What influences the role domestic policy priorities and ideology play in NorthKorea’s enactment of foreign policy toward China? Historically, both NorthKorea and China are communist nations that share cultural characteristics. Currently, the Sino-North Korea alliance still seems effective and valid. Whenlooking at China, North Korea does not perceive any struggle with regard tosecurity and regime legitimacy. Thus it is reasonable to assume thatPyongyang’s foreign policy toward China is mostly based on a desire for“economic prosperity.” In order to test this hypothesis, this study employs the“process-tracing” method, and also observes the official newspaper of theregime in Pyongyang through content analysis in order to determine theDPRK’s perception and policy preference toward China. In North Korea’s foreignpolicy, the essential ideologies and historical experiences have formedthe preferences of the leadership in Pyongyang. The DPRK’s domestic prioritiesgreatly influence its foreign policy toward China, more so than externalpressures and direct diplomatic interactions.