North Korea, formerly designated a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States, emerged as a nuclear-armed enigma under the dictatorship of Kim-Jong Il. RAND’s research on both deterrence and failed states includes expert analysis of the North Korean regime, opportunities for its modernization and democratization, and implications for post–Cold War geopolitics.
Research conducted by:
Center for Asia Pacific Policy;
RAND National Security Research Division;
RAND Project AIR FORCE
Journal Articles (6)
In North Korea, the upcoming leadership transition in the Kim Jong-il regime will be a precarious time for the Kim family's hold on power.
Key successes in achieving reform and development – particularly the creation of government stakesholders, the broadening of the ideological spectrum, collaboration between political factions, and major internal and external shocks – have contributed to the consolidation of the democratic system.
The author addresses strategies and prospects for peace on the Korean Peninsula, prospects for arms control and the peace process involving the two Koreas and the U.S., and the future of U.S.-China relations.
Forecasting Korea's Economy and the Cost of Reunification
North Korean Behavior in Nuclear Negotiations
The unique situation of artificial division in both Korea and Germany following World War II, and the subsequent reunification in Germany, offer the Koreans an opportunity of analyzing Germany's experiences for their own purposes.
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