Arms embargo are an important type of sanctions used to coerce governments and other actors to improve their behaviour in the interests of international peace and security. They can be part of a wider system of sanctions that includes financial and trade restrictions or can be targeted against specific individuals or groups.
The arms embargo is a key element of the multilateral sanctions regime against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea/North Korea (DPRK) that was established by the UN Security Council in 1990 and 1991 following its invasion of Kuwait. Until recently, most sanctions have been comprehensive but increasingly they are targeted towards specific leaders or segments of society believed to be responsible for objectionable behaviour. The impact of this form of ‘smart sanctions’ is a major issue for those concerned with conflict analysis, development studies and political economy and it remains poorly understood.
Research shows that the ability of incumbent governments to use force against internal and external challenges depends largely on access to weapons. The current arms embargo against the DPRK provides an excellent opportunity to test whether targeted sanctions, particularly arms embargoes, can increase democratic development and decrease the risk of conflict.
However, there are several barriers to successful implementation of an arms embargo against the DPRK. Among others, narrow political interests and corruption in the supply chains make it difficult to detect smuggling of arms from non-embargoed States. In addition, many States do not consider violation of an arms embargo a criminal offence under their domestic law. This makes it easy for individuals to conceal illicit exports and evade sanctions.
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