A Psychological Interpretation on NORTH KOREA’s NUCLRAR Program Issue: Focusing on Kim Jong-Un’s Personality Analysis

Abstract

This study analyzes the individual psychology of Kim Jong-un, who exercises absolute power over nuclear development in North Korea, in order to understand the issue of North Korea’s nuclear capabilities from a psychological point of view and to provide implications for solving the problem. ‘Personality’ is a concept used to explain a person’s behaviors. Allport theorized that personalities develop during the process of adapting to environments, and personalities structured in this way demonstrate coherent patterns of feelings, thoughts and behaviors. Therefore, identifying a person’s personality is important in that what he thinks, how he feels, and how he behaves can be predicted. Until now, there has been very little micro-approach, such as to the personalities of individuals, in the subject of North Korea. However, it is also meaningful to understand the psychological characteristics of this individual autocrat due to the nature of the North Korean regime, in which Kim’s family members monopolize power following the lead of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un. In particular, the issues of North Korea’s nuclear development and launching projectiles are highly dependent on the will and determination of Kim Jong-un. Therefore, Kim Jong-un’s personality is likely to have a direct impact on the North Korean nuclear issue. Based on various testimonies and data, there is no doubt that Kim Jong-un’s personality is self-centered, ostentatious, and impulsive. However, as Kurt Campbell, the former US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia has stated, it is difficult to say that his personality is “unpredictable” or “violent”. As a son of an autocrat, he was raised exercising absolute power. The environment where his desire can come true without deficiency might have led him to become self-centered and ostensible. These personality traits can affect his decisions regarding the nuclear issue. According to Fujimoto Kenji’s testimony, Kim Jong-un said that he shoots missiles “impulsively” if he felt ignored or if his relationship with the United States could not be resolved. When considering his self-centered and ostensible characteristics, it is possible to predict the time and condition where he can be impulsive. The predictability of Kim’s behaviors lies in the type of character he possesses. Kim Jong-un is thought to be someone with a self-centered, impulsive and ostentatious personality, and can be classified as having a narcissistic personality disorder. A person with narcissistic personality establishes relationships with others only to reveal his superiority, and experiences a sense of humiliation and frustration in situations where he cannot do so. However, in cases where the superiority is frustrated, narcissistic personality has a tendency to maintain his sense of superiority through self-rationalization rather than changing external conditions. Such nature of North Korea’s society and Kim Jong-un’s personality provides the following implications regarding the North Korean nuclear issue. First, it seems that there is virtually no reason for Kim Jong-un to give up the country’s nuclear capabilities due to the practical and psychological benefits(superiority) they hold for North Korea and Kim Jong-un himself. Second, however, it is unlikely that North Korea will use its nuclear capabilities to launch a preemptive attack or war considering Kim’s narcissistic personality. Third, the messages implied in North Korea’s behaviors in relation to their nuclear capabilities still need to be considered carefully.