Won Gon Park, the Chair of EAI North Korea Studies Center, explains that while there has been growing discussion about a potential "sudden change" in North Korea, fueled by an increase in elite defections and stricter party discipline, they do not signal an imminent regime collapse. Highlighting the limited scale and intensity of unrest among the elite, Park points out that the alignment between the leader and elites under the one-man dictatorship remains strong, with no clear alternative to the current Suryong system. However, he warns that recent laws aimed at curbing anti-socialist behavior may reflect growing discontent among the population. |
