North Korea Research Articles

북·중·러 연합의 형성과 전망

This study analyzes the North Korea, China, and Russia coalition amidst complex global crises like the US-China strategic competition, the US-Russia crisis, and the North Korean nuclear issue, using coordination games and problems as analytical tools. In the ‘New Cold War’ context, they identify a focal point, form coalitions, and coordinate strategies based on reactive anti-US policies and confrontations with coalitions involving ROK, the US, and Japan. However, differing perspectives on the ‘New Cold War’ and external factors leading to divergent focal points resulted in strategic uncertainty. Forming a stable grand coalition as an institution is challenging, and there is a risk of abandonment when forming a specific coalition based on interests. Moreover, the emergence of spoilers within the coalition breeds apprehension among other nations, rendering the coalition unsustainable. Consequently, the sustainability of the North Korea-China-Russia coalition diminishes, fostering ongoing non-cooperative behavior amidst a temporary phase of adhesion.

Determination of Optimal Antigen Yield and Virus Inactivation Conditions for the Production of the Candidate Foot-and-Mouth Disease Recombinant Vaccine Strain Asia1 Shamir-R in a Bioreactor.

Since the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in South Korea in 2010-2011, vaccination policies utilizing inactivated FMD vaccines composed of types O and A have been implemented nationwide. However, because type Asia1 occurred in North Korea in 2007 and intermittently in neighboring countries, the risk of type Asia1 introduction cannot be ruled out. This study evaluated the antigen yield and viral inactivation kinetics of the recombinant Asia1 Shamir vaccine strain (Asia1 Shamir-R). When Asia1 Shamir-R was proliferated in shaking flasks (1 L), a 2 L bioreactor (1 L), and a wave bioreactor (25 L), the antigen yields were 7.5 μg/mL, 5.2 μg/mL, and 3.8 μg/mL, respectively. The optimal FMDV inactivation conditions were 2 mM BEI at 26 °C and 1.0 mM BEI at 37 °C. There was no antigen loss due to BEI treatment, and only a decrease in antigen levels was observed during storage. The sera from pigs immunized with antigen derived from a bioreactor exhibited a neutralizing antibody titer of approximately 1/1000 against Asia1 Shamir and Asia1/MOG/05 viruses; therefore, Asia1 Shamir-R is expected to provide sufficient protection against both viruses. If an FMD vaccine production facility is established, this Asia1 Shamir-R can be employed for domestic antigen banks in South Korea.

Russia, China, and North Korea Strategic Defense Partnership

Due to the aggravation of the global geopolitical confrontation, the relations in the sphere of security issues within the framework of the Russia - China - North Korea triangle get particular importance. The purpose of the study is to analyze the current state and prospects of the strategic defense partnership between Russia, China, and North Korea. The authors used the following methods: a system approach, a method of situational analysis, a comparative method, a method of analyzing the current situation, as well as a method of scenario forecasting. The authors analyzed the relations between Russia and China in the military sphere, Russian-North Korean relations in the security sphere, as well as the role of China and North Korea in ensuring stability in the region. It is concluded that in the current conditions of rising tensions in the AsiaPacific region, primarily on the island of Taiwan and the Korean peninsula, these countries will converge, first, against the triangle USA - Japan - South Korea, often called “Asian NATO”. To conclude, the relations between Russia, China and North Korea will not take the form of a fullfledged military alliance. It is expected that the efforts of military-technical cooperation and the possibility of mutual support in the event of a security threat to one of the countries will be deepened.

Exploring the Zone of Possible Agreement on the Nuclear Issue of the Korean Peninsula

