Summary
North Korea’s foreign relations are a blend of contradiction and complexity. They start from the incongruity between Pyongyang’s highly touted policy of juche, or self-reliance, and North Korea’s extended and heavy reliance on foreign aid and assistance over the 6 decades of its existence. This aid—both military and economic—in the first 4 decades came from China, the Soviet Union, and communist bloc states; in the past 2 decades, this aid has come from countries including China, South Korea, and the United States.
In this monograph, Dr. Samuel Kim examines North Korea’s foreign relations with China, Russia, Japan, the United States, and South Korea during the post-Cold War era. He argues that central to understanding North Korea’s international behavior in the 21st century is the extent to which the policies of the United States have shaped that behavior. Although some readers may not agree with all of Dr. Kim’s interpretations and assessments, they nevertheless will find his analysis simulating and extremely informative.
This publication is the fifth in a series titled “Demystifying North Korea,” the products of a project directed by Dr. Andrew Scobell. The first monograph, North Korea’s Strategic Intentions, written Dr. Scobell, was published in July 2005. The second monograph, Kim Jong Il and North Korea: The Leader and the System, also written by Dr. Scobell, appeared in March 2006. The third monograph, North Korean Civil-Military Trends: Military-First Politics to a Point, written by Mr. Ken Gause, appeared in October 2006. The fourth monograph, North Korea’s Military Conventional and Unconventional Military Capabilities and Intentions (forthcoming March  2007), was written by Captain John Sanford (USN) and Dr. Scobell. Future monographs will examine North Korea’s economy and assess future scenarios. The Strategic Studies Institute is pleased to make this monograph publicly available.
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