Page 33 - Trilateral Korea Japan U.S. Cooperation

North Korea’s Nuclear Development and the China Factor

North Korea continues to enhance its nuclear and missile
capabilities. In 2023, the country carried out about thirty tests
of different strategic weapons. This was less than in 2022, but
revealed a wider range of strategic weapons. The year 2023
also marked the start of the country’s third five-year plan for
military development, which presented, in a somewhat false
and exaggerated manner, its progress toward the completion
of particular weapon systems, including these notable recent
developments:

• Tactical nuclear weapons: Kim Jong-Un proclaimed 2022
as the “year of tactical nuclear development,” with the goal
of using nuclear weapons for war victory beyond deterrence.
In 2023, he ordered an increase in nuclear warheads
and formally mentioned the doctrine of preemptive
nuclear strikes, raising the stakes for nuclear threats to
an unprecedented level. To bolster the legitimacy of these
declarations, North Korea even enacted a “nuclear force
policy law” that included provisions for preemptive strikes
and the delegation of nuclear command and control in
case of Kim Jong-Un’s incapacitation. In March 2023, the
country unveiled the “Hwasan-31” tactical nuclear warhead,
estimated to have a yield of roughly 5kt, and announced its
combination with eight delivery means.

• Strategic nuclear weapons: The development of strategic
weapons was North Korea’s primary focus in 2023. The
country launched the “Hwasong-18” intercontinental
ballistic missile three times to celebrate the success of

32 Section I : North Korea-China Relations: How and Why Does Beijing Protect and Empower Pyongyang?