Read CNN’s North Korea Nuclear Timeline Fast Facts and learn more about the country’s nuclear capabilities and efforts.
1994
North Korea and the United States sign an agreement. North Korea pledges to freeze and eventually dismantle its old, graphite-moderated nuclear reactors in exchange for international aid to build two new light-water nuclear reactors.
2002
January 29 — US President George W. Bush labels North Korea, Iran and Iraq an «axis of evil» in his State of the Union address. «By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger,» he says.
October — The Bush Administration reveals that North Korea has admitted operating a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of the 1994 agreement.
2003
January 10 — North Korea withdraws from the NPT.
February — The United States confirms North Korea has reactivated a five-megawatt nuclear reactor at its Yongbyon facility, capable of producing plutonium for weapons.
April — Declares it has nuclear weapons.
2005
North Korea tentatively agrees to give up its entire 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.
2006
July — After North Korea test fires long range missiles, the UN Security Council passes a resolution demanding that North Korea suspend the program.
October — North Korea claims to have successfully tested its first nuclear weapon. The test prompts the UN Security Council to impose a broad array of sanctions.
2007
February 13 — North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for an aid package worth $400 million.
September 30 — At six-party talks in Beijing, North Korea signs an agreement stating it will begin disabling its nuclear weapons facilities.
December 31 — North Korea misses the deadline to disable its weapons facilities.
2008
June 27 — North Korea destroys a water cooling tower at the Yongbyon nuclear facility.
December -Six-party talks are held in Beijing. The talks break down over North Korea’s refusal to allow international inspectors unfettered access to suspected nuclear sites.
2009
May 25 — North Korea announces it has conducted its second nuclear test.
June 12 — The UN Security Council condemns the nuclear test and imposes new sanctions.
2010
November 20 -A Stanford University professor publishes a report that North Korea has a new nuclear enrichment facility.
2011
October 24-25 — US officials meet with a North Korean delegation in Geneva, Switzerland, in an effort to restart the six-party nuclear arms talks that broke down in 2008.
2012
February 29 — 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.
2013
January 24 — North Korea’s National Defense Commission says it will continue nuclear testing and long-range rocket launches in defiance of the United States.