From 2003 to 2009, China, Japan, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, and the United States engaged in a series of multilateral negotiations to address North Korea’s nuclear program. On September 19, 2005, the six participants achieved a “gold standard” agreement on denuclearization. North Korea agreed to relinquish all nuclear weapons, abstain from deploying nuclear weapons, and rejoin the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), as well as adhere to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. The United States affirmed its lack of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula and expressed no intention of attacking or invading the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) with nuclear or conventional weapons. China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the United States concurred to provide energy assistance to the DPRK. Furthermore, the agreement established the principle of “commitment for commitment, action for action,” which holds significance for the spirit of future engagement. The prevailing impasse in resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula prompts the inquiry of a possible negotiation model. This paper uses the Harvard negotiation method to examine a zone of possible agreement (ZOPA) between China, North Korea, Russia, and the United States, which culminated in the September 19, 2005 Six Party Talks agreement addressing the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. The first section of the article is devoted to scrutinizing the Zone of Possible Agreement (ZOPA), which facilitated the 2005 agreement. Based on the acquired insights, the second section assesses the prospects for implementing the 2005 Joint Statement in the current context. This section also concentrates on identifying a ZOPA under current conditions, taking into account past experiences and lessons learned from past negotiations.

Developments in South Korea’s defence industry

South Korean arms exports have risen significantly since the late 2010s, with the largest share of sales going to the Philippines, India, Thailand and Poland. The ability of the country’s defence industry to produce quality arms on time and at scale has been a major strength, but it will become more difficult to maintain cost-effectiveness and enhance products as labour and production costs increase, and with the possibility that more arms may be retained domestically in the future to protect against threats from North Korea.

Multitemporal analysis of land subsidence induced by open-pit mining activity using improved combined scatterer interferometry with deep learning algorithm optimization

Mine operational safety is an important aspect of maintaining the operational continuity of a mining area. In this study, we used the InSAR time series to analyze land surface changes using the ICOPS (improved combined scatterers with optimized point scatters) method. This ICOPS method combines persistent scatterers (PS) with distributed scatterers (DS) to increase surface deformation analysis’s spatial coverage and quality. One of the improvements of this study is the use of machine learning in postprocessing, based on convolutional neural networks, to increase the reliability of results. This study used data from the Sentinel-1 SAR C-band satellite during the 2016–2022 observation period at the Musan mine, North Korea. In the InSAR surface deformation time analysis, the maximum average rate of land subsidence was approximately > 15.00 cm per year, with total surface deformation of 170 cm and 70 cm for the eastern dumping area and the western dumping area, respectively. Analyzing the mechanism of land surface changes also involved evaluating the geological conditions in the Musan mining area. Our research findings show that combining machine learning and statistical methods has great potential to enhance the understanding of mine surface deformation.

Sedum aizoon L.: a review of its history, traditional uses, nutritional value, botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and quality control.

In China, Russia, Mongolia, Japan, North Korea, and Mexico, Sedum aizoon L. (S. aizoon) is used as an edible plant. Up to now, over 234 metabolites, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, triterpenes, phytosterols, and alkaloids, among others, have been identified. In addition to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue, antimicrobial, anti-cancer, and hemostatic activities, S. aizoon is used for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. This paper provides an overview of the history, botany, nutritional value, traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and quality control of S. aizoon.

The role of the UN in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons

According to the UN Charter (Article 26), the UN Security Council is the primary organ responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. Nuclear states agreed to the adoption of a UN Security Council Resolution that provided positive security assurances. The adoption of UN Security Council Resolution №255 on June 19, 1968, was of particular significance. This resolution stipulated that instances of aggression involving the use of nuclear weapons or the threat of such aggression against a non-nuclear-weapon state would require immediate action by the UN Security Council and its permanent members, who are nuclear-armed states.
 The aim of the work is to determine the role of the UN Security Council in the system of preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The methodological basis of the study will focus on the analysis and understanding of the impact of the UN Security Council on strategies and measures aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons in the international context.
 The results of our research have shown that the role of the UN Security Council in the disarmament of Iraq’s nuclear program, which could have led to the development of nuclear weapons, proved to be significant. To achieve this, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution №687 adopted on April 3, 1991, the Special Commission (UNSCOM) was established.
 During an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council at the highest level on September 24, 2009, Resolution UN Security Council Resolution № 1887 was adopted, aimed at supporting nuclear non-proliferation, criticizing Iran and North Korea. Resolution №1887 outlines measures to strengthen control and the rights of nuclear-weapon states to demand the return of nuclear materials and equipment in case of violations of the Non-Proliferation Treaty or withdrawal from it. It also involves enhancing security measures for the storage of nuclear materials and strict export controls.
 Conclusions. In our opinion, the powers of the UN Security Council in the field of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction should be utilized more promptly and effectively. The insufficient effectiveness of this international mechanism in preventing proliferation remains a cause for serious concern among UN members worldwide. To enhance the effectiveness of the UN Security Council, we propose the adoption of a comprehensive resolution that includes provisions on the procedure for a state’s withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and its violation of commitments to refrain from acquiring nuclear weapons. This resolution should stipulate the imposition of sanctions against such a state based on a special report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Such a mechanism can ensure an effective impact of the international community on states that withdraw from the NPT.

