김정은 집권 이후 북한 재래식 전력의 전략적 노출의 정치

초록

North Korea’s security strategy has predominantly been understood in terms of its asymmetric capabilities. However, considering the intensified military cooperation with Russia since 2023 and the heightened inter-Korean tensions along the Military Demarcation Line, it is necessary to pay closer attention to the role of North Korea’s conventional forces in shaping the security environment on the Korean Peninsula. This study seeks to examine the intentions and shifts underlying North Korea’s deliberate disclosure of conventional forces by interpreting such strategic disclosures as messages directed at multiple audiences. Methodologically, the research analyzes military-related articles from the Rodong Sinmun covering Kim Jong-un’s public activities between January 2012 and December 2025, focusing on their association with different categories of military capabilities. The findings reveal that the strategic disclosure of conventional forces is closely linked to North Korea’s domestic and external strategies. Moreover, compared to the early years of Kim’s rule, the scope of disclosure has expanded in recent years, and North Korea’s perception of the Korean Peninsula as a “battlefield” has become more concrete.

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