ained ▁in ▁time , ▁would ▁lead ▁to ▁significantly ▁weak ening ▁the ▁regime ▁to ▁the ▁point ▁of ▁near - collapse ; ▁by ▁prompt ing ▁" bank rupt cy ▁and ▁the ▁consequ ent ▁dest abil ization " ▁and ▁the ▁" spect er ▁of ▁revol t ▁or ▁regime ▁collapse ", ▁South ▁Korea ▁and ▁the ▁U . S . ▁could ▁negoti ate ▁from ▁a ▁position ▁of ▁strength ▁a ▁peace ful ▁transition ▁of ▁the ▁regime ▁that ▁would ▁include ▁real ▁den uc lear ization ▁and ▁improvement ▁of ▁human ▁rights , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁p rag m atic ▁" way ▁out ▁for ▁the ▁K ims ." ▁ ▁Lee ▁has ▁concluded ▁that ▁a ▁key ▁point ▁of ▁le verage ▁are ▁American - led ▁financial ▁san ctions , ▁since ▁the ▁regime ▁deeply ▁re lies ▁on ▁dollars ▁as ▁its ▁foreign ▁currency , ▁and ▁the ▁U . S . ▁is ▁uniqu ely ▁position ed ▁to ▁use ▁its ▁control ▁over ▁the ▁doll ar - based ▁international ▁financial ▁system ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁its ▁economic ▁might , ▁to ▁more ▁effectively ▁imp ose ▁and ▁en force ▁san ctions . ▁Over all , ▁Lee ▁recomm ends : ▁ ▁Direct ▁san ctions ▁on ▁North ▁Korea ' s ▁international ▁trade ▁and ▁financial ▁flows . ▁Block ▁any ▁trade ▁of ▁arms , ▁lux ury ▁goods , ▁and ▁other ▁goods ▁or ▁services ▁that ▁are ▁a ▁significant ▁source ▁of ▁c ash ▁or ▁material ▁support ▁to ▁the ▁regime . ▁Free ze ▁the ▁assets ▁of ▁Kim ▁J ong ▁Un ▁or ▁any ▁of ▁his ▁top ▁deput ies , ▁who ▁are ▁believed ▁to ▁have ▁bill ions ▁of ▁dollars ▁in