Making Friends and Enemies: North Korea's Stratagem for Economic Gain

Chinese imperialism, Japanese occupation, and the sustained involvement of United States in the southern half of the peninsula, have created a strong sense of nationalism in North Korea that has shaped its ideological principle Juché or "self-reliance." This policy has evolved to benefit the North Korean regime. First, it was a tool used to disengage from Chinese and Soviet influences. Then, it became a principle that the DPRK used to "make friends" and seek legitimacy. Later, the DPRK concentrated on its military capabilities, conventional and nuclear. The result was a regime that was willing and able to sell weapons and technology to the highest bidder. In more recent years, Juché has further evolved, becoming a tool for economic terrorism. The 1994 nuclear crisis, the 1998 Taepodong firing, the suspected nuclear facility at Kumchangri, and the 2002 disclosure of WMDs are crises exploited by the DPRK for economic gain. The current situation, together with Pyongyang's record of proliferating WMD technology, poses a clear and present danger to U.S. national security. Although a bit dated, this work provides an interesting and still relevant look into North Korea's curious and unusual policies, negotiations, and threats.