There have been regular predictions of North Korea’s imminent collapse. Yet, by adapting to changing circumstances, and finding new supply lines and revenue streams, the state has managed to bypass an increasingly strict sanctions regime aimed at rolling back its nuclear program. This article details the economic flows that continue to keep North Korea alive, against all odds, but argued that these areas are difficult to target as even “smart sanctions” are highly likely to have a range of adverse effects on the wider population. That said, this article recommends continued monitoring of the arms trade, and measures to squeeze the court economy and to target remittances from exported laborers. Yet such efforts have to be combined with a smarter diplomacy built on engagement.
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