Sanctions critical to dealing with North Korea

Severity is most critical decision for world leaders

Despite warnings from the international community, North Korea proceeded with an underground test of a nuclear weapon. During an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, leaders from around the world joined forces condemning the actions.

The U.S. immediately proposed stringent U.N. sanctions against North Korea, such as banning military and luxury items, the inspection of all cargo entering or leaving the country, and freezing assets associated with the country’s weapons programs. A University of Missouri-Columbia professor said sanctions will be crucial to dealing with North Korea and bringing its leaders to the negotiating table.

A. Cooper Drury, assistant professor of Political Science, said determining the severity of those sanctions will be the most critical decision for world leaders. He said the sanctions must be severe enough to send a message to North Korea as well as other countries that also are advancing nuclear programs, such as Iran. However, the international community also must be ready to lessen the sanctions when North Korea is willing to negotiate, he said.

"Everybody knows that we have to do something," Drury said. "We want them to stop, back down and back away, but we have to come up with the right balance of pressure. We have to realize that if we exert tremendous pressure and are unwilling to let up, we may end up with very unpleasant circumstances. However, if we don’t apply enough pressure, we’re asking for trouble in the long run."

Drury has been a member of MU’s faculty since 2002. His research focuses on international political economy, foreign policy and economic coercion. In particular, Drury’s research reveals when and how the U.S. uses economic means to coerce other nations as well as the counterproductive impact such attempted coercion can have.

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A. Cooper Drury
Department of Political Science 


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