Three-dimensional prospectivity modeling based on fuzzy logic and geometric average: a case study from Sansong district, Yongyu apatite deposit, DPR Korea

Three-dimensional prospectivity modeling based on fuzzy logic and geometric average: a case study from Sansong district, Yongyu apatite deposit, DPR Korea

Posttraumatic growth experiences of North Korean adolescent refugees living in South Korea: A qualitative case study.

This study aimed to explore the posttraumatic growth (PTG) experiences of North Korean adolescent refugees. The qualitative context of PTG experiences and influencing factors was explored based on the experiences vividly described by North Korean adolescent refugees. I recruited participants for a qualitative case study, targeting "high-growth type" and "low-growth type" adolescents classified through latent profile analysis. A 1:1 in-depth interview was conducted with five high-growth and four low-growth adolescents who agreed to participate in the study. Their PTG appeared to coexist with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms such as anxiety and depression. In addition, the PTG of North Korean refugee adolescents was particularly remarkable in the areas of "personal strength" and "relating to others." The influencing factors of PTG were described in the qualitative contexts of "constructive rumination process," "self-disclosure," "peer network from both South and North Korea," and "role of significant others." This study confirmed that North Korean adolescent refugees actively strive for growth after trauma. In order to lead their PTG better, specific interventions are required for intentional rumination process, human support resources, and self-opening that affect PTG. This study has academic value in that it compares and verifies the factors affecting PTG by interviewing high- and low-growth adolescents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Response of ecosystem water-use efficiency to global vegetation greening

Global vegetation has been greening during the past two decades. However, relatively less is known concerning the change of carbon–water cycle coupling in response to vegetation greening. A key indicator that can characterize this coupling is water-use efficiency (WUE) of ecosystems. Therefore, we explored the impact of global vegetation greening on ecosystem WUE using Theil-Sen trend analysis, Mann-Kendall (M−K) test, stepwise regression and Lindeman Merenda Gold model (LMG) model based on the remote sensing data from 1982 to 2018. Our results showed that global vegetation greening had a positive effect on the gross primary productivity (GPP), evapotranspiration (ET) and WUE during the past thirty years. The WUE in 70 % of these vegetation greening areas, including India, China, Russia, Japan, North Korea, Europe and North America, was increased, and the WUE was increased by 0.002 g C kg H2O yr−1, which was twice as much as that of the global vegetation cover areas. Results of stepwise regression analysis showed that vegetation greening contributed 80 % of the changes in WUE, much higher than the contribution of the climate factors. GPP contributes approximately 81 % to the changes in WUE as a result of vegetation greening. In addition, we also found that, in the greening areas around the world, leaf area index (LAI) explained 80 % of the changes in WUE, and that vegetation has a positive effect WUE. Therefore, the WUE should be considered in the design of ecological restoration programs in the future, and vegetation of low water consumption would be favored to realize sustainable ecosystem services and regional development.

