북한의 정책선택 패턴: 생존성과의 상관관계

Abstract

North Koreas Policy Choice Patern: Focused on Its SurvivabilityThis research explores strategic di-mensions of the North Korean rulers choices on how to produce power and obtain public loy-alty in a framework of rational choice. The po-litical economic analysis of the survivability of the North Korean regime is centered on its stra-tegic use of cooption, repression and its unique strategy of deification.Cooption of people into the ruling elite and repression is a stick to ensure loyalty through a threat or use of violence. Deification is a long-term strategy to obtain loyalty. The police choices were reflected by the countrys budget expenditures.The three elements are neither a sudden fallout or nor a passing phenomenon, but strat-egies chosen by its leaders to maintain the re-gime’s survivability. The regime has also stra-tegically adjusted the extent of cooption and re-pression to boost its survivability.By and large, North Korea employed a combination of more cooption and less re-demand for tougher repression which is a dan-gerous option that can trigger a backlash. This policy combination has helped North Korea survive despite global collapse of communism and economic meltdown. The North Korean behaviors follow patterns which can be under-stood in rational-choice terms.