A Study on Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in North Korea's Welfare Sector

Abstract

This study discussed inter-Korea exchange and cooperation from a sustainable development perspective, with reference to North Korea's agreement with the United Nations on the “UN Strategic Framework 2017-2021” for sustainable development. We examined the current status of poverty and hunger and targets and indicators of SDG 1 and 2 in North Korea, and put the findings in an international comparison. In addition, we examined some good practice cases of sustainable development that the UN conducted in Nepal and Myanmar and explored their applicability to North Korea. This study then drew implications for inter-Korea cooperation and suggested what should be done to coordinate SDGs in order to foster sustainable development in North Korea. The findings suggest that it is difficult to accurately grasp the situation of poverty and hunger in North Korea due to the lack of reliable data. Only 3 of the poverty-related SDG 1 indicators and 8 of the hunger-related SDG 2 indicators were collected. The indicators suggest that North Korea, compared to selected other countries, did poorly in terms of poverty and hunger. To help improve its SDG-related indicators, North Korea would require international aid. In order for international aid or programs to succeed in North Korea, it is important how much North Korea is willing to reform through openness to the rest of the world. In addition, for the sustainable development of North Korea, it explored ways to harmonize the 17 SDGs. Framework and monitoring based on data are necessary for inter-Korean exchange and cooperation, and connection with K-SDGs must also be considered. For this, data construction cooperation between the two Koreas is needed.