Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Japanese: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国 - ちょうせんみんしゅしゅぎじんみんきょうわこく

◎Official name: Democratic People's Republic of Korea. ◎Area: 122,762 ^km2 . ◎Population: 23.99 million (2010). ◎Capital: Pyongyang (2.58 million, 2008). ◎Residents: Koreans. ◎Religion: Approximately two-thirds are non-believers. Shamanism, Cheondoism, Buddhism, Christianity, etc. ◎Language: Korean (official language). ◎Currency: Won. ◎Head of state: First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kim Jong Un (born 1983). ◎Prime Minister: Pak Pong Ju (inaugurated April 2013). ◎Constitution: Enacted December 1972 (recently amended in 1992 and 1998). ◎National Assembly: Unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (687 representatives elected for the 11th term in August 2003, five-year term). The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly is Kim Yong Nam (born 1928, inaugurated September 1998). ◎GNI - $25.6 billion (2006, Bank of Korea estimate). ◎GNI per capita - $1,108 (2006, Bank of Korea estimate). ◎Proportion of people employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing - 27.9% (2003). ◎Average life expectancy - 66.4 years for men, 73.4 years for women (2013). ◎Infant mortality rate - 26‰ (2010). ◎Literacy rate - 100% (2008). ＊＊〔Establishment of the state and the Kim Il-sung regime〕 The People's Republic occupies the northern half of Korea and was established on September 9, 1948. Immediately after World War II, Soviet troops entered the country, and people's committees at each level were established in the five provinces north of the 38th parallel. In August 1948, the Supreme People's Assembly delegates were elected, and the constitution was adopted in September, establishing the country. 9 provinces, 1 directly controlled city (Pyongyang). The highest authority is the Supreme People's Assembly, which has standing committees under it. Political parties include the Workers' Party of Korea (Communist Party), the Democratic Party, and the Cheondogyo Youth Party. In 1949, the major political parties came together to form the Fatherland Unification Democratic Front. In 1950, the Korean War began with the aim of unifying the country by advancing south, but it caused great damage to both the North and South, leading to a ceasefire in 1953. Chairman Kim Il-sung then purged and eliminated South Korean Workers' Party and Yenan faction officials, establishing a policy of self-reliance. From the 1970s onwards, he advocated the Juche ideology, enacted a new constitution in 1972, and attempted to transform the country into a socialist industrial country that would pursue a revolutionary policy of independence, self-reliance, and self-defense in all areas of national activity. North Korea's international standing rose rapidly as a result of its promotion of a non-aligned approach, but in the late 1970s, growth stagnated due to the tendency for the Non-Aligned Movement to split and economic stagnation caused by the expansion of foreign debt. Dialogue between North and South Korea has been held intermittently since the 1972 North-South Joint Statement, and the first North-South prime ministerial meeting was held in 1990. With the thawing of the Cold War system, North and South Korea simultaneously joined the United Nations in 1991, and an agreement was reached to hold a North-South summit in 1994, but this was thwarted by the death of Chairman Kim Il-sung. After the death of Chairman Kim, the position of chairman remained vacant, which was an abnormal situation. [Kim Jong-il regime] At the Supreme People's Assembly in September 1998, Kim Jong-il was reappointed chairman of the National Defense Commission, and North Korea declared that "the chairman of the National Defense Commission is the highest post in the state." During this time, while the economy of South Korea grew, North Korea's economy faced difficulties due to the collapse of the socialist systems