North Korea’s Foreign Policy: The Kim Jong-un Regime in a Hostile World

North Korea has experienced expanded nuclear development, political isolation, and economic stagnation under Kim Jong-un's leadership since 2011. His early prioritization of the byungjin policy aimed to transform the country's domestic economic circumstances and strengthen its position as a nuclear state. The central dilemma in Kim's foreign policy is balancing prosperity and security with political isolation and control. The book will examine the impact of domestic factors, summitry, and international responses on North Korea's foreign policy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 316 pages
Publication date: 14 November 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

North Korea has experienced significant changes since Kim Jong-un's assumption of power in December 2011. The country has pursued expanded nuclear development, political isolation, and economic stagnation. Kim's early emphasis on the byungjin policy, which aimed to simultaneously develop the economy and the military or nuclear capabilities, reflected his goal of transforming North Korea's domestic economic situation and enhancing its status as a nuclear state. The central dilemma in Kim Jong-un's foreign policy throughout his first decade in power has been balancing the need for North Korea's prosperity and security with the political isolation and control necessary for regime survival. To evaluate North Korea's foreign policy under Kim, this volume will examine the impact of domestic factors that have influenced the formation and implementation of Kim's foreign policy, his distinctive use of summitry as a means to achieve foreign policy goals, and the impact of international responses to North Korea's pursuit of nuclear capabilities on its foreign policy.

Weight: 464g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538160305