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North Korean Policy Elites - Defense Technical Information Center

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The four pillars of the traditional political regime – fear, isolation, elite unity, and the<br />

Juch’e ideology – have begun to show noticeable cracks and signs of erosion. Today, <strong>North</strong><br />

Korea is a different country than it was when the Great Leader passed away a decade ago. It is in<br />

the midst of a “stealthy” structural transition affecting all areas of the national economy, politics,<br />

and society, as well as people from all walks of life – strengthening neo-authoritarian military<br />

rule and accelerating catch-up modernization reforms aimed against the communist party rule<br />

and socialist economic stagnation. The regime is evolving and slowly cracking. It is high time<br />

for foreign influence to start shaping the direction of future developments inside the hermit<br />

kingdom.<br />

IV-S-2

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