Transitional Justice and North Korea: The Question of Amnesty for North Korean Officials
Keywords:
North Korea, International Law, Transitional JusticeAbstract
Within the past few decades, scholars, analysts and politicians alike have speculated, on multiple occasions, that collapse of the reclusive Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea) was imminent. While they were mistaken each time, the DPRK remains weak and reunification under the present South Korean government is a possibility. Such reunification would raise many issues, including the fate of present DPRK leaders. In the interest of successful democratic transition, how should South Korea and the international community approach the question of amnesty for North Korean officials? This essay examines the question of transitional justice in North Korea within the context of case studies of past transitions in societies with pre-transitional characteristics similar to North Korea, taking into account current political and social realities in North Korea.
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