The sources of North Korean conduct: Is Pyongyang really going non-nuclear?
| Author | Mun Suk Ahn |
| Date | 01 June 2020 |
| Published date | 01 June 2020 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0020702020930744 |
| Subject Matter | Policy Brief |
Policy Brief
The sources of North
Korean conduct:
Is Pyongyang really
going non-nuclear?
Mun Suk Ahn
Department of Political Science and Diplomacy, Jeonbuk
National University, Republic of Korea
Abstract
The Kim Jong Un regime recently shifted from an emphasis on military power to an
‘economy first’ policy. The shift was driven by a pragmatic calculation, on the part of the
North Korean leader, recognizing that the stability of the regime depends on economic
development. Kim hopes that a shift from nuclear confrontation to diplomacy will result
in the lifting of Western sanctions. It is important that the United States interprets
Kim’s intentions correctly, and tries to strike a deal with North Korea.
Keywords
North Korea, nuclear programme, Kim Jong Un, economy first policy, going
non-nuclear
On 25 September 2019, a source in North Hamgyong Province, North Korea,
talked with a reporter from the Daily NK—an Internet news provider based in
Seoul, South Korea—on a cell phone. His calling was illegal, since North Koreans
Corresponding author:
Mun Suk Ahn, Department of Political Science and Diplomacy,Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero,
Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do, 54896, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
Email: ahnms@jbnu.ac.kr
International Journal
2020, Vol. 75(2) 237–247
!The Author(s) 2020
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DOI: 10.1177/0020702020930744
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