北韓의 新經濟 政策과 體制維持 戰略

North Korea's Economic Policies and Strategies for Maintaining Political Stability

Recently, there have been some significant changes in North Korea's economic policies. First, North Korea attempts to weaken the extent of the national planning and rationing system, while emphasizing the autonomy of individuals and corporations. Second, it now allows individual economic activities such as small-scale businesses. Third, it shows a positive attitude toward opening its economy as exemplified in economic cooperation with South Korea. These measures seem to partially aimed at reinvigorating the North Korean economy, but at the same time, they would inevitably increase income inequality, urban poverty level, and social mobility. Also on the increase are the possibility of systemic instability affected by, for example, information inflows from the outside world. Accordingly, the North Korean authorities want to adopt politi-cal measures for systemic stability, while maintaining pragmatic policies economically. First, North Korea is attempting to reinforce the extent of social control based on the influence of the military as represented by the "military-first policy." Second, it advertises at home and abroad that economic cooperation with and aids from South Korea that are taking place under the slogans such as "national unification" and "national mutual-assistance" are only possible through the initiative of the North. Third, it tries to heighten the national security level and take up a better position at the negotiating tables utilizing missile and nuclear development programs. In sum, North Korea seems to maintain a pragmatic line economically, while taking aims at avoiding social instability and systemic crises through strict social control and tension management policjes.