This study aims to explore mutual relationship between marketization phenomenon and population's changing value perspective in North Korea, which has been in progressed since the Kim Jong-Il's political regime's inauguration in 1994. Its main analytic...
This study aims to explore mutual relationship between marketization phenomenon and population's changing value perspective in North Korea, which has been in progressed since the Kim Jong-Il's political regime's inauguration in 1994. Its main analytic focus is on the period after North Korea's The July Economic Management Reform (so-called as The July First Measure) in 2002 from hegemony theory's point-of-view.
Hegemony theory can be best applied to the analysis of unilateral and intentional political socialization in North Korean society. North Korea's collectivist value system has effectively been internalized into its people's mind-set and practices through its political resocializing process. However, continuing economic crisis, marketizing trend and weakening social safety network have also instigated and increased unexpected individualism in its society. Accordingly marketization has been operated as a newly emerging factor or content during its political socialization process.
North Korean authorities permitted the introduction of 'Jonghapsijang (integrated market)' after the July Reform. In this new market, diverse types of merchants can participate in diverse commercial activities or businesses. As a result, North Korea's market sector, legal or illegal, was already enlarged and most North Koreans can't lead their everyday life without market mechanism.
From the authorities' stand, the necessity to check recent overflowing individualism has been raised. Though they reemphasize consistent solidarity as an alternative measure, the resulting effect of it is yet to be known.