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Opinion
Can North Korea’s Kim Jong-un forge a legacy that goes beyond the bomb?
Kim has ensured North Korea is no longer isolated. The question remains whether he can also overcome the country’s economic woes
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Wenran Jiang, the founding director of the China Institute and Mactaggart Research Chair Emeritus at the University of Alberta, is an adviser at the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy.
The ruling party of North Korea is approaching its 80th official anniversary amid an unprecedented rise in the country’s international stature. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s presence alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at China’s Victory Day parade early last month was more than ceremonial; it was a strategic declaration.
Kim carried himself with the assurance of a man who has successfully recalibrated his nation’s place in the world. This confidence, earned through years of strategic gambles, has brought him to a pivotal juncture: securing his country’s survival, he must now decide on the path to securing its legacy.
Pyongyang’s calculated risks have yielded substantial rewards, highlighted by renewed US signals in favour of diplomatic talks. Most notably, the decision to dispatch troops to Russia to aid the Kremlin in its war with Ukraine was a cold-eyed gamble. While financial compensation provides a lifeline, the true payoff is geopolitical. The bilateral battle against Ukraine is now openly celebrated and Putin has suggested North Korea should have a say in Ukraine peace talks.
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