North Korean Internal Unrest and its Influence on Japan

After the Cold War, we have entered a new era which is uncertain, difficult and unstable. However, remnants of the Cold War exist in Northeast Asia, China and North Korea. Chinas new policies of reform and openness herald the beginnings of change, but North Korea remains committed to socialism and isolation. The demise of communism throughout most of the world invites reform of North Koreas governmental and economic structure. Recent events indicate North Korea may have started a glacial move toward change. This paper will examine change in North Korea,, using the historical models of Vietnamese Reunification, the Romanian Peoples Revolution and German Reunification. Finally, some recommendations for Japanese strategy based upon change in North Korea are presented.