Week 16: North Korea

Question 1

What has caused a spike in the U.S.’s surveillance of North Korea?

Answer 1

Their burgeoning nuclear program

Question 2

What did Kim Jong Un pledge on his 2019 New Year’s address?

Answer 2

Pledged that North Korea would “go toward” complete denuclearization and promised not to make, test, use, or proliferate nuclear weapons.

Question 3

What did Kim Jong Un say in Singapore on June 2018?

Answer 3

“Sought denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula”

Question 4

How has North Korea continued to mitigate the effects of the U.S. led pressured campaign?

Answer 4

• Diplomatic engagement
• Counter-pressure against the sanctions regime
• Direct sanctions evasion

Question 5

When Kim Jong Un met with South Korean president Moon Jae-in in 2018, what was talked about?

Answer 5

• Reconnect roads and rail lines
• Establish new military parameters
• Promote reforestation
• Facilitate cultural exchanges

Question 6

How does North Korea generate revenue?

Answer 6

• Overseas labor
• Cyber-theft operations
• Illicit commercial exports of UN Security Council-prohibited goods

Question 7

What did the U.S. and its allies observe North Korea doing throughout 2018?

Answer 7

North Korea conducted multiple ship-to-ship transfers of petroleum from third-country tankers.

Question 8

How does Kim Jong Un continue to pursue advanced weapons and capabilities?

Answer 8

• More accurate artillery - Ballistic missile strike capabilities - UAVs

Question 9

Incident that occured on July 2006

Answer 9

North Korea fires seven missiles including a long-range Taepodong-2 missile

Question 10

Incident that occured on October 2006

Answer 10

• North Korea conducts its first nuclear weapons test
• UN imposes economic and commercial sanctions on North Korea

Question 11

Incident that occured on April 2009

Answer 11

• North Korea launches a long-range rocket, carrying a communications satellite; whereas neighbours accuse it of being long-range missile tech
• Condemnation from the UN Security Council prompts NK to walk out of six-party talks and restart its nuclear facilities

Question 12

Incident that occured on May 2009

Answer 12

NK carries out its second nuclear weapons test

Question 13

Incident that occured on October 2012

Answer 13

NK claims it has missiles that can hit the U.S. after the U.S announced a deal to extend the range of SK’s ballistic missiles

Question 14

Incident that occured on February 2013

Answer 14

NK conducts third nuclear test; more powerful than the 2009 test

Question 15

Incident that occured on March 2014

Answer 15

NK test fires two medium-range Rodong ballistic missiles, violating UN resolutions

Question 16

Incident that occured on July 2017

Answer 16

Pyongyang test fires a long-range missile into the Sea of Japan; some experts claim it could hit Alaska