Zhu Feng, Nanjing University

North Korea now asserts itself as a permanent nuclear state, making clear that denuclearization is no longer negotiable. Backed by growing alignment with Russia and China, Pyongyang seeks to legitimize its arsenal and test the limits of deterrence. Pyongyang’s path intensifies risks on the Korean Peninsula while creating new dangers of proliferation abroad. Meeting this threat requires innovative thinking and the willingness to consider previously unthinkable measures, including the potential redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons. This plenary session will debate how confronting North Korea’s nuclear posture must be woven into broader alliance modernization to sustain credible deterrence.