Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
generate much change overall. The United States
views the changes as insignificant and considers
North Korea to be a “rogue state.”
Beijing has cast its relationship with North Ko-
rea as being “close as lips and teeth.” It is in China' is
interest to prop up the North Korean regime while
at the same time effecting its redirection along a
more liberal path according to the China model.
China wants regional stability . It does not want a
floundering country on its northeastern border next
to its own Korean population, nor does it want a
unified Korea, friendly to the West and housing
American troops. China is the DPRK' is chief trading
partner.
SONGUN: ARMY -FIRST POLICY
North Korea, with its population of a mere 22.7 million,
has the fifth largest standing army in the world after
China, the United States, Russia, and India. Kim Jong II
established Songun —Army-First Policy to protect his nu-
clear program. Songun is the overarching state ideology
that “puts the army before the working class.” It instructs
that, “the gun barrel should be placed over the hammer
and sickle” (representing workers).
Furthermore, the DPRK has one of the world' s
largest biological and chemical arsenals with enormous
stocks of anthrax, cholera, and plague. It also has eight
biochemical production facilities.
More than 1 million troops hover over the half-million
South Korean forces. Only the tallest soldiers get stationed
at the DMZ. This is true for South Koreans and Americans
as well.
T Today, , many young North Koreans eschew higher
education in favor of joining the armed forces. Here they
will get good pay and sufficient food. It is estimated that
military expenses consume one-quarter to one-third of
the entire national budget despite near-famine condi-
tions in many parts of the country .
Figure 13-5
Pyongyang. T Tony Waltham/Getty Images.
televisions, and other cheap goods from China,
dishwashing soap from Thailand, and beer from
Singapore are among the goods that are available.
Prices are determined by customer demand and peo-
ple pay with cash, not with coupons as in the past.
Since the changes were introduced, increasing
numbers of cars and bicycles are seen in the streets.
People are wearing brighter colored clothes from
China instead of the grey and brown Mao suits and
peaked caps that they wore before. Some young
people even wear baseball caps, and the sight of
Mickey Mouse T T-shirts is not uncommon.
Economic reforms have at least affected Py-
ongyang. Their impact in other North Korean cities
is unclear. Some experts say that the country will
achieve widespread market socialism like China.
Others say that these reforms are not enough to
MISERY AND REALITY
Although 37 percent of North Koreans are engaged in agri-
culture, the state farms are notoriously inefficient. Hunger
and starvation remain persistent problems, with some
40 percentof North Korean children chronically malnour-
ished. Consequently , stunting and other diet-related defi-
ciencies are widespread. Food is rationed.
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