- North Korea Blamed for Sinking South Korean Ship
2010North Korea was blamed for sinking the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan in March. It shelled the South’s Yeonpyong Island on November 23. The incidents left 50 dead. South Korea demanded an apology before moving forward in talks with North Korea.
Separately, U.S. nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker toured a North Korean uranium enrichment facility in November and later said he is "stunned" by the sophistication of the facility. He said the facility, with more than 1,000 centrifuges, could be used either to make highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons, or fuel for an experimental light-water nuclear reactor under construction nearby.
- North Korea Launches Taepo Dong-2 Missile
2009In April, North Korea launched a Taepo Dong-2 missile over the Sea of Japan, in violation of Security Council Resolution 1718. The launch prompted council condemnation, and a demand that North Korea refrain from further launches. North Korea withdrew from Six-Party Talks, and expelled international inspectors.
On May 25, North Korea tested a second nuclear explosive device. The Security Council adopted Resolution 1874, increasing sanctions on North Korea. In September, Pyongyang announced it has a successful uranium enrichment program.
In December, U.S. delegation went to Pyongyang for talks. The U.S. and North Korea agreed on the importance of the Six-Party Talks and the need to implement the 2005 Joint Statement, but did not agree on when and how North Korea will return to talks.
- Pyongyang Declares Nuclear Facilities to China
2008North Korea gave its declaration of nuclear facilities to the Chinese in June. In October, the U.S. and North Korea agreed on verification measures for the North’s nuclear declaration, and the U.S. dropped its designation of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.
- North Korea Agrees to Close Yongbyon Facility
2007At round of Six-Party talks in February, the parties agreed on "Initial Actions for the Implementation of the Joint Statement."
North Korea agreed to shut down and seal its Yongbyon nuclear facility in return for oil and other aid. The 6th round of Six-Party talks was held in March. In July, North Korea shut down Yongbyon nuclear facility and oil shipments to the North began. In a September Six-Party meeting, the parties agreed on a plan for North Korea to disable nuclear facilities and provide a complete list of all nuclear programs and facilities by the end of the year.
- North Korea Launches 7 Ballistic Missiles
2006North Korea launched seven ballistic missiles in July, sparking widespread international condemnation. The U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 1695 demanding that Pyongyang suspend ballistic missile activities. North Korea immediately rejected the resolution. In October, North Korea tested its first nuclear explosive device. The Security Council passed Resolution 1718, condemning North Korea and imposing sanctions on certain luxury goods and weapons trade.
- North Korea Declares Its Nuclear Weapons
2005In February North Korea declared it possesses nuclear weapons and is indefinitely suspending participation in the Six-Party Talks. In March, it declared itself a nuclear weapons state. The 4th round of talks opened in July and on September 19, the six parties released the joint statement saying North Korea pledges to abandon nuclear weapons programs and to return to the NPT. The other parties agreed to provide economic cooperation and energy assistance and to increase diplomatic ties. But the 5th round talks in November ended inconclusively.
- Round Two of Six-Party Talks Begins
2004In February, the 2nd round of Six-Party Talks was held in Beijing. A 3rd round was held in June, but North Korea refused to attend a scheduled 4th round in September.
- Pyongyang Expels IAEA Inspectors
2003North Korea expelled IAEA inspectors and resumed spent nuclear fuel reprocessing at Yongbyon, to extract plutonium for weapons use. The U.S. proposed multilateral talks on the dispute. Pyongyang agreed to meet with China and the U.S. in April.
In August, Pyongyang attended the first round of six-party talks with China, Japan, Russia, the United States and South Korea.
- Pyongyang Secret Enrichment Program Exposed
2002In October, a U.S. delegation confronted North Korea with evidence that Pyongyang is running a secret uranium enrichment program, violating IAEA obligations, and agreements with South Korea and the U.S. North Korean officials indicated they have such a program. Washington insisted the North must end the program to ensure a continuing diplomatic thaw. KEDO suspended oil shipments. North Korea said it is ending its freeze on older nuclear facilities at Yongbyon.
- North Korea Starts Work on LWR Reactor
1997KEDO breaks ground on site for LWR project.
- US Economic Sanctions on North Korea Eased
1995The U.S. eases economic sanctions against Pyongyang after it freezes its nuclear program.
- Washington, Pyongyang Issue Agreed Framework
1994Washington and Pyongyang issued the Agreed Framework, which called for North Korea to freeze its existing nuclear program and allow IAEA monitoring. The U.S. will replace Pyongyang's graphite-moderated reactors with light water reactor (LWR) power plants funded by an international consortium (KEDO) and will provide North Korea with fuel oil until the first reactor is built. The two sides agree to move toward normalizing diplomatic ties.
- North Korea Refuses IAEA Inspections
1993North Korea refused to implement an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency for the inspection of its nuclear facilities, saying it will withdraw from the NPT. In May, U.N. Security Council Resolution 825 urged North Korea to cooperate and implement the North-South Denuclearization Statement. The United States opened talks with Pyongyang in June on ending its nuclear weapons programs.
- Non-Nuclear Korean Peninsula Declared
1992Talks yielded the 1992 Joint Declaration for a Non-Nuclear Korean Peninsula.
- North, South Korea Enter Nuclear Arms Talks
1990North and South Korea began talks on nuclear weapons.
- North Korea Joins Non-Proliferation Treaty
1985North Korea joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a non-nuclear weapons state.
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