raharris1973
Well-known member
What if the North Korean regime after the Korean War, instead of developing increasing idiosyncracies over time, playing both the Chinese and Soviets, transforming ideologically from Marxism-Leninism to Juche and Songnum (Military-First), and pressing eventually to independent and nuclear weapons development, had instead resumed a historically comfortable role as China's loyal junior partner.
This can be either because this Kim dynasty members just make different choices and have different priorities personally, or because elder Kim is replaced at some point in the 50s or 60s.
This North Korea does things differently. In the security realm, it maintains a mutual security treaty with China, and counts on China to augment its own conventional forces to defend its existence against any attack by South Korea, Japan, or the USA (or extremely hypothetically at some points, the USSR/Russia). Counting on China's "nuclear umbrella" once China has ICBM capability, this North Korea never bothers developing nuclear weapons or intercontinental missiles, although it may certainly have civil nuclear power for electricity generation.
In the domestic political realm, it retains strict party control. If it's the Kim's in charge they are still dynastic, if not the Kim's, they oscillate between one-man and more collective rule that is not as concentrated.
In the economic realm, North Korea starts market reforms not long after China does, perhaps proceeding more cautiously, but generally reforming as much as Vietnam does.
This is a North Korea that trusts in China and relies on it.
What would this history of this North Korea, Northeast Asia, and the world look like as a consequence from the 1980s through the 2020s?
This can be either because this Kim dynasty members just make different choices and have different priorities personally, or because elder Kim is replaced at some point in the 50s or 60s.
This North Korea does things differently. In the security realm, it maintains a mutual security treaty with China, and counts on China to augment its own conventional forces to defend its existence against any attack by South Korea, Japan, or the USA (or extremely hypothetically at some points, the USSR/Russia). Counting on China's "nuclear umbrella" once China has ICBM capability, this North Korea never bothers developing nuclear weapons or intercontinental missiles, although it may certainly have civil nuclear power for electricity generation.
In the domestic political realm, it retains strict party control. If it's the Kim's in charge they are still dynastic, if not the Kim's, they oscillate between one-man and more collective rule that is not as concentrated.
In the economic realm, North Korea starts market reforms not long after China does, perhaps proceeding more cautiously, but generally reforming as much as Vietnam does.
This is a North Korea that trusts in China and relies on it.
What would this history of this North Korea, Northeast Asia, and the world look like as a consequence from the 1980s through the 2020s?