Low-Yield Nuclear Weapons on the Korean Peninsula

25 Feb 2022 | APLN

25 February 2022

Dear Network Members and Colleagues,

This week we continue our project on nuclear risk in Northeast Asia with analysis from Eva Lisowski on possible use cases of low-yield nuclear weapons, and the project’s first-year report translated into Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. APLN also hosted an expert workshop on the China-India-Pakistan nuclear trilemma. Last but not least, APLN Chair Dr. Marty Natalegawa shares his initial response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Potential Use of Low-Yield Nuclear Weapons
in a Korean Context

Eva Lisowski, member of the Nuclear Weapons Education Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, explores the potential uses of low-yield nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula. Lisowski discusses the potential deterrence and escalatory effects of low-yield weapons and suggests eight possible cases for use of low-yield nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula.

Read the Report (PDF)

Possible Nuclear Use Cases in Northeast Asia: Implications for Reducing Nuclear Risk

Summaries of the first year report of APLN’s project Reducing the Risk of Nuclear Weapon Use in Northeast Asia (NU-NEA) are now available in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

The report is a part of a three year joint research project on modelling nuclear weapons use and Reducing the Risk of Nuclear Weapon Use in Northeast Asia (NU-NEA) with the Nautilus Institute and the Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition (RECNA).

China-India-Pakistan Nuclear Trilemma

On 18 and 21 February, APLN, in collaboration with the Toda Peace Institute, hosted a two-part virtual meeting for the ongoing project Managing the China, India, and Pakistan Nuclear Trilemma.The project maps the contours of the China-India-Pakistan nuclear relations, identifies the key drivers of conflict, and explores practical nuclear risk reduction, crisis stability and confidence building measures that cover all three countries.

APLN Chair and former Foreign Minister of Indonesia Dr. Marty Natalegawa shares his initial response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, highlighting the risks of the conflict and calling for diplomacy to prevail.In the coming days, APLN will issue further analysis on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Read the Response

Helen Clark on the success of female leadership during the pandemic
On 16 February, APLN Member Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, appeared on Washington Post Live to speak about female leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch on YouTube

Europe’s Role in Promoting US-China Arms Control Cooperation
On 21 February, APLN Board Member Tong Zhao, Senior fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, published a report at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, where he discusses Europe’s role in US-China arms control. Read more

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