NORTH KOREA’S NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR SOUTH KOREA

This paper aims to draw policy implications for the South Korean government’s policy towards North Korea as year 2013 will be a defining moment for the two Koreas. South Korea’s new Park Geun-Hye Administration is expected to pursue a North Korean policy that is similar to the previous administration’s strong stance. Both the incoming and outgoing administrations have expressed their will to cooperate and have consistency on its North Korean policy in response to North Korea’s 3rd nuclear test occurred in February 2013.Meanwhile the Kim Jung-Un regime is expected to continue on solidifying the regime as did during the past two years. Nuclear weapons and their unique brinkmanship tactics, whether be it successful or not, will be at the forefront of their negotiation strategies. In this paper, North Korea’s strategy is analyzed in the context of their value, international and domestic threats, military and diplomatic strategies, and urgency to lay a foundation for unwavering leadership transition from Kim Jong-Il to Kim JongUn. Based on the analysis, this paper proposes suggestions for the South Korean government in three fields of military, diplomacy, and politics. South Korean government shall take a multifaceted approach towards North Korea, and expedite its policies in a proactive manner.