Part 3 of 7 in a series continuing The Asymmetry — Seen From Their Side, which asks whether the rules we demand from an adversary are rules we are willing to apply to ourselves and our allies.
North Korea is estimated to possess 60 nuclear warheads. South Korea has none, relying instead on American extended deterrence. North Korean missile testing continued this October, ’26, including reported underwater-launched systems. In a crisis across this narrow peninsula, the time available to correct a misjudgment could be terribly short. [4][16]
The asymmetry: one side holds nuclear weapons; the other relies on a promise and the weapons of an ally.
Sources
[4] SIPRI, Yearbook 2026 nuclear forces summary, 8 June 2026
[16] AP, North Korean underwater missile tests, 14 Oct 2026
Full exhibits and source trail: The Asymmetry — Seen From Their Side.
AI collaboration: Andreae.com/aiwork — working method.