North Korea is on the verge of opening up to the world, the reclusive ideological state now seems to understand that she can’t be Juche for much longer. The economy of NK was really quite good by the early 80’s, but it really began to decelerate by the 90’s. The North Korea economy suffered its biggest blow with the floods of 1995 when massive amounts of the countries weak infrastructure, and farmland were inundated by the flood waters. The country also faces a large energy problems: The crisis on the Korean Peninsula is really quite unnecessary. North Korea is moving from its ideological tinge to one of pragmatism. The country cannot afford to be Juche anymore, and the US has a golden opportunity to strike a deal with NK. You must understand NK’s position vis-à-vis the US in this instance. For a country like NK whose infrastructure is virtually destroyed, whose economy is only now growing again, and reforming. The prospect of having a nuclear weapon, and IRBM’s/ICBM’s to show your military might is not so illogical after all. Kim doesn’t want war, the old time members of the party do. What Kim wants is that NK opens up and is respected internationally. Now I am not 100% how sincere Kim is with his nuclear weapons, but if it means becoming the new Vietnam or China I think he would be wiling to seriously contemplate that scenario. People call NK, and its regime “insane” or “megalomaniac”, if anything the NK regime is calculating. Kim understands that NK needs to reform, or die, and die in NK lingo involves everyone. With the capitalistic growth in NK now evident, the US and the region has a grand opportunity to sway NK politics.
