Reducing the WMD Threat on the Korean Peninsula and from Terrorism

Dr. Charles F. Hermann, Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, George Bush School of Government and Public Service

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) pose an increasing threat to peace and stability in the 21st Century. The danger from such weapons emerges in many areas and from multiple sources. The roundtable to be held during the China-U.S. Conference at the Bush Presidential Library will explore the threat from two sources. The first of these threats occurs on the Korean peninsular and has been intensified by the recent actions of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The second threat arises from the increased possibility that chemical, biological or nuclear weapons or the knowledge and capability for their production will be acquired by non-state terrorist organizations. Although the threat posed by North Korea and by terrorist organizations differs, there are linkages between the two. The connection is illustrated by the possible transfers from a country such as North Korea to terrorist organizations elsewhere. The purpose of this roundtable is to bring together experts from China and the United States to review the current state of policy-related knowledge about the WMD threat from these sources and to explore possible areas of future research. The basic question that the roundtable seeks to address is: What possible future areas of research might be pursued that would help inform our understanding and contribute to the pursuit of policies that would reduce the threat from either source.