations of other military programs, such as the US nuclear weapons program.
In other words, the available estimates are good guesses, due to the lack of available information. A study from 2018 by the Brookings Institution comes to a similar conclusion, noting that “attempts to estimate North Korea’s military spending incur significant methodological challenges and uncertainty”.
Spending in Comparisons to Other Countries
Comparing North Korea’s nuclear spending to other countries provides more insight into the mystery of North Korea’s nuclear budget. According to a report from RAND Corporation, the US spends roughly six times more on its nuclear weapons program than North Korea does, which is slightly lower than estimates from other nations’ programs but still significantly higher than North Korea’s.
Similarly, a report from the Arms Control Association notes that North Korea has much less resources than other established nuclear-armed countries such as the US, Russia, China and France, and its relative lack of resources means that North Korea’s nuclear spending is much lower than other nuclear-armed nations.
In short, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how much money North Korea spends on its nuclear weapons program, but it’s safe to say that the estimate is much lower than other nuclear-armed countries.
Analysis of North Korea’s Spending
While the exact figure is impossible to determine, it’s clear that North Korea’s resources are limited. This lack of resources means that the nation is unlikely to invest heavily in its nuclear military program. Instead, it’s more likely that North Korea is investing in other aspects of its military program and using whatever resources they have to maintain a deterring nuclear force.
What’s more, North Korea may be using its limited resources to guard against a US invasion. According to experts, North Korea is aware of the US’s military prowess and may be using their resources to bolster their defenses and protect themselves against US aggression.
North Korea’s Nuclear Strategy
It’s likely that North Korea’s nuclear program and strategy is more focused on deterrence rather than conquest. The nation’s limited resources would not be able to support a long-term war effort, which makes it unlikely that North Korea would ever attempt to use its nuclear capability to attain global domination.
Instead, North Korea appears to see its weapons as a trump card as it negotiates with other countries. By having nuclear weapons, North Korea can not only display their military might – they can also ensure that their regime and borders are protected.
The Impact of Sanctions
International sanctions placed on North Korea have made it difficult for the nation to build and maintain its nuclear weapons program. Sanctions have limited North Korea’s access to technology, resources, and funding, making it difficult for them to acquire the necessary materials and funding for their nuclear program.
This has led some experts to question whether North Korea’s nuclear capability is as advanced as they claim. It’s possible that North Korea could be exaggerating the potency of their weapons, likely in an effort to keep other countries at bay.
At the same time, North Korea’s weapons development may be further hampered by the sanctions. Without access to international funding and resources, North Korea may have difficulties in developing new weapons and expanding its nuclear program.
Conclusion
Overall, it’s difficult to pin down how much money North Korea is spending on its nuclear weapons program, but estimates from experts estimate that North Korea is likely spending significantly less than other nuclear-armed nations. Instead of investing in nuclear weapons, it’s likely that North Korea is instead investing their resources in other aspects of their military technology or using their relatively limited resources to guard against a US invasion. In any case, it’s clear that international sanctions have had a significant impact on North Korea’s nuclear capability, and this will continue to be an important factor in the future of the nation’s nuclear program.
