But the impoverished nation, which has put most of its scarce resources into boosting its military capabilities under its "army-first" policy, also has a large chemical arsenal, as well as capabilities to produce biological weapons.
The independent International Crisis Group said the North is believed to have between 2,500 and 5,000 tons of chemical weapons, including mustard gas, phosgene, blood agents and sarin. These weapons can be delivered with ballistic missiles and long-range artillery and are "sufficient to inflict massive civilian casualties on South Korea."
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak met in Washington and agreed to build a regional and global "strategic alliance" to persuade North Korea to dismantle all its nuclear weapons.
