Professional Affiliation

M.A., Tsinghua University

Expert Bio

Sung Woo graduated with a master's degree from Tsinghua University in July 2018, majoring in international relations. He has researched nuclear diplomacy of North Korea for his thesis, and how North Korea used the conflict among three states: United States, South Korea and China. Before studying in China, Sung Woo graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Korea University, majoring in Chinese Language and Literature with political science and international relations as a double major. As his military service, he finished military duty at the ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2011 to 2013. He has assisted several events proceeding the inauguration ceremony of former president Park Geun-Hye and Quiz on Korea, which was organized for foreigners who have an deep interest in Korea.

Wilson Center Project

Juche Ideology Toward China in the Cold War Era

Project Summary

Juche is the core ideology of North Korea, not only for domestic politics, but also for international politics. Juche has contradictory aspects, in other words, self-reliant apparently but need to be helped by the outside. However, North Korea had their own strategic advantage for socialist states that want to finalize socialist revolution. Professor Charles Armstrong’s work, Tyranny of the Weak, points out how North Korea survived the cold war era, even today, and how North Korea used their advantage for realizing their strategic goal.  This research will narrowly focus on how North Korea uses Juche dealing with the socialist state of China. North Korea could use their position to gain their own profit from China. Based on this perspective, this research will be composed of analyzing characteristic of Juche, bilateral relationship history between two states, and North Korea’s policy toward China. It could contribute to the study of weak state strategy, Sino-DPRK relationship, Cold War era and Korea Studies.