North Korea's Juche Ideology and the German Re-Unification Experience; Master's thesis

摘要

This thesis analyzes potential socio-cultural discord upon eventual Korean national reunification owing to the predominance of the cultic state ideology of Juche in North Korea. The hypothesis investigated is as follows: upon eventual Korean reunification, significant problems of national social cohesion, at least as serious as those faced by the reunified Germany since 1990, should be expected. To this day -- nearly two decades and an estimated 1.5 trillion Euros after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 -- reunified Germany is recurrently affected by socio-cultural conflicts based on ingrained values, past ideological conditioning, and the resulting emotional ties and behavior patterns of the former East and West German societies. Juche could foster similar or graver phenomena in a reunified Korean society, ultimately impeding successful reunification. However, it is possible that the Kim dynasty's virtuosity in adapting and developing Juche might make it appeal to both Korean societies. Instead of constituting an ideological barrier, Juche's pan-Korean components might be transformed into a common ground that alleviates societal conflict and facilitates the reunification process.