Why human rights play second fiddle to North Korea's nukes | NK News
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September 27, 2026Sep 27, 2026

Weapon Directory

Opinion

Why human rights play second fiddle to North Korea’s nukes

Policymakers need to stop obsessing about the nuke program and focus on human rights

It probably would not be an exaggeration to say that the most popular North Korea-related media topic is the country’s nuclear weapons program.

More than a decade has passed since the DPRK first tested an atomic bomb and three basic misconceptions have emerged or been greatly strengthened. First, that the nuclear program is the biggest North Korea-related problem we face; second, that the UN-approved sanctions accurately reflect the will of the international community; and third, that the economic sanctions are taken into consideration by Pyongyang decision-makers.

Here I will try to disprove them all.

PRIORITIES, PRIORITIES

Few people realize that