What Does North Korea Want from China? Understanding Pyongyang’s Policy Priorities toward Beijing

Abstract

What influences the role domestic policy priorities and ideology play in North Korea’s enactment of foreign policy toward China? Historically, both North Korea and China are communist nations that share cultural characteristics. Currently, the Sino-North Korea alliance still seems effective and valid. When looking at China, North Korea does not perceive any struggle with regard to security and regime legitimacy. Thus it is reasonable to assume that Pyongyang’s foreign policy toward China is mostly based on a desire for “economic prosperity.” In order to test this hypothesis, this study employs the “process-tracing” method, and also observes the official newspaper of the regime in Pyongyang through content analysis in order to determine the DPRK’s perception and policy preference toward China. In North Korea’s foreign policy, the essential ideologies and historical experiences have formed the preferences of the leadership in Pyongyang. The DPRK’s domestic priorities greatly influence its foreign policy toward China, more so than external pressures and direct diplomatic interactions.