Study on the PRC-DPRK Alliance: Focusing on Historical Development of Alliance.

摘要

The PRC-DPRK alliance has shown strong resiliency during the past six decades despite numerous challenges both within and outside the bilateral relations. The last nuclear test conducted by North Korea in early 2013 has brought the relations to a nadir. It is difficult to assess the current state of affairs between China and the DPRK; however, one aspect that is certain is that it has fundamentally changed in contrast to their old relationship during the Cold War period. The purpose of this study is to predict how changes in the bilateral relationship between China and the DPRK will affect the international security environment in the near future and suggest the implications for ROK's national security based on historical analysis. In this study, there are several key periods (strengthened and weakened junctures) in the PRC-North Korea alliance from the Kim Il-sung era to the Kim Jong-eun era, which will be examined using the historical comparative analysis perspective in order to assess the continuities and discontinuities of PRC-DPRK alliance in the future.