Historically, the international community’s interests in North Korea have revolved around its peculiarities such as the cult of personality and dire economic situation. However, due to a series of nuclear and missile tests, the most important issue concerning North Korea became the possibility of its abolition of nuclear weapons.

In 2018, the table turned from the inter-Korean summits and the first U.S.-North Korea summit and the expectations regarding North Korea’s denuclearization have been on the rise. Nonetheless, the resolution of North Korea Conundrum should not be hindered solely by the issue of denuclearization but take account the internal problems North Korea currently bears.

Resolutions to the problems such as conventional weapons, economic hardships, cyber terrorism, and North Korea’s entry into various international organizations are predicaments that could not be done in a short period of time. Without solving these issues, North Korea cannot become a normal country even if North Korea’s denuclearization is realized.

North Korea Conundrum tackles diverse topics ranging from the issue of denuclearization to the entry into the global economy to discuss the fundamental prospect of the North Korea issue. This book hopes to provide answers to the questions that the international community poses on North Korea and some indications to resolve the conundrums of the North Korea issue.

Volume 2019-2

Publication Date: February 20, 2019

273 pages, paperback