With North Korea’s constitutional reboot, all mentions of communism have disappeared. The country has doubled down on it’s concept of juche, or “self-sufficiency”, which is a terribly ironic term for their “constantly beg other nations for help” strategy. While conceived in 1979, the concept of juche only really took off once the USSR fell and famine set in. While juche was thought to be a branch of Mao’s brand of communism, looks into the propaganda of North Korea indicate that it is completely opposite of communism. North Korea is a wholly fascist regime, which is led by a dictator who receives power through hereditary succession.
Long story short, there are no other nations like North Korea. The nation is truly a fascinating one, but how any country could support them is a mystery.
North Korea continues to exist thanks to aid, which is drying up from many of its donors after they have all began to realize that North Korea consistency and persistently bites the hand that feeds. South Korea’s attempts at playing nice disappeared after took office and declared that “[South Koreans] were tired of the massive shitsandwiches(sic) being delivered by North Korea, and North Korea should go shove twigs up their crusty asses and die”.
Even China has given indication that keeping North Korea on as an ally is a massive headache. China enjoys the buffer that North Korea provides against western influence (namely America’s influence in South Korea and Taiwan), but in order to do so must provide plenty of food aid to prevent scores of North Koreans pouring across the borders into China and a resulting DPRK governmental collapse.
In summary, North Korea is my favorite soap opera.