Who Takes North Korea Seriously? U.S. Congress and Policy toward Pyongyang, 2009-2012

How and why do legislative members weigh in on foreign policy dilemmas? U.S. Congress often seeks to carve out spheres of influence over international relations and yet we know little about why and how some America's lawmakers take North Korea seriously. This article explores a host of North Korea measures during the 111th and 112th U.S. Congress (2009-2012) and identifies the sources of legislative activism toward Pyongyang's nuclear weapons threats and atrocious human rights records. Empirical analyses show that a group of congressional members use bill cosponsorship strategies and call on the Obama administration to revamp its policy concerning North Korea. The findings shed light on why lawmakers would bother to introduce such specialized foreign policy bills even if their prospects for becoming law are uncertain.