The East Asia Institute invited Ambassador Robert Joseph for the 20th EAI Global Net 21 Forum on March 28, 2011. He presented on “Global Nonproliferation Regime and its implication on Denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula,” and shared his insights with Korean academics and experts.

Ambassador Robert Joseph is Senior Scholar at the National Institute for Public Policy and Professor in the Graduate Department of Defense and Strategic Studies (Missouri State University). Prior to July 2007, Ambassador Joseph served as U.S. Special Envoy for Nuclear Nonproliferation. From May 2005 until March 2007, he was Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.

Below is the main points from the discussion following his presentation on the given topic.

The Six-Party Talks, Libya Case and Changing North Korea's Strategic Calculus

It could be argued that the Libyan example would actually make it far more difficult in persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear program. Robert Joseph explained that it is important for the international community to change Pyongyang’s strategic calculus regarding its nuclear program.

No. 1 Non-proliferation Tool for the U.S. and How to Put Pressure on North Korea

Amb. Joseph presented how crucial the U.S. nuclear deterrence efforts in the region are. Then he emphasized that while diplomacy was important, it must be accompanied by the full range of the U.S. instruments of power to place maximum pressure on North Korea.