Denuclearising North Korea would ‘defy history’ as US, allies missed the boat

Security expert Jenny Town said Washington and others should abandon the goal and instead focus on arms limitations and crisis talks

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Published: 12:00pm, 11 Oct 2026

The denuclearisation of North Korea has become an “increasingly improbable” goal and the United States and its allies should move beyond it to devote their diplomatic efforts to talks on arms limitations and crisis communication, the director of the US-based North Korean analysis website 38 North said.

Recalling the 20 years since North Korea carried out its first nuclear test on October 9, 2006, Jenny Town said in a written interview that “a pivotal moment” in Pyongyang’s weapons development came in 2017 when the country’s first test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile took place.

Even without fully showcasing ICBM capabilities, the test changed “the nature of the threat and the way US allies viewed the credibility of US extended deterrence”, Town said, referring to the US commitment to using its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, for protection of its allies and deterrence against attacks.

“While reassuring allies of security commitments is a persistent challenge, North Korea having both theatre and long-range capabilities – able to reach the US homeland as well – has exacerbated decoupling fears in South Korea,” she added, noting that such fears will “only grow” as Pyongyang works to improve the credibility of its strategic weaponry.