Since Kim Jong-un came to power, the North Korean regime has placed greater emphasis on the economy, adopting the policy line of “Simultaneous development of Economy and nuclear weapons capability” in 2013. North Korea has promoted the “Measures for Our Way of Economic Improvement”(so-called June 28th measures) since 2012 with the aim of increasing the efficiency of its economic operation. In addition, the Kim Jong-un regime newly designated 19 special economic zones in an attempt to attract more foreign investment and has not suppressed the market despite changes at home and abroad. Partly boosted by these efforts, North Korea’s economy is reportedly improving in recent years. However, there are few signs of a rapid economic growth that North Korea is so eager to achieve. This is attributable to North Korea’s system itself, the socialist economic system, acting as a primary constraint to the country’s economic growth. For North Korea’s robust economic growth, economic reforms within the system are not sufficient, but rather the country should move forward towards transition to a market economy.
This study was conducted to identify the determinants of economic growth for North Korea and to present policy suggestions for its successful transition. To this end, the study analyzed the determinants of economic growth of transition economies as well as countries by income level. Based on the analysis, it deduced the determinants of economic growth for North Korea.
In this study, variables such as infrastructure, institutional conditions, human capital, domestic investment were identified as important variables for economic development of North Korea along with several transition-related variables such as privatisation, corporate restructuring, and trade/foreign exchange system. The policies which simultaneously affect all the determinants of economic growth are not feasible, and are likely to put a greater burden on the country both politically and economically. In this regard, this study suggests policies along with timing and sequencing for the economic development of North Korea, through analysis of examples from transition economies.
The study proposes policies that can successfully eliminate fundamental barriers to economic development in North Korea, providing greater economic boost but reducing the possibility of shocks for the country. By conducting theoretical analysis for the socialist economies in addition to the empirical analysis, the study seeks to improve the coherence of the empirical study.
This study presents policies by period, dividing the periods into short term, mid term and long term. In the short term, North Korea should set out to introduce small-scale privatisation on its own along with price liberalization, and the international community should offer help with respect to improvement of the impoverished country’s essential infrastructure and nutritional/dietary conditions of its population. For the mid and long term, it is necessary to promote policies regarding improvement of trade and foreign exchange systems, large-scale privatisation, corporate restructuring, and competitiveness. During the process of adopting these policies, the assistance of the international community is indispensable.
Policies regarding North Korea have often been suggested without firm academic evidence. Against this backdrop, the results of the study can provide evidence which can help empirically evaluate economic policies of North Korea. This study is distinguished from previous studies in this issue in that it also suggests inter-Korean cooperation policies on the part of the South Korean government, considering both sequencing and timing.
Unfortunately, this study was not able to consider all variables regarding economic growth. Instead, it chose variables that can be applied to policies and of which relevant data were accessible. Despite such limitations, this research can hopefully become a stepping stone for further policy research on North Korea’s economic growth.

서 언
국문요약
제1장 서론
1. 연구의 배경과 목적
2. 연구방법론: 모형과 변수
3. 연구의 흐름
제2장 경제성장의 결정요인: 선행연구 검토
1. 선행연구의 문헌 검토
2. 실증분석 방법론 검토
제3장 소득수준별 경제성장 결정요인 분석
1. 분석모형 및 추정방법
2. 분석자료의 출처 및 기초통계
3. 분석 결과
가. 전체
나. OECD 회원국: 고소득국
다. 소득수준 4,000~1만 2,000달러
라. 소득수준 1,000~4,000달러
제4장 체제전환국의 경제성장 결정요인 분석
1. 기존 연구 검토
2. 분석모형 및 기초통계량
3. 분석 결과
제5장 경제성장 결정요인과 정책의 순차성
1. 경제성장 결정요인: 요약과 해석 86
2. 경제정책의 순차성 결정의 기준 95
제6장 북한 경제개혁에 대한 정책적 시사점
1. 사회주의의 비효율성과 북한 경제체제
2. 북한 경제성장을 위한 정책과 북한 경제개혁에 주는 함의
제7장 북한 경제발전을 위한 우리 정부의 협력방안
1. 북한 경제발전의 단계별 우리 정부의 협력목표
가. 초기: 성장기반 조성 지원
나. 중기: 대외개방정책 및 수출산업 육성 지원
다. 후기: 산업구조 고도화 지원
2. 북한 경제발전의 단계별 우리 정부의 협력방안
가. 경제정책 지원방안
나. 경제협력 지원방안
다. 경제외교 지원방안
제8장 결 론
1. 연구 결과와 현 정부의 대북 경제협력정책 비교
2. 연구의 성과 및 한계
참고문헌
부 록
Executive Summary