https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4477-7837
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Abstract
This article examines the political consequences of widespread social changes in North Korea to illuminate how, if at all, shifts in everyday life influence the power of an autocratic government. Our study is based on 23 interviews with North Korean defectors in 2017 and supplemented by interviews conducted in previous years. The main finding is that social practices associated with marketisation, flows of information, and increased corruption have not yet provided the foundation for collective challenges to the regime. It is, however, also clear that official norms, rules, and institutions have been significantly weakened to adapt to new social realities.
Notes
1 Data from the interviews can be found in Joo (Citation2010, Citation2014), Dukalskis (Citation2016, Citation2017), Dukalskis and Lee (Citation2020).
2 Interview with NK Refugee 8, 10 July 2017.
3 Interview with NK Refugee 1, 4 July 2017.
4 Interview with NK Refugee 4, 5 July 2017.
5 Interview with NK Refugee 23, 8 August 2017.
6 Interview with NK Refugee 1, 4 July 2017.
7 Interview with NK Refugee 8, 10 July 2017.
8 Interview with NK Refugee 8, 10 July 2017.
9 Interview with NK Refugee 5, 8 July 2017.
10 2003 Pukhan Iin'gwǒn Paeksǒ (Seoul, T’ongilyǒn’guwǒn, 2003, pp. 19–20).
11 Interview with NK Refugee 10, 10 July 2017.
12 Interviews with: NK Refugee 10, 10 July 2017; NK Refugee 20, 2 August 2017.
13 Interview with NK Refugee 11, 11 July 2017.
14 Interview with NK Refugee 3, 5 July 2017.
15 Interview with NK Refugee 22, 6 August 2017.
16 Interviews with: NK Refugee 6, 8 July 2017; NK Refugee 7, 8 July 2017; NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017.
17 Interview with NK Refugee 17, 27 July 2017.
18 Interview with NK Refugee 14, 12 July 2017.
19 Interviews with: NK Refugee 12, 11 July 2017; NK Refugee 16, 27 July 2017.
20 Interview with NK Refugee 19, 13 July 2017.
21 Interview with NK Refugee 22, 6 August 2017.
22 Interview with NK Refugee 15, 21 July 2017.
23 See also, 2002 Pukhan Iin'gwǒn Paeksǒ (Seoul, T’ongilyǒn’guwǒn, 2002, p. 28).
24 Interview with NK Refugee 5, 8 July 2017.
25 Interviews with: NK Refugee 1, 4 July 2017; NK Refugee 20, 2 August 2017.
26 Interview with NK Refugee 6, 8 July 2017.
27 Interview with NK Refugee 18, 28 July 2017.
28 Interview with NK Refugee 20, 2 August 2017.
29 Interview with NK Refugee 18, 28 July 2017.
30 Interview with NK Refugee 9, 10 July 2017.
31 Interviews with: NK Refugee 1, 4 July 2017; NK Refugee 6, 8 July 2017.
32 Interview with NK Refugee 10, 10 July 2017.
33 Interview with NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017.
34 Interview with NK Refugee 10, 10 July 2017.
35 Interview with NK Refugee 20, 2 August 2017.
36 2020 Pukhan Iin'gwǒn Paeksǒ (Seoul, T’ongilyǒn’guwǒn, 2020, pp. 174–78).
37 2010 Pukhan Iin'gwǒn Paeksǒ (Seoul, T’ongilyǒn’guwǒn, 2010, p. 224).
38 Interview with NK Refugee 16, 27 July 2017. A similar story was also provided by NK Refugee 17 who was interviewed on 27 July 2017.
39 Interview with NK Refugee 22, 6 August 2017.
40 Interview with NK Refugee 11, 11 July 2017.
41 Interview with NK Refugee 8, 10 July 2017.
42 2009 Pukhan Iin'gwǒn Paeksǒ (Seoul, T’ongilyǒn’guwǒn, 2009, p. 184).
43 Interview with NK Refugee 6, 8 July 2017.
44 Interview with NK Refugee 19, 31 July 2017.
45 Interviews with: NK Refugee 3, 5 July 2017; NK Refugee 6, 8 July 2017.
46 Interview with NK Refugee 16, 27 July 2017.
47 Interview with NK Refugee 1, 4 July 2017.
48 Interview with NK Refugee 8, 10 July 2017.
49 Interviews with: NK Refugee 18, 28 July 2017; NK Refugee 20, 2 August 2017.
50 Interviews with: NK Refugee 7, 8 July 2017; NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017.
51 Interviews with: NK Refugee 16, 27 July 2017; NK Refugee 17, 27 July 2017; NK Refugee 20, 2 August 2017.
52 Interview with NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017.
53 Interview with NK Refugee 8, 10 July 2017.
54 See also, 2017 Pukhan Iin'gwǒn Paeksǒ (Seoul, T’ongilyǒn’guwǒn, 2017, p. 143).
55 Interview with NK Refugee 8, 10 July 2017.
56 Interview with NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017.
57 Interview with NK Refugee 13, 11 July 2017.
58 Interview with NK Refugee 16, 27 July 2017. A similar point was made by NK Refugee 17, interviewed on 17 July 2017.
59 Interview with NK Refugee 6, 8 July 2017.
60 Interview with NK Refugee 5, 8 July 2017.
61 Interview with NK Refugee 10, 10 July 2017.
62 Interview with NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017.
63 Interview with NK Refugee 10, 10 July 2017.
64 Interview with NK Refugee 11, 11 July 2017.
65 Interview with NK Refugee 1, 4 July 2017.
66 Interview with NK Refugee 19, 31 July 2017.
67 Interview with NK Refugee 7, 8 July 2017.
68 ‘Saramdŭrŭl chŏngsinjŏk pulgujaro mandŭnŭn wihŏmhan tokso’, Rodong sinmun, 13 May 2011.
