Case 289 - Riding a Submarine to the Conference Table: A Case Study in U.S.-DPRK Diplomacy

John, Eric G.

This multi-part case study examines the negotiations between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that resolved the September 1996 incursion of a North Korean submarine into South Korean waters. The incident caused the deaths of more than a dozen South Korean civilians and soldiers, as well as nearly all two dozen crew and commandos who came ashore in the South. The case demonstrates the unique nature of three-party talks where only two parties sit at the table, and offers important insights into the interagency process of U.S. diplomacy.  Written by a member of the U.S. negotiating team, the study looks at how far a negotiator can push the interagency process, versus how far the process should be allowed to dictate the negotiations.