In recent years, North Korea’s pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability has gone from being a disturbing prospect to a frightening reality. The Six-Party Talks to end Pyongyang’s nuclear programs have generated some optimism, with the latest round resulting in the shutdown of the Yongbyon reactor, but daunting obstacles loom over further progress. How did we get here?

Charles L. (Jack) Pritchard, author of Failed Diplomacy: The Tragic Story of How North Korea Got the Bomb (Brookings Press, June 2007), will share his perspective that North Korea’s acquisition of nuclear weapons is a result of a breakdown in U.S. foreign policy. His presentation will be followed by a moderated conversation with Don Oberdorfer, chairman of the US–Korea Institute at SAIS.

Co-sponsored by the Asia Society and US-Korea Institute at SAIS.

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Failed Diplomacy: The Tragic Story of How North Korea Got the Bomb

Ambassador Charles L. (Jack) Pritchard is the president of the Korea Economic Institute (KEI) in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining KEI, he was a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution from September 2003 until February 2006. He is a former ambassador and special envoy for negotiations with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Pritchard holds a BA in political science from Mercer University in Georgia and an MA in international studies from the University of Hawaii. He is the recipient of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

Don Oberdorfer is distinguished journalist in residence and adjunct professor of international relations at Johns Hopkins University’s Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, D.C. Previously he worked as a journalist for 38 years, including 25 years on the Washington Post. He is the author of five books, including The Two Koreas: A Contemporary History. In September 2006 Oberdorfer was named chairman of the U.S.–Korea Institute at SAIS.