SIPRI, in partnership with the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI), convened a roundtable in Stockholm on 21 August 2025 to examine shifting security dynamics in North East Asia with a focus on the Korean Peninsula.
The roundtable was conducted against a backdrop of rising nuclear modernization and weakening arms-control frameworks. Discussions brought together senior policy practitioners and analysts to explore the evolving nuclear landscape, options for reducing escalation risks and the importance of sustained dialogue with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea).
Dan Smith, concluding his tenure as SIPRI Director last week, moderated the discussion in the context of SIPRI’s longstanding programme of research and dialogue on North East Asian nuclear issues and non-proliferation. Stefan Löfven, Chair of the SIPRI Governing Board and former Prime Minister of Sweden, served as a discussant during the event.
Speakers included high-level practitioners: Stephen Biegun, former United States Deputy Secretary of State and former Special Representative for North Korea; and Jeffrey Feltman, John C. Whitehead Visiting Fellow, Brookings Institution, and former United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs. The roundtable featured welcoming remarks from Jakob Hallgren, UI Director and former Ambassador to South Korea. Discussants included: Tobias Billström, former Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs; Linda Maduz, Programme Manager, Geneva Centre for Security Policy; and Åsa Malmström Rognes, Head of the Asia Programme, UI.
This roundtable highlights SIPRI’s vital role in tracking global nuclear arsenals and providing reliable data through the SIPRI Yearbook. Combined with its dialogue work, this analysis supports efforts to reduce risks and strengthen international security.
Click here to read more about SIPRI’s work on weapons of mass destruction.
Click here to read a recent SIPRI report on confidence-building in the Korean Peninsula.
Click here to read the sample chapter from the SIPRI Yearbook 2025 on world nuclear forces.