The New Policy Frame in Recent Economic and Social Changes in North Korea

This article aims to investigate the shift in a policy frame related to recent economic and social changes in North Korea. Most of the reforms in the Kim Jong-il era, including the July 1, 2002 Economic Management Improvement Measure (EMIM) , failed. In comparison, its policy reforms have been reinstituted since the June 28 Measure of 2012 in the Kim Jong-un era, and the policy frame in North Korea has been changed with more focus on civilian economic growth. Drawing on the policy framing approach, this article explores policy changes in the Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un eras and analyzes the features of a policy frame in each era in three aspects: framing contention, processes, and tasks. The findings imply that a new policy frame, formed on the Kangsong Taeguk doctrine, has been applied to recent policy changes since 2012 in North Korea in order for reforms to be stably instituted.