Joseph Yun: North Korea Seeks Pakistan-Style Nuclear Status and Sanctions Relief

They don't want to disarm; they want to be the next Pakistan. Joseph Yun, the former U.S. nuclear envoy, warned on January 16, 2026, that North Korea's ultimate play is to secure de-facto nuclear weapon state status while demanding the total removal of international sanctions.

North Korea Pakistan-style Nuclear Status as a Strategic Goal

Speaking at a seminar in Washington, Yun noted that Pyongyang's goals are twofold. They aim to have their nuclear arsenal "acknowledged and accepted" in a manner similar to Pakistan, existing outside the official Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) framework. "At minimum, they want to be at a similar level as, say, Pakistan," Yun stated, adding that Kim Jong-un would only return to the table if these conditions were guaranteed.

Why Kim Jong-un Isn't Ready to Tango

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Despite President Donald Trump's visible desire to re-engage, North Korea remains unresponsive. Yun highlighted that while Trump plans to visit China in April for talks with Xi Jinping, Kim's appetite for diplomacy has dwindled for several key reasons:

• The Moscow Connection: Pyongyang's dispatch of troops to Russia has created a lucrative financial and military lifeline, reducing their dependency on U.S. sanctions relief.
• Cyber Revenue: Ongoing cyber thefts continue to fund the regime's activities regardless of international pressure.
• Hanoi Aftermath: The memory of the failed 2019 summit in Hanoi still weighs heavily on Kim's decision-making.

Seoul's Pivotal Role and Nuclear Ambitions

Yun emphasized that South Korea's role remains "pivotal" in any future diplomacy. He also predicted that Seoul's push for nuclear-powered submarines will likely materialize. This was a key topic in the October summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Trump. According to Yun, there's a strong will within the Trump administration to accommodate these requests.