Why does North Korea view nuclear weapons as a deterrent against foreign intervention?

North Korea views its nuclear weapons program as a vital instrument for ensuring the survival of its regime. By developing these capabilities, the country's leadership aims to establish a credible deterrent against potential foreign intervention, thereby safeguarding national security.12

Beyond this defensive objective, the program serves several strategic and domestic purposes:

• Regime Survival: The leadership argues that a nuclear deterrent is essential to protect the state from external threats and to guarantee the continuity of the government.12
• Diplomatic Leverage: Possessing nuclear weapons and advanced ballistic missile technology is viewed as a way to increase the country's influence in international negotiations.2
• Domestic Reinforcement: The program reinforces the government's internal image of military strength and independence, projecting an aura of self-reliance in the face of external pressure.2

This focus on military power is deeply embedded in the state's ideology, particularly through the policy of "military first politics" (songun), which prioritizes the military as the primary guardian of the nation's political and economic stability.34