February 19, 2020

Dear Network Members and Colleagues,

We would like to share with you APLN Board Member and Professor Ramesh Thakur’s “Declare No First Use of Nuclear Weapons” published in The Korea Times.

In his letter to President Biden, Professor Thakur suggests that the American Commander-in-Chief should revisit the decision to adopt the policy of “No First Use” of nuclear weapons (NFU).

He makes the case that there is little military cost or disadvantage to the US adopting NFU. American conventional firepower can overwhelm and defeat any non-nuclear adversary. What gives teeth and credibility to US nuclear deterrence is not America’s first strike but its invulnerable second-strike capability to retaliate against any nuclear attack.

Unlike typical arms control advances, adopting NFU does not require painstaking and protracted negotiations but can be done unilaterally. Professor Thakur argues that developments over the past five years therefore justify a shift to a NFU poster as a matter of urgency.

Read Letter

Pandemic Future and Nuclear Weapons Risks for Japanese Viewers

APLN’s video on the Pandemic Future and Nuclear Weapons Risks project is now available to watch with Japanese subtitles on our project partner the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University’s YouTube channel.

Watch Video

Network Members’ Activities

Nuclear Verification in a Middle East WMD-Free Zone
On 21 January, APLN member John Carlson published a report by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. The report outlines the important role of verification in reducing tensions, removing proliferation motivations, and mitigating risks of a nuclear arms race for weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. Read more.BBC’s Newshour Featuring Chung-in Moon
On 27 January, APLN Vice Chair Professor Chung-in Moon was featured on BBC’s Newshour broadcast, which reviewed President Joe Biden’s inauguration and the administration’s approach to the DPRK. Prof. Moon argues for a strong US-ROK alliance and the importance of China in future negotiation processes with the DPRK. Listen.

Debate on the Future of the Korean Peninsula and Biden Administration
On 30 January, Prof. Chung-in Moon discussed the future of the Korean Peninsula in a Biden Era with former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Min-soon Song in a debate on the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS). The discussion focused on how the Biden administration would approach dealing with China, the DPRK, and South Korea. Watch.

Trump’s Failure is Biden’s Chance on North Korea
On 9 February, Prof. Chung-in Moon’s second interview with the Asia Times was published. He discussed leader Kim Jong-un’s intentions for nuclear disarmament, the challenges of US-DPRK relations during the Trump administration, and recommendations to have leader-to-leader contacts or meetings in future engagements between the US and the DPRK. Read more.

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