North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons was undertaken for both military purposes and to ensure the survival of North Korea after the end of the Cold War. If we provide a blueprint for the survival and development of a denuclearized, normalized North Korea, the North Korean leadership will choose a different path. The combination of sanctions and deterrence with continuing diplomatic efforts and negotiations will be instrumental in denuclearizing North Korea and the stability of the Korean Peninsula. Declaring a formal end to the Korean War and building a durable peace regime on the Peninsula with international support will be critical to engaging with North Korea. Establishing strong ties with North Korea both at the governmental and societal level will pave the way for a strong foundation for North Korea’s change. Economic assistance to North Korea will also be a key part of this strategy, as the process of North Korea’s denuclearization will be accompanied by policy changes in surrounding countries. An important task for international society will be to suggest an effective and agreeable path for North Korea’s economic development.