새터민 정착지원과 북한의 민주화 = Support for the Settlement of North Korean Defectors and North Korea`s Democratization

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study aims to speculate on the possibility of democratization in North Korea as we have concentrated on the settlement of North Korean defectors in South Korea and the knowledge that North Korea will collapse. Therefore, the different paths toward reunification of the Korean peninsula should be considered. What is important is that settlement of North Korean defectors in South Korea as well as North Korea`s democratization can be encouraged through participation of the people. North Korea will collapse at anytime due to its rigid and strong system of dictatorship. What we have found from German unification is that unification can be achieved suddenly and it was achieved as East Germany wanted it. Also, it is believed that the market economy of China can bring innovation and openness to North Korea. To sum up, support for the settlement of defectors` and North Korea`s democratization are different themes, but if commonality between them is found, North Korea can be democratized and subsequently North and South Korea can be reunified. Of course, for this, the strong Kim Jung-il regime has to collapse and North Korea should be encouraged to take up democratization. We are motivated in this because about 20,000 defectors have already settled in South Korea.