At a British Pugwash discussion meeting on 25 April 2017 John Everard, a former British ambassador to North Korea, discussed the DPRK’s nuclear programme against the background of recent events, considering the North Koreans’ objectives and what is known of their nuclear doctrine. After outlining the historic background to the DPRK’s nuclear weapon programme he examined the motivations for this nuclear programme, which have varied over the years and examined the uncertain prospects for the future.