of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and the effects of natural disasters. After the end of the Cold War and the emergence of the North Korean nuclear issue, the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) was realized through the mediation of the United States (later thwarted by the nuclear issue), and on the other hand, special economic zone policies were promoted through the Tumen River Development Plan, which also involved China and Russia. Since 1995, food shortages due to floods and droughts have become serious, and the number of defectors from North Korea has increased sharply, while on the other hand, North Korea has demonstrated its military strength with the Nodong-1 (launched in 1993) and the Taepodong (1998). However, with the Kim Dae-jung administration, which was launched in South Korea in 1998, announcing a policy of acceptance (sunshine policy) toward North Korea, the first North-South summit was held in Pyongyang in June 2000, and with the North-South Joint Declaration, North-South relations began to move toward reconciliation and cooperation. Under the Roh Moo-hyun administration, which inherited the Kim Dae-jung administration's North Korea policy, South Korea also promoted North-South reconciliation centering on economic assistance. During this time, North Korea sought to transition to a market economy through the "Economic Management Improvement Measures" from July 2002, and South Korean capital entered the Kaesong Industrial Zone as part of North-South cooperation, and began shipping products at the end of 2004. A ceremony to connect the North-South railway was held in June 2003, and test runs were conducted in May 2006. Under these circumstances, Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi visited North Korea in September 2002 to negotiate the restoration of diplomatic relations between Japan and North Korea, and after a top-level meeting with Kim Jong-il, the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration was announced. However, after North Korea acknowledged the facts and apologized, albeit incompletely, regarding the so-called "Japanese abduction issue," and the abductees returned to Japan, Japanese public opinion boiled over, leading to the termination of Japan-North Korea negotiations. During this time, as the US began its attack on Iraq in March 2003, North Korea, which was named by the Bush administration as part of the "axis of evil" along with Iraq and Iran, demonstrated military force over the issue of nuclear weapons development, aiming to break through through North Korea-US negotiations. In August 2003, North Korea agreed to six-party talks (North and South Korea, the US, China, Japan, and Russia), but the talks were suspended at the third round in June of the following year. In order to continue diplomatic maneuvering with the second Bush administration, which was launched in 2005, aiming for direct negotiations with the US, North Korea launched a series of ballistic missiles in July 2006 and conducted an underground nuclear test in October of the same year, which caused tensions to rise sharply. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution to impose sanctions on North Korea, further deepening its isolation in the international community. In 2008, when the Lee Myung-bak administration of the Grand National Party came to power in South Korea, which advocated a review of the reconciliatory policy, North Korea took an even more hard-line stance, taking steps one after another, such as closing down the Kaesong Industrial Complex, which could be considered a symbol of the reconciliatory approach. In April 2009, North Korea launched a long-range missile, and in May it conducted a nuclear test and missile launches, continuing to adopt a brinkmanship policy that further increased international tensions. In 2010, a South Korean patrol boat sank for an unknown reason, raising suspicions of involvement, and the country then shelled