"Hinge Points is a must-read for any serious practitioner of foreign relations. Siegfried Hecker lays out a riveting narrative derived from his "man in the ring" experiences over several decades. His deep insights are highly relevant to the challenges deriving from a nuclear-capable North Korea playing out in real-time."―Vincent K. Brooks, General, U.S. Army (Retired) "With dramatic visits to North Korea's long-closed nuclear facilities, and a full cast of top nuclear scientists and diplomats, Hinge Points offers a remarkable account of how North Korea became a nuclear power. Only Siegfried Hecker could have written this sobering tale of why and how the US―with worrying consequences―continues to get North Korea wrong."―Mike Chinoy, USC US-China Institute "Written by a scientist who has actually walked around North Korea's nuclear complex, Hinge Points is a piercing analysis of the decades-long failure to curb Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. With unparalleled mastery of both technical details and diplomatic complexities, Siegfried Hecker lays bare the history in a way that opens a future path to progress."―John Delury, Yonsei University "With Hinge Points, Siegfried Hecker offers unique insights into North Korea' dangerous nuclear program. And no-one is better qualified to do so. Hecker has visited the North and talked with their nuclear experts many times―and has held their plutonium in his (gloved) hand."―William J. Perry 19th U.S. Secretary of Defense "Hinge Points is an excellent book full of fascinating people and science and first-rate analysis from a man who has seen North Korea firsthand and knows better than most the dangers of a nuclear stand-off. The book lays bare Washington's missed opportunities to create a more stable and prosperous Korean Peninsula, as well as the difficult questions facing policymakers in the White House, Pyongyang and beyond."―David Tizzard, NK News

Table of Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Nuclear Background 3. The state of play prior to January 2004 trip. 4. Would you like to see our product? The improbable visit to North Korea. 5. Disastrous consequences of Bolton's hammer. 6. 2005: Back to North Korea. Vice Minister Kim Gye Gwan - "No LWR, no deal." Bob Joseph - "No LWR till pigs fly." 7. Kim Jong Il - Buying time. 8. "Tell America, it worked and North Korean people are filled with pride." 9. Back to the negotiating table. 10. 2007 and 2008 visits. Back to Yongbyon to confirm disablement. 11. 2008 - Almost there, but it all falls apart. 12. 2009: You don't know how bad it will get." 13. 2009 and 2010: Clenching the fist instead of reaching for Obama's outstretched hand. 14. 2010 visit - "Tomorrow, you will have a bigger surprise." 15. November 2010 to April 2012 - Leap Day Deal goes up in smoke along with DPRK rocket. 16. Does the U.S. blow the Leap Day Deal up over one stupid rocket launch? 17. From Strategic Patience to Benign Neglect. 18. The "Fire and Fury" of 2017. 19. From the Olympics to Singapore. 20. The train wreck in Hanoi. 21. Summary and closing observations.