This study aims at analyzing the logic of North Korea's Military-first politics' represented in 『Rodong-shinmoon』from 1998 to 2007. With the contents analysis of the primary materials for 10 years, the consistency and change of 'Military-first politic ...
This study aims at analyzing the logic of North Korea's Military-first politics' represented in 『Rodong-shinmoon』from 1998 to 2007. With the contents analysis of the primary materials for 10 years, the consistency and change of 'Military-first politics' were traced on one side, and the connection between 'Military-first ideas(sungunsasang)' and strategies towards domestic, and South Korean areas was identified on the other side.
The logical structure of 'Military-first politics' is generally composed of the relationship with state strategy, and its political, social and ideological bases. 'Military-first politics' is the method to totally win over imperialism in the confrontation in politics, foreign relations and military affairs, and then to construct a 'strong an prosperous country', that is, it is the way to achieve the state strategic goals. the political basis of 'Military-first politics' lies in the party (general staff section) and the military forces (main powers), the social basis of that does in unity of the military and civilians, and its ideological basis does in 'Military-first ideas'. The characteristics of 'Military-first politics' can be presented with a long-term strategy, the combination of politics and military, historicity and the succession and its thoughts. 'Military-first ideas' brought out to rationalize 'Military-first politics' on one hand, and it has sprung out in the practice of facilitating 'Juche ideology' as a method to carry out or internalize 'Military-first politics'.
There are three points in the consistency of 'Military-first politics', which are a brand-new political(ruling) method by Kim Jong Il, the leading role of the party and the anti-imperialist and self-dependent characteristic. 'Military-first politics' has become concrete and enlarged its range in this way: Spotlighting the brand-new political(ruling) method → justification through the link with Kim Il Sung (emphases on historicity and tradition) / extension from domestic policy to South Korean policy → internalization through an emphasis on the exclusive concentration on 'Military-first politics' → announcement of 'Military-first era'. Through this process, North Korea taught concrete substance to its people and has tried to draw a harmonious unity of the people in construction of economy and the unification policy.
The logic of 'Military-first politics' is applied in the level of domestic, South Korean and unification policies. North Korea rationalized the system centered in Kim Jong Il, chairman of National Defense Commission in the ruling level with it and through 'Military-first logic', it also utilized military forces in economic (labour mobilization) and social (learning and following) level. And in the level of South Korean and unification policies, North Korea also applies it in claims of strengthening anti-Americanism and persisting an initiative of unification. North Korea insisted that the confrontation with United States is not only opposing between two countries but anti-imperialist struggle and upheld the value of 'Military-first politics' in that struggle, and it also proclaimed that 'Military-first politics' provided South Korea with a favorable phase for its independence, people and unification, and added that full support of 'Military-first politics' by the whole nation is the right way to unification of the korean peninsula.