DPRK energy sector development priorities: Options and preferences

The goal of international negotiations with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), when they begin again, will be to convince the DPRK to give up its nuclear weapons and the capabilities to produce them. The DPRK’s energy sector is a key to resolution of the issue. Thus offering a well-considered, well-structured package of energy sector assistance options will be key to the sustainable success of the negotiations. This article briefly reviews some of the key options for DPRK energy assistance ranging from human capacity-building in fields like energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy markets, to assistance with rebuilding key electricity and coal mining infrastructure, to integrated pilot energy/electricity grid/economic development projects on the county level, to light-water nuclear reactors. It then reviews preferences for DPRK assistance options as offered by North Koreans, and a summary of the likely points of view of the key DPRK actors that will be involved in negotiations.