North Korean Foreign Relations in the Post-cold War World

North Korea's foreign relations are a blend of contradiction and complexity. They start from the incongruity between Pyongyang's highly touted policy of juche, or self-reliance, and North Korea's extended and heavy reliance on foreign aid and assistance over the 6 decades of its existence. This aid-both military and economic-in the first 4 decades came from China, the Soviet Union, and communist bloc states; in the past 2 decades, this aid has come from countries including China, South Korea, and the United States. In this monograph, Dr. Samuel Kim examines North Korea's foreign relations with China, Russia, Japan, the United States, and South Korea during the post-Cold War era. He argues that central to understanding North Korea's international behavior in the 21st century is the extent to which the policies of the United States have shaped that behavior. Although some readers may not agree with all of Dr. Kim's interpretations and assessments, they nevertheless will find his analysis simulating. . .