69 See also Scalapino and Lee (Citation1972).
70 See ‘Chabonjuŭi saenghwalbangsigŭn musŏun mayak’, Rodong sinmun, 28 November 2001; ‘Sahoewa inganŭl chomŏgnŭn wihŏmhan Tokso’, Rodong sinmun, 5 August 2004; ‘Purŭjoa sasangmunhwanŭn wihŏmhan tokso’, Rodong sinmun, 6 March 2007; ‘Chabonjuŭi sahoeŭi todŏkchŏk pupaesŏngŭn magŭlsu ŏptta’, Rodong sinmun, 23 May 2010; ‘Saramdŭrŭl chŏngsinjŏk pulgujaro mandŭnŭn wihŏmhan tokso’, Rodong sinmun, 13 May 2011; ‘Inganŭi todokchŏk pupaerŭl pijŏnaenŭn chabonjuŭi sahoe’, Rodong sinmun, 28 May 2011.
71 Interviews with: NK Refugee 1, 4 July 2017; NK Refugee 10, 10 July 2017; NK Refugee 11, 11 July 2017.
72 Interviews with: NK Refugee 14, 13 July 2017; NK Refugee 16, 27 July 2017; NK Refugee 17, 27 July 2017.
73 Interviews with: NK Refugee 7, 8 July 2017; NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017.
74 Interview with NK Refugee 14, 13 July 2017.
75 Interview with NK Refugee 20, 2 August 2017.
76 Interview with NK Refugee 8, 10 July 2017.
77 Interview with NK Refugee 4, 5 July 2017.
78 Interview with NK Refugee 18, 28 July 2017.
79 Interview with NK Refugee 15, 21 July 2017.
80 Interview with NK Refugee 17, 27 July 2017.
81 Interview with NK Refugee 15, 21 July 2017.
82 Interview with NK Refugee 3, 5 July 2017.
83 Interview with NK Refugee 6, 8 July 2017.
84 ‘Puk chumindŭl ijen narannildo kongtcharo anheajunda’, DailyNK, 8 January 2007.
85 Interview with NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017.
86 Interview with NK Refugee 9, 10 July 2017.
87 Interviews with: NK Refugee 8, 10 July 2017; NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017.
88 Interviews with: NK Refugee 16, 27 July 2017; NK Refugee 17, 27 July 2017; NK Refugee 18, 28 July 2017.
89 Interview with NK Refugee 19, 31 July 2017.
90 Interview with NK Refugee 11, 11 July 2017.
91 Interview with NK Refugee 20, 2 August 2017.
92 Interview with NK Refugee 23, 8 August 2017.
93 Interview with NK Refugee 16, 27 July 2017.
94 Interview with NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017.
95 Interview with NK Refugee 1, 4 July 2017.
96 Interview with NK Refugee 11, 11 July 2017.
97 Interview with NK Refugee 20, 2 August 2017.
98 Interview with NK Refugee 23, 8 August 2017.
99 Interview with NK Refugee 10, 10 July 2017.
100 ‘Chegukchuŭi myŏlmangŭn pulgapihada’, Rodong sinmun, 14 March 1992; ‘Chegukchuŭi myŏlmangŭi pulgapisŏng’, Rodong sinmun, 24 September 2002; ‘Chegukchuŭi ch’imryakch’aektonge taech’ŏhagi wihan sasangjŏk mugi’, Rodong sinmun, 22 July 2006; ‘Sahoejuŭinŭn gŭ chillisŏngŭro pandŭsi sŭngrihanda’, Rodong sinmun, 2 November 2011.
101 Interview with NK Refugee 1, 4 July 2017; similar sentiments from interviews with: NK Refugee 10, 10 July 2017; NK Refugee 13, 11 July 2017; NK Refugee 19, 31 July 2017; NK Refugee 23, 8 August 2017; see also Dukalskis (Citation2017, p. 38, 106–9).
102 Interview with NK Refugee 1, 4 July 2017.
103 Interview with NK Refugee 19, 31 July 2017.
104 Interview with NK Refugee 4, 5 July 2017.
105 Interviews with: NK Refugee 10, 10 July 2017; NK Refugee 11, 11 July 2017; NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017; NK Refugee 23, 8 August 2017.
106 Interview with NK Refugee 11, 11 July 2017.
107 ‘Puk inminbanjang ta moanokk’o ch’ongriga hwapyegaehyŏk sagwahatta’, Chosun ilbo, 11 February 2010.
108 Interviews with: NK Refugee 1, 4 July 2017; NK Refugee 19, 31 July 2017; NK Refugee 21, 2 August 2017; NK Refugee 22, 6 August 2017.
109 Interview with NK Refugee 23, 8 August 2017.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Alexander Dukalskis
Alexander Dukalskis, School of Politics & International Relations, University College Dublin, Newman Building Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. Email: [email protected]
Hyung-Min Joo
Hyung-min Joo, Department of Political Science & International Relations, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 0284, Republic of Korea. Email: [email protected]