Yeonpyeong Island in South Korean territory (Yeonpyeong Island incident), further increasing tensions. This was seen as a sign of increased activity aimed at tightening the regime's grip, which was linked to the Obama administration's guarantee of the regime and the imminent issue of Kim Jong-il's successor. Kim Jong-un, the third son of North Korea, was considered the most likely successor, having been elected vice-chairman of the Military Commission in 2010. [Kim Jong-un regime] Kim Jong-il died in December 2011, and it was announced both at home and abroad that Kim Jong-un was the supreme leader who would succeed him, and he was also named Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army. Kim Jong Un was appointed First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and the 3rd Chairman of the Central Military Commission in April 2012, completing the process of hereditary power succession. It is a hereditary dictatorship that has lasted for three generations, and is called a "Republic" in name only. However, on April 13, immediately after the succession of power, the launch of a long-range ballistic missile, which was forced through amid international criticism, failed, and there were concerns that the country would conduct a nuclear test to demonstrate its authority both at home and abroad. In December 2012, it successfully launched a long-range ballistic missile. It is said to be a long-range missile with a range that can reach the west coast of the United States. In February 2013, it conducted its fourth nuclear test. It is said to have succeeded in developing an enhanced atomic bomb and miniaturizing a nuclear warhead. North Korea strongly opposes the US-South Korea military exercises, and has declared the complete cancellation of the Korean War armistice agreement signed with the United Nations and China. It has also continued to prepare for missile launches, escalating tensions with the United States and South Korea. The Security Council issued a resolution of condemnation immediately after the missile launch and nuclear test, and moved to strengthen sanctions. The United States dispatched Secretary of Defense John Kerry to China to strongly urge China to use its influence on North Korea, and Chinese authorities also issued a statement condemning North Korea, but North Korea's stance has not changed. North Korea's aim is said to be to have the United States recognize North Korea as a nuclear power. In May 2013, China suspended remittance services to North Korea by China's four major state-owned banks. In South Korea, President Park Geun-hye has actively pursued diplomacy with China while showing her desire for unification of the two Koreas, and has expanded the scope of cooperation not only in economic and cultural exchanges but also in security, enhancing the strategic cooperative partnership between South Korea and China. Amid these moves, North Korea has strengthened its threatening and confrontational stance, conducting live-fire exercises in the West Sea, launching short-range missiles into the East Sea (Sea of Japan), and preparing to resume nuclear tests. In the midst of this, in December 2013, the government suddenly announced the purge of Jang Song-thaek, vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, who was Kim Jong-un's uncle-in-law and the number two man in the administration and seen as his guardian. Jang Song-thaek was expelled from the Workers' Party of Korea, immediately sentenced to death for "conspiracy to overthrow the state" and executed on the same day, and it appears that a large-scale purge of Jang Song-thaek's connections had been carried out. Various speculations were reported, such as a fierce battle for interests over resource exports between the military and the party, and a power struggle, but the truth is completely unknown. There were also speculations that relations with China were rapidly cooling due to the purge of Jang Song-thaek, who was an important window for relations with China. The purge is certainly intended to strengthen Kim Jong-un's dictatorial regime, and is said to be promoting a generational change in military and party officials, including his close associates. →Korea/Republic of Korea→Related topicsKorean Air bombing incident | Moon Sun Myung

