This study has aimed at examining the status and the function of 'Juche Idea' under the regime of Kim Jong-il since the death of Kim Il-sung in 1994. 'Juche Idea' is not only the leading principle which rules all spheres including law, system, and polity but also the supreme ideology which dominates the guiding principles in North Korea. The North Korean leadership regards 'Juche Idea' as 'Urisik Socialism'(Socialism with North Korean characteristics) which is different from the socialism of the other countries.
However, 'Urisik Socialism' with the basis of 'Juche Idea' has met the turning point due to the death of Kim Il-sung in 1994 Kim Jong-il decided to execute 'Dying Instruction' of his father, Kim Il-sung as the means of ruling North Korea during his establishment of power. Under the leadership of Kim Jong-il with the guiding principle of 'Dying Instructions' the military of North Korea has begun to be the center of power, and then the status and the roles of the Communist Party have been reduced.
'Juche Idea' has been changed in its form and meaning in spite of North Korea's continuous emphasis on the excellence and the difference of' Urisik Socialism'. North Korea under the leadership of Kim Jong-il has been in peril of the collapse of the system due to the crisis formulated by internal and external challenges, and she has sought the method of her survival with her own way.
This study has analyzed the every aspect of political phenomena and implication of North Korea through the comprehensive analysis of 'Juche Idea', and finally has examined the characteristics of North Korean system. This study has also discussed how 'Juche Idea' has become the dominant ideology of North Korea.
According to Franz Schurmann, the ideology in socialist countries consists of pure ideology and practical ideology. Pure ideology means the dominant ideology of the socialist countries. However, practical ideology implies the strategy to realize the goals of pure ideology.
In North Korea 'Juche Idea', which was initiated by Kim Il-sung, as a pure ideology has served the roles of preserving the system with the replacement of Marxism-Leninism. But since the death of Kim Il-sung, the new idea and the theory introduced by Kim Jong-il seem to be a new dominant ideology in the politics of North Korea.
The status of Kim Il-sung's 'Juche Idea' under the regime of Kim Jong-il has a very important political meaning in defining and viewing the characteristics of the system of North Korea, because the characteristics of the system of North Korea are dependent on Kim Jong-il's interpretation on 'Juche Idea'.
This study has analyzed the status and the roles of 'Juche Idea' under the regime of Kim Jong-il with the argument of Schurmann.
The methodology on the studios of North Korea has continued with the same way even after Kim Jong-il's taking power. However, only the main theme of the study has been changed from Kim Il-sung to Kim Jong-il, and just the aim, the subject and the scope of the study have been just expanded.
However, almost every existing study on 'Juche Idea' has emphasized on that of Kim Il-sung, not that of Kim Jong-il. Especially, the existing studies on 'Juche Idea' have been an object of scientific study with the political aspects of 'Juche Idea' as a super-structure, and have even ignored the relationship between 'Juche Idea' and people, which 'Juche Idea' has been still influential and operational as a dominant ruling ideology of North Korea. Therefore, the study on 'Juche Idea' under the regime of Kim Jong-il should be emphasized on examining the relationship between 'Juche Idea' and the people.
This dissertation has been aimed at examining the political implication of 'Juche Idea' under the regime of Kim Jong-il by defining the ruling ideology of North Korea. This study has only focused its attention on North Korea during the period of Kim Jong-il after the death of Kim Il-sung in 1994.
Further, a comprehensive studies on the status and function of 'Juche Idea' have been discussed with the perspectives that North Korea has been influenced by the external sources of North Korea, such as South Korea and surrounding countries.
This study has emphasized on the research of the ruling ideology of North Korea In the period of Kim Jong-il as follows. First, the evolution of the ideology in the period of Kim Il-sung has been studied. Second, a very careful examination on the ideological characteristics of Kim Jong-il's discourses has been discussed.
This dissertation consists of six chapters. Following after the introduction in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 has examined the theoretical issues of 'Juche Idea' in the period of Kim Jong-il, which was initiated by Kim Il-sung, believing that North Korea, like other socialist countries, has been operated and guided by the tools of pure ideology and practical ideology of Marxism-Leninism.
Chapter 3 has examined the historical characteristics of 'Juche Idea'. It has become the ruling ideology of North Korea after a series of revision on 'Juche Idea'. 'Juche Idea' has became a guiding principle of North Korea like other Socialist Countries in the process of North Koreanization of Marxism-Leninism. In the this regard, various aspects of North Koreanization of 'Juche Idea' have been carefully discussed.
Chapter 4 has analyzed the structural features of power base under the regime of Kim Jong-il. 'Juche Idea' under Kim Jong-il's rule has been influenced not only by the will of Kim Jong-il and North Korea leadership, but also by the structural circumstances of North Korea which she has met domestically and externally.
Therefore, a comprehensive examination on the various factors which have had an impact on the choice of Kim Jong-il's attitudes on 'Juche Idea' in the process of Kim Jong-il's presence in power as the highest leader of North Korea after the death of Kim Il-sung has been made for the better understanding of 'Juche Idea' role and function in North Korea. Further, a serious attempt to analyze the characteristics of Kim Jong-il regime has been given in order to understand the evolution and establishment of Kim's presence in power through the analysis of ideology, power elite and institution of North Korea.
Chapter 5 has analyzed the structure of ruling ideology in North Korea including 'Juche Idea' after the presence of Kim Jong-il's power, and has evaluated the status of 'Juche Idea'. Further, a very careful and comprehensive examination on the new ideas and the theories which have been introduced by Kim Jong-il has been given, and an analytical study on the relationship between him's ideological advocacy and 'Juche Idea' has been made. In this Chapter, a careful examination on the function, the problem, and the limit of 'Juche Idea' under the regime of Kim Jong-il has been also made, Further, an effort to make a perspective on the status and change of 'Juche Idea' has been given.
Finally, a conclusion was made in the last Chapter of this dissertation. 'Juche Idea' under the regime of Kim Jong-il has three main roles and functions; firstly, the role and function of legitimizing the Kim Jong-il regime; secondly, those of crisis management; and thirdly, those of Kim Jong-il regime's ideology on the development of North Korean system which would provide hope to North Korean people.
'Juche Idea' has greatly contributed to establishing a proper tool for the protection of the Kim Jong-il regime from the challenge of the outside of the world. However, it seems that 'Juche Idea' was not effective enough to cope with the difficulties of North Korean economy Therefore, 'Juche Idea' should be modified through the re-interpretation of it so as to solve the difficulties of North Korean economy, as China has continually done after Deng Xiaoping's taking power in 1978 until now.
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