As international relations scholar Kenneth Waltz said, states seek survival above all else. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is no exception. The DPRK conducted two nuclear tests, one in 2006 and the other in 2009, and despite the huge international pressure it exchanged fire with the Republic of Korea (ROK) over Yeonpyeong Island in late 2010. These incidents worsened the DPRK’s ties with the United States, Japan and the ROK. But these seemingly “irrational” actions by the DPRK were decided by its security concerns, for it lacks a sense of security. On the international front, former US president George W. Bush labeled the DPRK as part of the “axis of evil” and even threatened preemptive strikes against it. Through sanctions and various other means, the US has tried to topple the DPRK government.