Views differ on how long North Korea's disarmament process could take
- 6 years ago
So the topic that will top the agenda at the North Korea- U.S. talks,... is no doubt going to be denuclearization of North Korea.
And experts are sharply divided on how long that might take.
Park Hee-jun reports. Views differ about how long it could take for North Korea to denuclearize.
Some experts say it could take well over a decade.
Professor Siegfried Hecker of Stanford University, who's a former director of the Los Alamos weapons laboratory in New Mexico,... told the New York Times that the disarmament process would require at least 15 years.
According to a roadmap drawn up with his colleagues at Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation,... denuclearization would happen in three stages.
Step 1 involves halting nuclear tests and all operations at nuclear reactors and related facilities.
Step 2 is the dismantling of missiles and nuclear facilities,... which would then have to be monitored and inspected.
Finally, in the third step, North Korea eliminates its nuclear program and joins the non-proliferation treaty,... redirecting its nuclear scientists and engineers to civilian programs.
The last step alone would take a decade,... meaning a total of more than 15 years.
But other experts say the process could end much more quickly... if the North is determined to do it.
"I think it's possible for North Korea to denuclearize within President Trump's remaining years in office,... as long as it chooses to. And it's likely to,... because the U.S. only ease its sanctions and protect the regime when it does."
"President Trump has set his own timetable for the North's denuclearization. If North Korea follows through with the plan until it's no longer a threat to the U.S.,... it could take maybe two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half years."
So rather than the technological issues of nuclear disarmament,... the main factor could be North Korea's will and sincerity.
Park Hee-jun, Arirang News.
And experts are sharply divided on how long that might take.
Park Hee-jun reports. Views differ about how long it could take for North Korea to denuclearize.
Some experts say it could take well over a decade.
Professor Siegfried Hecker of Stanford University, who's a former director of the Los Alamos weapons laboratory in New Mexico,... told the New York Times that the disarmament process would require at least 15 years.
According to a roadmap drawn up with his colleagues at Stanford’s Center for International Security and Cooperation,... denuclearization would happen in three stages.
Step 1 involves halting nuclear tests and all operations at nuclear reactors and related facilities.
Step 2 is the dismantling of missiles and nuclear facilities,... which would then have to be monitored and inspected.
Finally, in the third step, North Korea eliminates its nuclear program and joins the non-proliferation treaty,... redirecting its nuclear scientists and engineers to civilian programs.
The last step alone would take a decade,... meaning a total of more than 15 years.
But other experts say the process could end much more quickly... if the North is determined to do it.
"I think it's possible for North Korea to denuclearize within President Trump's remaining years in office,... as long as it chooses to. And it's likely to,... because the U.S. only ease its sanctions and protect the regime when it does."
"President Trump has set his own timetable for the North's denuclearization. If North Korea follows through with the plan until it's no longer a threat to the U.S.,... it could take maybe two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half years."
So rather than the technological issues of nuclear disarmament,... the main factor could be North Korea's will and sincerity.
Park Hee-jun, Arirang News.