The article addresses the status of North Korea's economic reform under Kim Jong Un and what we might expect of the country's discourse on reform in the light of reinforced central control and the North's renewed commitment to strengthen its nuclear and missile capabilities.
The paper argues that Pyongyang's continued quest for reform will to a large extent hinge on how it manages issues related to control, as well as the allocation of national resources. This balancing act will be seriously challenged by the country's pivot to greater centralization and isolationism.
