| Chapter : | Introduction |
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sake of regime security, the government must shift its policy priority to meeting people’s basic needs through economic growth. Does this mean that the political system might collapse under a rebellious mass public?
Following the successive uprisings in Egypt, Libya, and elsewhere, a renewed interest has arisen regarding the issue of regime stability in the DPRK. In order to conduct any credible analysis, one must know the nature of the relationship between the leadership and its people, especially in the context of a particular culture. When one appreciates the peculiar paternalist culture deeply rooted in the mass belief system of the DPRK, as well as the institutional and structured life of its people, one may come to the conclusion that the occurrence of mass rebellion is most unlikely.
The Framework of the Book
The authors of this volume are uniquely qualified to assess the situation in the DPRK because all of them have had personal experience with North Korea, as either foreign residents or frequent visitors. Their knowledge and information are neither merely speculative nor skewed by ideological or normative biases. The volume contributes uniquely to study of the DPRK in its interdisciplinary nature; it examines a range of life situations including history and collective memory, ideology and culture, economic conditions and policies, domestic politics, and foreign policy orientation and behavior. The contention of this volume is that the political dynamics and policy patterns of the DPRK are hardly inexplicable or mysterious. The usual claim that North Korea is an anomaly and cannot be understood because its policy behaviors are mysterious, at best, or entirely irrational is a product of either ignorance of the system or a predetermined refusal to examine the system the way it is. The chapters of this volume can help readers see North Korea as it actually exists.
Following this introductory chapter, a series of domestic issues are dealt with. Examining the nature and role of the ideology of juche,