Foreign relations of North Korea

The foreign relations of North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) have been shaped by its conflict with capitalist countries like South Korea and its historical ties with world communism. Both the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the government of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) claim to be the government of the whole of Korea. The Korean War in the 1950s failed to resolve the issue, leaving North Korea locked in a military confrontation with South Korea and the United States Forces Korea across the Demilitarized Zone. At the start of the Cold War, North Korea only had diplomatic recognition by Communist countries. Over the following decades, it established relations with developing countries and joined the Non-Aligned Movement. When the Eastern Bloc collapsed in the years 1989–1991, North Korea made efforts to improve its diplomatic relations with developed capitalist countries. At the same time there were international efforts to resolve the confrontation on the Korean peninsula, especially when the North acquired nuclear weapons.

According to Article 17 of the North Korean Constitution, "independence, peace, and solidarity are the basic ideals of the foreign policy and the principles of external activities of the DPRK". Furthermore, "the state shall establish diplomatic as well as political, economic and cultural relations with all friendly countries, on principles of complete equality, independence, mutual respect, noninterference in each other's affairs, and mutual benefit".

In addition to the principles stated above, North Korean foreign policy is usually decided upon by the Workers' Party of Korea. Specifically, Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, decides the basic guidelines for the foreign affairs and the principal operating agency enacts the related provisions. Other decisions are often based on a "back tell". Some of the elites from the party, cabinet or army make policy decisions and then obtain ratification from the prime minister and from the minister of foreign relations before the policy is told of to Kim Jong-un. North Korea's foreign policy-related matters are officially apportioned into three parts: governmental diplomacy, multi-party diplomacy and non-governmental diplomacy. Each is under control of different governmental organisations. In conclusion, foreign policy decision making is based on various government bodies' decision.

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