No.6, 42-53 (2005) One peculiar aspect of the military in North Korea MIYATA Atsushi Nihon University, Graduate school of Social and Cultural Studies North Korea is well-known for having one of the largest military forces in the world. However, the role of these forces is quite different from those of other countries in many ways. Here I wish to explain why the military of North Korea has unique missions when compared to those of other countries militaries here. The military in North Korea was originally formed by Kim Il-sung to help him to seize power. Following this, it has been kept for the purpose of maintaining the country s communist system. Kim Jung-il, successor to Kim Il-sung, has also supported 'Military-First Politics in this regard. More specifically, North Korea s military forces have been used to ensure the continuation of the dictatorship of Kim Il-sung started in 1967, the cultural transformation of the country since 1987, and militarization of the country since 1990. In other words, North Korea s military has been used principally in order to maintain many aspects of its communist system. In addition, according to the North Korean Constitution and the rules of its Labor party, North Korea s national goal is the reunification of North and South. It means that their purpose and mission is to invade other countries. This contrasts strongly with other countries, where the main mission of the military is to defend the nation and safeguard it against attacks from neighboring states. 1990 1967 1987
43 38 2000 6 1980 2004 8 24 2 8 26 9 2
2003 1991 8 10 2 21 2 2 1917 1918 44
10 1995 3 1954 12 2000 6 13 15 60 1962 12 4 5 1972 1960 1992 1962 1960 4 19 46 45
4 1960 4 3 1961 7 1970 45 60 1980 4 1990 1991 12 1993 4 ( ) 1993 4 1990 1998 9 4 46
1998 10 20 1999 9 1994 4 30 (11) 2000 2 16 2000 8 1998 9 (12) 2001 47
7 46 2003 65 2001 6 9 1979 47 1983 51 ( ) 2 1992 4 22 1995 54 1968 30 1993 1993 2 5 5 ( ) 5 (13) 2003 86 117 48
2 2 50 56 32 65 (1995 10 10 ) (14) 2001 6 29 1997 4 7 1995 2 2 30 (15) 1994 11 0051 2001 4 49
50 4 30 1 1954 (16) (17) 14 60 20 25 30
51 (18) 3 1968 1 (19) 50
2002 4,500 2,500 5,000 17 2002 2003 5 2000 3 2001 1 9 10 8 5 2004 9 2003 2 5 (20) 2 2003 3 22 11 8 2 1 2 1 10 (21) 2003 9 9 10 5 52
(1) 2003 7 8 46 (2) PHP 2004 2 (3) 2003 86 (4) 32 33 (5) 2003 (6) 2003 31 (7) 1998 1 5 6 (8) 20 1998 62 63 (9) (22) 1989 239 (10) 20 67 68 (11) 1996 5 28 2 (12) 2000 8 15 5 (13) 2003 5 3 1 (14) 2003 12 29 5 (15) 1998 488 (16) 2004 8 216 (17) 1998 9 8 5 (18) 2004 1 14 2 (19) 2004 6 24 6 (20) 2003 2 6 (21) 2003 3 31 4 (22) 2005 2 23 18 (Received:May 31,2005) (Issued in internet Edition:July 1,2005) 53