Paleoecological niche modeling of Epiophlebia (Epiophlebioptera: Epiophlebiidae) reveals continuous distribution during the Last Glacial Maximum

Disjunct biogeographic patterns of similar species remain enigmatic within evolutionary biology. Disparate distributions typically reflect species responses to major historical events including past climate change, tectonics, dispersal, and local extinction. Paleo-ecological niche modeling (PaleoENM) has proven useful in inferring the causes of disjunct distributions within charismatic and well-studied taxa including mammals, plants, and birds, but remains under-explored in insects. The relictual Asian dragonfly genus Epiophlebia (Suborder Epiophlebioptera: Epiophlebiidae) allows us a novel opportunity to explore PaleoENM in the context of disjunct distributions due to their endemism to the Japanese islands, Himalayas, China, and North Korea. The aim of this paper is to investigate the potential causes behind the modern distribution of Epiophlebia by inferring the historical range of these species within the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), thereby highlighting the utility of PaleoENM in the context of odonate biogeography. Our results indicate possible past routes of gene flow of Epiophlebia during the LGM due to high habitat suitability of the genus stretching from the Himalayas to Japan. Furthermore, our results predict several unsampled areas which have the potential to harbor new populations of the genus.

Joseon-Soviet Culture (Jo Sso Munhwa) and Baek Seok’s translation

ABSTRACT Baek Seok, who returned to his hometown Jeongju via Manchuria after 1940, is a poet who experienced liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule (1945) and the Korean War (1950) in North Korea. During this period, he worked on translation rather than creating poetry. For this reason, researchers who attempt to examine Baek’s activities during his time in North Korea have focused on discovering and studying his translation works. As this article will elaborate, during the mid-twentieth century after his return home, Baek Seok also published a large number of translated poems in Joseon-Soviet Culture (Jo Sso Munhwa), the journal of the Joseon-Soviet Culture Association. Joseon-Soviet Culture, which was published from 1946 to 1963, is a major channel for investigating how North Korea’s so-called “official” literature was established through the influence of the Soviet Union. Baek Seok’s translation works have been largely understood as “indirect writing” during the period when creation was directly and indirectly banned. It is expected that, by reviewing various translations by Baek in Joseon-Soviet Culture, Baek’s literary activities in North Korea before writing freely was banned, can be confirmed more empirically. In this article, I will show how Baek Seok’s literary longing during this period can be traced through the analysis of his translated poem I want to say to you “You are my wife!”  … by Konstantin Simonov. I argue that this poem shares an atmosphere similar to Baek’s existing creative poetry and translation practices are linked to reading practices.

To do or not to do: Pyongyang’s seventh nuclear test calculations

ABSTRACT A nuclear test often is as political as it is technical. The intricacies of domestic and external politics play into Pyongyang’s decisions on nuclear testing, going far beyond the technical aspects of such tests. This article explores the repercussions of the second North Korea-US summit in Hanoi in 2019 across all policy realms in North Korea and how domestic and external factors could inform and shape Kim Jong-un’s decision on a seventh nuclear test. In order to delve into what to look out for in 2024 and beyond, this article focuses on Pyongyang’s approach to the civilian economy as opposed to national defense and the reorientation of its foreign and South Korea policies as potential key indicators of Kim’s thinking on nuclear testing.

North Korean appropriating Stanislavsky for the revolutionary theatre acting: focusing on experience

ABSTRACT This study investigates the correlativity between the acting of the Seonghwangdang (Village Shrine)-style revolutionary theatre in North Korea and the Stanislavsky system. Kim Jong-il dictates that Seonghwangdang-style revolutionary theatre is one of the representative art works that explains the origin of North Korean juche in his books On the Art of the Cinema and On the Art of the Theatre. Despite his criticism of the Stanislavsky system, Kim almost translates the process of role creation into urisik (our style, that is, North Korean style) one, borrowing a given circumstance, experience, jagam (creative state), and “magic if” from the system according to the principles of juche and sokdojeon (speed battle). The result is simplification of the semantic area of experience and the creative state, which shows how theatrical arts are limited by political ideological centrality.

North Korea in 2023

In 2023, North Korea continued along a trajectory similar to that of 2022, with developments in politics, the economy, military, and diplomacy. The regime’s primary focus was on the glorification of Kim Jong-Un and the enhancement of its nuclear capabilities to ensure regime stability. This involved efforts to maintain internal solidarity through economic mobilization while tightly controlling any social dissatisfaction. North Korea adamantly refused to discuss denuclearization with the United States and designated South Korea as a belligerent state. Meanwhile, the country pursued closer cooperation with Russia and strengthened its long-standing ties with China. Although the full realization and substantial impact of North Korea’s achievements may be limited at this point, there appears to be progress in line with its strategic plan.

