Phar, Kim Beng (2026) Conflicts in the gulf can only embolden North Korea. Free Malaysia Today, 2026 (20). pp. 1-3.
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Abstract
This article examines the wider strategic consequences of prolonged conflict in the Gulf, particularly its potential implications for North Korea's security calculations, nuclear posture, and perceptions of Western military power. It argues that military escalation and the persistent use of coercive force against states regarded as strategic adversaries may reinforce Pyongyang's conviction that nuclear deterrence remains indispensable to regime survival and national security. By observing developments in the Middle East and the Gulf, North Korea is likely to interpret external military intervention, regime vulnerability, and great power confrontation as evidence of the risks associated with strategic disarmament. The article situates North Korea's behaviour within a broader international security environment characterised by weakening arms-control mechanisms, geopolitical fragmentation, and growing reliance on military deterrence. It further highlights how conflicts geographically distant from the Korean Peninsula can nevertheless influence Pyongyang's strategic thinking and strengthen its resistance to denuclearisation initiatives. The article cautions that continued instability in the Gulf may indirectly complicate diplomatic efforts in Northeast Asia by reinforcing the perceived utility of nuclear weapons and hardened defence postures. It concludes that conflicts in one strategic theatre cannot be viewed in isolation, as their political and security consequences may shape the calculations of other states confronting perceived external threats. A sustainable approach to North Korea therefore requires greater recognition of the interconnected nature of contemporary conflicts, deterrence, and global security perceptions.
| Item Type: | Article (Electronic Media) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | North Korea; Gulf conflict; nuclear deterrence; denuclearisation; strategic security; military escalation; geopolitical fragmentation; Northeast Asia; international security |
| Subjects: | J Political Science > JZ International relations |
| Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button): | International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) Office of the Rector |
| Depositing User: | Dr Kim Beng Phar |
| Date Deposited: | 19 Jul 2026 05:38 |
| Last Update: | 20 Jul 2026 10:06 |
| Queue Number: | 2026-07-Q4138 |
| URI: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/130027 |
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