Also Known As the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background North Korea (also known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, DPRK) is one of the world’s last remaining communist countries. The Juche ideology created by Kim Il-Sung, preserved by his son, Kim Jong-Il, makes it one of the most isolated countries. DPRK’s insistence on self-sufficiency since the 1950s has seen their neighbours, South Korea (also known as Republic of Korea, ROK), over take them in terms of gross national income (GNI) and per capita income, as well as become one of the world’s leading technologically advanced countries. Production efficiency in the factories declined due to a lack of work incentives, agricultural fields remained barren due to shortage of fertilizers, and the transport distribution system collapsed due to decrepit infrastructure. Their closest ally, China, is beginning to be exasperated by DPRK’s constant threats of developing nuclear weapons in exchange for humanitarian aid and economic incentives. The health of Kim Jong-Il remains a great concern for those countries that follow with great interest with the developments in the Korean Peninsula. Countries, including China, and the United States of America (USA), ROK, Japan, and Russia all have important stakes should DPRK collapse suddenly. The top echelon of this anarchical hierarchy is only concerned about political survival and economic gains. This can be seen by the occasional announcements of foreign investments in strategic parts of DPRK using special economic zones (SEZs) such as Kaesong and Rajin-Sonbong. The former being part of the unsuccessful ‘Sunshine Policy’ signed with the late ROK 1 President, Kim Dae-Jung.
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