Socialist Neoconservatism and North Korean Foreign Policy

Abstract

The North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test of April 2009 and the nuclear test of May 2009 have rekindled interest in North Korea’s foreign policy and its domestic origins. As usual, there are more questions than answers, but we can now even less afford not having the best possible understanding of current developments and future actions. This chapter therefore aims to contribute to the debate on the following questions: What has prompted North Korea to intensify its nuclear program? What are the domestic drivers of such a policy? How does this fit into the overall picture of North Korea’s foreign policy? We will do so by having a closer look at the domestic developments of the past years, which have shown tremendous dynamics, from initiation of reforms to their subsequent reversal. A quantitative analysis of North Korean propaganda supports our qualitative assessment.