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

◎正式名称−朝鮮民主主義人民共和国Democratic People's Republic of Korea。◎面積−12万2762km²。◎人口−2399万人（2010）。◎首都−ピョンヤン（平壌）（258万人，2008）。◎住民−朝鮮人。◎宗教−無信仰の者が約３分の２。シャマニズム，天道教，仏教，キリスト教など。◎言語−朝鮮語（公用語）。◎通貨−ウォン。◎元首−朝鮮労働党第一書記，金正恩（キム・ジョンウン）（1983年生れ）。◎首相−朴奉珠（パク・ポンジュ）（2013年４月発足）。◎憲法−1972年12月制定（最近では1992年，1998年に改正）。◎国会−一院制の最高人民会議（2003年８月に第11期代表687名を選出，任期５年）。最高人民会議常任委員会委員長は金永南（キム・ヨンナム）（1928年生れ，1998年９月就任）。◎GNI−256億ドル（2006。韓国銀行推定）。◎１人当りGNI−1108ドル（2006。韓国銀行推定）。◎農林・漁業就業者比率−27.9％（2003）。◎平均寿命−男66.4歳，女73.4歳（2013）。◎乳児死亡率−26‰（2010）。◎識字率−100％（2008）。　　　　＊　　　　＊〔国家成立と金日成体制〕　朝鮮の北半を占め，1948年９月９日に成立した人民共和国。第２次大戦後直ちにソ連軍が進駐し，38度線以北の５道に各級人民委員会を設置，1948年８月，最高人民会議代議員の選挙を経て，９月憲法を採択して成立した。９道，１直轄市（平壌）。最高権力機関は最高人民会議で，その下に常任委員会がある。政党は朝鮮労働党（共産党），民主党，天道教青友党など。1949年主要政党団体を結集して，祖国統一民主主義戦線を結成した。1950年に南進統一をめざして朝鮮戦争を開始したが，南北に甚大な損害をもたらして1953年休戦にいたった。主席金日成はその後，南朝鮮労働党系や延安派の幹部を粛清・排除して，〈自力更生〉路線を確立。1970年代からは〈主体（チュチェ）思想〉を唱道し，1972年新憲法を制定し，国家活動の全分野で自主・自立・自衛の革命路線を貫徹する社会主義工業国への転換をはかった。対外的に非同盟路線の推進により国際的地位は急速に高まったが，1970年代後半に入って，非同盟運動の分裂傾向，対外債務の膨張による経済の行詰りなどで伸び悩んだ。南北朝鮮の対話は1972年の〈南北共同声明〉を画期として断続的に行われ，1990年南北の首相会談が初めて実現した。東西冷戦体制の融解に伴い1991年南北同時に国連に加盟し，1994年には南北首脳会談開催が合意されたが，金日成主席の死去で頓挫した。金主席の死後，金正日の後継体制が用意されながら，主席の座が空席という異常事態が続いた。〔金正日体制〕　1998年９月の最高人民会議で金正日は国防委員長に再任され，北朝鮮は〈国防委員長は国家の最高ポスト〉と言明した。この間，南の韓国の経済成長に対して北朝鮮の経済は，ソ連・東欧の社会主義体制の崩壊や自然災害の影響もあって難局に直面した。冷戦終結後に北朝鮮の核問題が浮上した後，米国の仲介により朝鮮半島エネルギー開発機構（KEDO）の構想が実現に向かい（その後，核問題で頓挫），他方では中国・ロシアもからむ豆満江開発計画などによる経済特区政策も進められた。1995年以降，洪水・干害などによる食糧不足が深刻化しており，北朝鮮から亡命する〈脱北者〉も急増したが，他方ではノドン１号（1993年発射），テポドン（1998年）などによる軍事的示威を行っている。しかし，韓国で1998年発足した金大中政権が北朝鮮への〈包容政策（太陽政策）〉を掲げるなかで，2000年６月平壌で南北首脳会談が初めて実現し，〈南北共同宣言〉で南北関係は和解・協力に向かいはじめた。金大中政権の対北朝鮮政策を継承した盧武鉉政権下でも韓国は経済支援を軸に南北融和を推進した。この間，北朝鮮では2002年７月から〈経済管理改善措置〉により市場経済への移行が模索され，また南北協力として開城工業地区に韓国資本が進出，2004年末には製品出荷を開始した。2003年６月には南北鉄道の連結式が挙行され，2006年５月試運転が行われた。このような状況のもとで日朝国交回復交渉のために，2002年９月，日本の小泉首相が訪朝し，金正日とのトップ会談のうえ，〈日朝平壌宣言〉が発表された。しかし，いわゆる〈日本人拉致問題〉について北朝鮮が不十分ながら事実を認めて謝罪，被拉致者の日本帰国後，日本の世論が沸騰し，日朝交渉は中絶するに至った。この間，米国のイラク攻撃が2003年３月に始まるなかで，イラク，イランとともに〈悪の枢軸〉と米国のブッシュ政権から名指しされた北朝鮮は，核兵器開発をめぐる問題で軍事的示威を行い，朝米交渉による打開をめざした。2003年８月に６ヵ国協議（南北朝鮮，米国，中国，日本，ロシア）に応じたが，翌年６月の第３回で中断，米国との直接交渉を狙って2005年発足の第２次ブッシュ政権との外交的駆引きを続けるために，2006年７月に弾道ミサイルを連続発射，同年10月には地下核実験を実施し緊張が一気に高まった。国連安保理は北朝鮮制裁決議を全会一致で採択し，国際社会における孤立を一段と深めた。2008年韓国に融和政策見直しを提唱するハンナラ党・李明博政権が登場すると，北朝鮮は，融和路線の象徴ともいえる開城工業地区閉鎖などを次々打ち出し，さらに強硬路線を深めた。2009年４月長距離ミサイル発射，５月核実験及びミサイル発射を連続して行い，国際的緊張をさらにたかめる瀬戸際政策をとり続けた。2010年には，韓国哨戒艇の原因不明の沈没事件が起こり，関与の疑惑が浮上，さらに韓国領内の大延坪島を砲撃する事件（大延坪島事件）を引き起こし，緊張が高まった。米国オバマ政権による体制保証と差し迫った金正日後継者問題も絡んだ体制の内部引き締めを狙う活動が活発化していることの表れと見られた。後継者としては，2010年，軍事委員会副委員長に選出された三男の金正恩が有力とされた。〔金正恩体制〕　2011年12月金正日が死去，内外に金正恩後継の最高指導者であることが示され，続いて朝鮮人民軍最高司令官ともされた。金正恩は，2012年４月，朝鮮労働党第一書記，第３代中央軍事委員会委員長に就任，権力世襲のプロセスが完了したと見られる。〈共和国〉とは名ばかりの３代にわたる世襲独裁体制。しかし権力継承の直後の４月13日，国際的批判のなかで強行した長距離弾道ミサイルの発射に失敗，権威を内外に示すために核実験を行うのではないかと懸念された。2012年12月，長距離弾道ミサイルの発射に成功。アメリカ西海岸を射程圏内とする長距離ミサイルといわれる。さらに2013年２月，４度目の核実験を行った。強化原爆の開発と核弾頭の小型化に成功したとされている。北朝鮮は，米韓軍事演習に強く反発しており，国連・中国との間で調印した朝鮮戦争休戦協定の全面白紙化を宣言，さらに，ミサイル発射の構えをとり続け，米国・韓国との緊張関係をエスカレートさせた。安保理はミサイル発射・核実験の直後に非難決議を出し制裁強化に動き，米国は，ケリー国防長官を中国に派遣し中国の北朝鮮への影響力行使を強く要請，中国当局も北朝鮮非難の声明を出したが，北朝鮮の姿勢に変化は見られない。北朝鮮の狙いは，米国に北朝鮮を核保有国として認知させることにあるとされる。2013年５月，中国は中国４大国有銀行の北朝鮮向け送金業務を停止。韓国は朴槿恵大統領が南北統一に意欲を見せつつ対中国外交を積極的に進め，韓中間〈戦略的協力パートナー関係〉の充実と経済・文化交流のみならず安保面での協力の幅を広げた。北朝鮮はこうした動きのなか，西海での実弾演習，東海（日本海）への短距離ミサイル発射，さらに核実験再開の構えをとるなど，威嚇と対抗姿勢を強めた。そうしたなか2013年12月突如，政権ナンバー２で金正恩の後見人と目されていた義理の叔父である張成沢・国防委員会副委員長の粛清を発表した。張成沢は朝鮮労働党から除名，即時に〈国家転覆陰謀行為〉により死刑判決を受け即日処刑され，張成沢人脈の大規模な粛清が行われた模様。軍・党間の熾烈な資源輸出を巡る利権争い，権力闘争などさまざまな観測が伝えられたが真相はまったく不明，また対中国関係の重要な窓口であった張成沢の粛清によって中国との関係が急速に冷却しているという観測も流れた。粛清は金正恩独裁体制を強化する意図であることは確かで，側近も含め軍・党幹部の世代交代を促進しているといわれる。→朝鮮／大韓民国
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