We Are Brothers but Not Allies: The Sino-DPRK Alliance Revisited

It is widely noted that China maintains a "special relationship" with North Korea, which is best epitomized by the Sino-DPRK Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance that the two countries signed in July 1961. However, in the post-Cold War era, the raison d'être of this alliance treaty has been challenged. Against this backdrop, this paper traces China's evolving interpretations of the Sino-DPRK friendship treaty. By investigating the process behind the signing of the treaty, it argues that Beijing signed an "alliance treaty" with Pyongyang to win over the latter in the context of the Sino-Soviet split. However, as China sought to improve its relations with Western powers, the Sino-DPRK friendship treaty became increasingly burdensome to Beijing. Thus, Beijing began to dilute the alliance nature of the treaty by no longer publicly affirming its security obligation toward Pyongyang. After Deng Xiaoping came to power in China, the treaty was found to be incompatible with Beijing's newly promulgated foreign policy principle of non-alignment. To address this problem, Beijing ultimately reformulated the nature of Sino-DPRK relations and reinterpreted the Sino-DPRK friendship treaty—that is, China is not an ally of North Korea, and the Sino-DPRK friendship treaty carries only symbolic meaning without casus foederis. Based on these analyses, this paper claims that the security obligation of the Sino-DPRK friendship treaty is no longer functional.

통일 후 북한지역 부동산 권리의 공시문제

The title of this thesis is “Issues with the Registration of Real Estate Rights in North Korea after Unification”. In this paper, I reviewed the changing process of the real estate registration system and and laws related the real estate registration system in North Korea. And I reviewed the direction of integration of the real estate registration system in North Korea. The main contents are as follows. First, in order to establish a real estate registration system in North Korea, a cadastral survey must be conducted. Second, for houses, the occupants living in the house can apply for ownership preservation registration. Third, for farmland owned by a cooperative farm, members belonging to the cooperative farm can apply for registration of original ownership. Fourth, heirs of property rights confiscated by the North Korean regime cannot apply for ownership preservation registration.

Defiance in the Shadows: Flames of Resilience in the Selected North Korean Memoirs

The resilient autobiography focuses on the interpersonal dynamics of life narratives, including the relationships that have exacerbated the hardships described and the ones that have provided the support and strength necessary to overcome them. The selected text for this paper is A Thousand Miles to Freedom: My Escape from North Korea by Eunsun Kim and Sebastien Falletti and In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park and Maryanne Vollers. These two texts talk about their catastrophic journey from North Korea because of poverty caused by famine and their migration to China, where they were trafficked and subjected to humiliation and their final escape to South Korea. The memoirs depict the individual’s embodiment of resilience as they narrate their own struggles and victories in overcoming hardship. Resistance to adversity and suffering, as well as the ability to bounce back from painful experiences in one’s own life and in the lives of others, are the hallmarks of resilience. Trauma becomes ingrained in attempts for survival in both memoirs, which illustrate the catastrophic impacts of famine, relocation, and personal loss. One effective approach to enhance resilience is reorganizing and reestablishing control over one's life after a traumatic event. Interpretations and writings of the personal narrative are offered from both the subject’s and an outsider’s points of view. Thus, the life story is formed in a dual sense: autobiographically and biographically.

남북 접경지역 발전 방안에 관한 소고

The border area between North and South Korea is the place that most clearly shows the political reality following the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 and the division of the Korean Peninsula through the Armistice Agreement in 1953. Although it had a central location on the Korean Peninsula before the division of the country, it is now located in the periphery, where many restrictions and distortions occur. In the past, as inter-Korean relations repeatedly waxed and waned, development plans and policies were established in various relationships, but there is a need to establish policies and strategies from a long-term perspective in the future. Therefore, in the future, economically stable and sustainable development must be accompanied.
 Due to the regional characteristics of the divided Korean Peninsula, the border area between North and South Korea is still inevitably affected by inter-Korean relations, but in the future, an environment free from inter-Korean relations must be created to ensure continuous development. In this study, we examine the uniqueness of border areas and related policies and laws, and suggest development plans for border areas.