Domestic Conditions
It is difficult to pinpoint an exact date when North Korea was different to what it is today. However, conditions within North Korea during the late 1980s and early 1990s were significantly different to what we see today. In 1987, the World Bank estimated that North Korea’s per capita income was approximately two-thirds of South Korea, and higher than China, should this statistic be taken on face value. Some experts such as Dr. Ibrahim Sirkeci, based at the University of London, assert that North Korea was considered to be an economic and social success under the songun ideology of Kim Il-Sung.
Additionally, one should consider the extensive social and welfare programs that were in place before Kim Jong Un assumed power. These included benefits such as full employment, food subsidies, and free housing which ensured basic sustenance. The Food and Agricultural Organization similarly provided estimates showing that North Korea had an adequate balance of nutrition with little to no hunger.
International Relationships
Prior to Kim Jong Un’s rule, North Korea had a reputation for its mysteriousness. In 1989, a World Values Survey found that not one respondent from South Korea and Japan held a positive view of North Korea. This was partially due to the frequency of internationalization of human rights violations, such as those cited in the landmark 1995 Tokyo Tribunal. North Korea’s changed character since the nuclear tests of 2006 was thanks to the emergence of Kim Jong Un, who has markedly tried to diversify North Korea’s relationships abroad.
North Korea has since sought to draw closer to countries which would otherwise have been on the fringes of international relations. Superficially, these relationships have been maintained through beneficial business arrangements and humanitarian aid provisions. Kim Jong Un’s diplomatic visit to Singapore in 2018 and the latter being a key mediator in facilitating between both the US and North Korea has been a milestone, serving as a noteworthy example of the newfound openness of the leadership.
Humanitarian and Civil Rights
North Korea was known for its terrible record on human rights violations even before Kim Jong Un took power in 2011. However, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has highlighted that modifications have taken place since Kim Jong Un’s rule that could be seen as a shift towards a more humane model of behavior. These include the renegotiation of shipping routes on the Yalu river, which eased of passage from both China and North Korea, and fluctuations in tariffs that allowed North Korean citizens to engage in trade of goods with their Chinese counterparts.
The UNHRC has also noted however, that international relations should remain wary, with progress not necessarily rendering North Korea’s underlying condition more socially acceptable. Reports still exists on insidious actions such as forced labor and inhumane prison camps, hence more can be done to improve human rights within North Korea.
Political Dynamics
Political dynamics within North Korea have undergone significant change since Kim Jong Un. Most significant of these is the phenomenon of political reorganization. At the 7th Workers’ Party (WPK) Congress in 2016, it was proposed that the powers of the WPK leadership be vastly centralized and controlled by the Central Committee, rather than the various local communist parties scattered throughout the country. This included provisions that the WPK leadership have the ability to command several non-electoral bureaus and subcommittees that would provide the power to enact policy seemingly without scrutiny.
It is not known to what degree this proposal has been followed. Debate still exists as to whether this law was implemented correctly, given that it disregards the sovereignty of local communist parties and creates a leadership structure with questionable checks and balances.
Living Conditions
It is difficult to know with certainty the exact changes to living conditions as a result of Kim Jong Un’s leadership. Reports from the Bank of Korea suggest that there are signs of improvement in the quality of life in North Korea, with increases in wages and the availability of subsidized housing. However ground realities such as poverty, food insecurity and education disparities still exist, leading to scepticism of the quality of the improvement.
International aid organisations such as the Swedish NGO, Individuell Mainsdan, have highlighted that even with higher wages, it is difficult leave poverty in North Korea, due to its lack of a competitive economy. In addition, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation underscores the fact there are still some vulnerable regions in North Korea facing malnutrition and inadequate nutrition due to both external and internal famine forces.
Political and Economic Stability
The advent of Kim Jong Un has seen a significant degree of political and economic stability in North Korea. This has been helped by the fact that Kim Jong Un has found success in placating both international and domestic needs. International hostility has been quelled by the degree of openness of North Korea towards international relations and trade, with The Pyongyang Project even stating that it is now beneficial for businesses to trade with North Korea. Similarly, domestically, the Strategic Economic Development Plan, compiled and aimed by 9th Supreme People’s Assembly in April 2016, has been constructed within the idea of Kim Jong Un’s songun ideology and seeks to achieve economic reform within a context of a strong central government.
Political commentators, such as Dr. Ellen Kim, have highlighted however, that due to the significant amount of political and economic reforms, North Korea should not be considered a strong and stable government as purported by international payment providers, such as PayPal and Western Union, that have since helped to facilitate capital flow into North Korea.
Social Welfare and Infrastructure
An oft noted decline in North Korea has been in the amount of social welfare and infrastructure under Kim Jong Un. Reports from the World Bank and even from South Korea suggest that the amount of government spending and investing in social infrastructure has severely dropped in the past decade, paralleled by significant increases in military expenditure. This decline in the amount of spending in the public sector can be seen in the decrease in food subsidies and the increase in students enrolling in fee-based universities.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) also maintains reports and updates this information on a regular basis, highlighting the fact that conditions regarding public goods such as housing, food, and electricity supply continue to decline, as governments lack both the resources and knowledge to ensure a balanced infrastructure.
Relationship with South Korea
The relationship with South Korea has seen a significant change since the assumption of Kim Jong Un. As early as the 2010s, North and South Korea had begun to reconcile their differences and disputes, leading to several agreements ranging from the cessation of military hostilities to the reconnaissance and repatriation of long lost family members.
The most significant of these being the Panmunjom Declaration, where both North and South Korea declared to strive for a peace treaty and the improvement of relations. It is clear that Kim Jong Un has played a major role in this effort to improve the relationship between both countries, allowing for the South Korean president to visit Pyongyang in 2018 and Kim Jong Un’s diplomatic visit to Seoul in 2019 to meet with the South Korean President.
Culture, Music and Media
Prior to Kim Jong Un, North Korean culture and the media had been largely inaccessible to the international community. The diverging views of domestic experts highlighted the fact that there have been notable changes in the media landscape under Kim Jong Un, including a more vibrant media scene, with restrictions on foreign media also apparently more relaxed when compared to before.
North Korean music had also become more accessible to international citizens, with acts such as Hyon Song Wol at the 2018 Winter Olympics held in South Korea posing a challenge to the traditional divide between both Koreas, serving as a strong representation of the merged interests of both countries.
The culture of North Korea under Kim Jong Un has been regarded by some experts, such as Hwang Jong Yuk, a Senior Lecturer at Seoul National University, as now being largely a combination of import culture from other countries and nostalgia for the culture of the 1940s and 1950s, a period that which many North Koreans regard with fondness.
