North Korea Nuclear Program

North Korea signs the NPT

The IAEA declares North Korea allows inspectors into two nuclear waste storage sites. North Korea then threatens to withdraw from the NPT, but never follows through.

North Korea signs agreements with the U.S. They also pledge to freeze and dismantle their old graphite-moderated reactors in exchange for aid in building two light-water reactors.

The Bush Administration reveals that North Korea has admitted operating a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of the 1994 agreement.

North Korea withdraws from the NPT

The United States confirms North Korea has reactivated a five-megawatt nuclear reactor at its Yongbyon facility, capable of producing plutonium for weapons.

North Korea declares they have nuclear weapons.

North Korea agrees to give up its nuclear program, including weapons. In exchange, the United States, China, Japan, Russia and South Korea say they will provide energy assistance to North Korea, as well as promote economic cooperation.

After North Korea test fires long range missiles, the UN Security Council passes a resolution demanding that North Korea suspend the program.

North Korea claims to have successfully tested its first nuclear weapon. The test prompts the UN Security Council to impose sanctions.

North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for an aid package worth $400 million.

At six-party talks in Beijing, North Korea signs an agreement stating it will begin disabling its nuclear weapons facilities.

North Korea misses the deadline to disable its weapons facilities by the end of the year.

North Korea is removed from the US list of states that sponsor terrorism.

North Korea announces it has conducted its second nuclear test.

The UN Security Council condemns the nuclear test and imposes new sanctions.

The State Department announces that North Korea has agreed to a moratorium on long-range missile launches and nuclear activity at the nation's major nuclear facility in exchange for food aid.

A spokesman for South Korea's Defense Ministry says that based on analysis of commercial satellite images at North Korea's nuclear test site, North Korea appears ready to carry out a nuclear test at any time.

North Korea's National Defense Commission says it will continue nuclear testing and long-range rocket launches in defiance of the United States.

Conducts third nuclear test. This is the first nuclear test carried out under Kim Jong Un.

North Korea warns that it is prepping another nuclear test. The following day, the hostility escalates when the country fires hundreds of shells across the sea border with South Korea.

In an exclusive interview with CNN, the deputy director of a North Korean think tank says the country has the missile capability to strike mainland United States and would do so if the United States "forced their hand."

North Korea says that it has the ability to miniaturize nuclear weapons, a key step toward building nuclear missiles.

North Korea state media says the country has added the hydrogen bomb to its arsenal.

North Korea says it has successfully conducted a hydrogen bomb test.

North Korea announces that it has miniature nuclear warheads that can fit on ballistic missiles.

North Korea claims to have detonated a nuclear warhead.

In a televised address, Kim claims that North Korea could soon test an intercontinental ballistic missile.

North Korea claims it has conducted its first successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM.

North Korea threatens a nuclear strike on "the heart of the US" if it attempts to remove Kim as Supreme Leader, according to Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

North Korea's military is "examining the operational plan" to strike areas around the US territory of Guam with medium-to-long-range strategic ballistic missiles, state-run news agency KCNA says.

North Korea carries out its sixth test of a nuclear weapon, causing a 6.3 magnitude seismic event, as measured by the United States Geological Survey. Pyongyang claims the device is a hydrogen bomb that could be mounted on an intercontinental missile.