Summary

Non-signatory North Korea has not shown any interest in the Convention on Cluster Munitions, or taken any steps to join it. North Korea has never participated in a meeting of the convention. It was absent from the vote on a key United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention in December 2021.

North Korea has produced cluster munitions and stockpiles them. It is not known to have used or exported cluster munitions.

Policy

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

North Korea did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the convention.

North Korea has never attended a meeting of the convention or commented on its position on acceding to it.

In December 2021, North Korea was absent from the vote on a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution urging states outside the Convention on Cluster Munitions to “join as soon as possible.”[1] It has been absent from the vote on every annual UNGA resolution promoting the convention since it was first introduced in 2015.

North Korea is not party to the Mine Ban Treaty or the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW).

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

North Korea is not known to have used or exported cluster munitions.

According to Jane’s Information Group, North Korea has produced and possesses submunition warheads for 122mm, 170mm, and 240mm rockets. North Korea has exported this rocket system, but it is not known if transfers have included the cluster munition variant.[2] The North Korean Air Force is also listed as a stockpiler of KMGU dispensers (which deploy submunitions), RBK-500 cluster bombs, and unspecified types of anti-armor and anti-runway cluster bombs.[3]