A Study on the EUs Aid Policy towards the DPRK:1995-2005

Abstract

This thesis explores the European Unions aid policy towards the DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) focusing on the period from 1995 until 2005. Considering the fact that the EU is not a member of the six-party talks on North Koreas nuclear program, it does not have direct security concerns with the Korean peninsula. Therefore, the Korean peninsula has been relatively peripheral to its strategic interests. However, the EU has been one of the biggest donors in providing humanitarian aid to North Korea in the past, emphasizing norms such as human rights and freedom. Furthermore, it has shown a steady interest in strengthening economic ties with North Korea. This thesis analyzes what progress the European Union has made in the area of aid assistance to North Korea during the period of 1995 until 2005. It also focuses on the reasons why the EU provided aid assistance to North Korea despite unsolved nuclear issues and despite the EU not being a six party talk member. By an application of Rights-Based Approach (RBA) with development and human rights in North Korea, this thesis argues that the EUs strategies and motives behind its engagement towards the Korean peninsula are strongly related with the purpose of increasing its political power in Northeast Asia and traditional emphasis on human rights. Therefore, this thesis finds that the EUs aid approach has rooted in its stance on drawing a line between political, security and humanitarian issues and treating them separately. It also leads to the conclusion that the EUs aid assistance towards North Korea has been successful in terms of maintaining bilateral dialogues and relations. Furthermore, since the EU and North Koreas diplomatic ties started with the precondition of agreements for political and human rights dialogues, the EU continues to put great value and importance on sustaining these channels as well. Along with other European NGOs, it also perceives the humanitarian crisis and persistent food problems in North Korea as global concerns and provides aid assistance until today.