BoK World Affairs

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 1. Introduction The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is the central international treaty designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, promote nuclear disarmament, and facilitate peaceful uses of nuclear energy. It opened for signature on 1 July 1968 and entered into force on 5 March 1970. The NPT…

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty 1. Introduction The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is an international treaty designed to prohibit all nuclear test explosions, whether conducted for military or civilian purposes. Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996, it seeks to prevent the development of new nuclear weapons, constrain the qualitative improvement of existing arsenals, and…

Partial Test Ban Treaty 1. Introduction The Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT), formally titled the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water, was an important milestone in the history of arms control. Signed in Moscow on 5 August 1963 by the United States, the Soviet Union, and the…

Nuclear Testing 1. Introduction Nuclear testing has played a major role in the development of nuclear weapons and the evolution of international security. States have conducted nuclear explosions to assess weapon designs, measure explosive yields, study military effects, and demonstrate technological capability. At the same time, testing has caused severe environmental and humanitarian concerns and…

Disarmament 1. Introduction Disarmament is one of the central ideas in international peace and security. It refers to the reduction or elimination of weapons and military capabilities through unilateral decisions, bilateral agreements, or multilateral international arrangements. In the nuclear field, disarmament aims to reduce nuclear arsenals and ultimately achieve a world free of nuclear weapons….

Nuclear Arms Race 1. Introduction A nuclear arms race occurs when states compete to develop, expand, modernize, or improve their nuclear weapons and associated delivery systems in response to one another. The competition may involve the number of warheads, missile accuracy, submarine forces, early-warning systems, missile defence, command networks, or other technologies affecting nuclear strategy….

First-Use and No-First-Use Policies 1. Introduction One of the most important questions in nuclear strategy is whether a state would use nuclear weapons first in a conflict or would use them only after an adversary had used nuclear weapons. This distinction is central to debates about deterrence, escalation, military planning, and nuclear risk reduction. A…

Nuclear Doctrines 1. Introduction Nuclear weapons influence international relations not only through their destructive power but also through the strategies governments adopt concerning their possession, deployment, and possible use. A nuclear doctrine explains how a state understands the role of nuclear weapons in its national security policy. Nuclear doctrines affect military planning, diplomatic signalling, alliance…

Nuclear Non-Proliferation 1. Introduction Nuclear weapons are among the most destructive technologies developed by humanity. Their enormous explosive power, radiation effects, long-term environmental consequences, and potential to cause mass civilian casualties make their spread a central concern of international security. Nuclear non-proliferation refers to efforts to prevent additional states and non-state actors from acquiring nuclear…

Arms Control 1. Introduction Arms control is an important instrument of international security. It refers to agreements and policies through which states seek to regulate, limit, reduce, or make more predictable their military capabilities and activities. In the nuclear field, arms control has been used to constrain strategic competition, improve transparency, reduce the risk of…

Nuclear Proliferation 1. Introduction Nuclear proliferation is a major concern in international security because the spread of nuclear weapons increases the number of actors capable of causing catastrophic destruction. It affects regional power balances, international diplomacy, arms control, deterrence, and the risk of nuclear conflict. The international community has developed treaties, safeguards, export controls, inspections,…

Nuclear Deterrence 1. Introduction Nuclear deterrence is one of the central concepts in modern strategic studies. It seeks to prevent an adversary from taking an unwanted action by convincing it that the expected costs will exceed the potential benefits. Nuclear weapons transformed deterrence because their destructive power made retaliation potentially catastrophic. During the Cold War,…

Nuclear Weapons and International Security 1. Introduction Nuclear weapons transformed international security by introducing the possibility of destruction on a scale far beyond that of conventional warfare. Their development during the Second World War and their subsequent incorporation into military doctrines changed the meaning of deterrence, national defence, strategic stability, and great-power competition. Unlike conventional…

Future Warfare 1. Introduction Future warfare refers to the anticipated evolution of armed conflict as a result of technological innovation, changes in geopolitical competition, new military doctrines, and transformations in society and the international system. Warfare has continually adapted to developments such as gunpowder, industrial production, aviation, nuclear weapons, satellites, and digital communications. The next…

Cyber Warfare 1. Introduction Cyber warfare has emerged as an important dimension of contemporary international security. As governments, armed forces, financial institutions, energy systems, transportation networks, and communications increasingly depend on digital infrastructure, cyber operations have created new opportunities for espionage, disruption, coercion, and military advantage. Unlike conventional warfare, which often involves physical combat between…

Psychological Warfare 1. Introduction War is fought not only through physical force but also through attempts to influence how people think, feel, interpret events, and make decisions. Governments and armed forces have long recognized that morale, confidence, fear, and perceptions of success can affect the course of a conflict. The deliberate use of psychological influence…

Information Warfare 1. Introduction Information has become a major instrument of power in international relations. Governments, armed forces, political organizations, businesses, and other actors depend on information to make decisions, coordinate activities, communicate with the public, and influence their opponents. As a result, competition increasingly involves not only physical territory and military capabilities but also…

Counterterrorism 1. Introduction Counterterrorism comprises the policies, institutions, and actions used to prevent terrorist violence, protect the public, investigate terrorist offences, disrupt organizational capabilities, and bring those responsible to justice. It is a major field of national security and international cooperation because terrorist threats can affect civilians, public institutions, economic activity, and relations between states….

Transnational Terrorism 1. Introduction Transnational terrorism refers to terrorist activity that crosses national borders or has significant international connections. It may involve attacks in one country planned or supported from another, recruitment across borders, international financing, movement of personnel, or efforts to influence governments and populations in several countries. Unlike terrorism confined primarily to a…

Terrorism 1. Introduction Terrorism is one of the most contested and consequential issues in contemporary international relations. It affects national security, political stability, civil liberties, international cooperation, and relations between states and societies. Terrorist violence can cause loss of life, create fear among civilians, disrupt economic activity, and influence political decisions far beyond the immediate…