{"id":9313,"date":"2023-12-15T13:25:09","date_gmt":"2023-12-15T12:25:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.northkoreainfo.com\/?p=9313"},"modified":"2023-12-15T13:25:09","modified_gmt":"2023-12-15T12:25:09","slug":"who-helped-north-korea-build-nuclear-weapons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.northkoreainfo.com\/who-helped-north-korea-build-nuclear-weapons\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Helped North Korea Build Nuclear Weapons"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Background Information<\/h2>\n

For North Korea, nuclear capability has been a top-priority goal. The country’s relationship with the United States has always been strained, particularly since it first withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 2003. Since then, North Korea has been linked to countries that are known to have nuclear weapon capabilities, with the most obvious and significant being China, Russia and Iran. These nations have all been linked to possible assistance with the North Korean nuclear program, although the details of those links and assistance vary. <\/p>\n

China’s Involvement<\/h2>\n

China is often credited with being the biggest supporter of North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. The two countries have had a long-standing alliance, which dates back to the Korean War, and Chinese leaders often use North Korea as a buffer between themselves and other nations in the region, such as South Korea and Japan. Behind the scenes, China is believed to provide North Korea with both financial and technical assistance, although the extent of that assistance is unclear. Chinese companies are also believed to have provided North Korea with access to advanced technologies, ranging from computer software to manufacturing machines.<\/p>\n

Russia’s Involvement<\/h2>\n

Russia is another major player in North Korean nuclear development. In 2010, the United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on a number of North Korean entities believed to have been linked to nuclear weapon development. One of those entities was the Russian Research Institute for Atomic Reactors. This institute is believed to have provided North Korea with technical assistance on building nuclear weapons. Furthermore, there have been reports indicating that there have been significant commercial deals between Russia and North Korea. <\/p>\n

Iran’s Involvement<\/h2>\n

Iran is often linked to North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, and the two countries are believed to have engaged in a number of high-level exchanges on the topic. In particular, there have been reports indicating that Iran has provided North Korea with technical assistance and expertise in the area of uranium enrichment. Some reports also suggest that North Korean scientists have been sent to Iran to gain expertise on nuclear weapon development. <\/p>\n

Affected Countries Perspective<\/h2>\n