| After 36 years of Japanese occupation (1910 to 1945) Korea was divided into a southern and a northern state. Since 1945, the northern state has maintained a socialist development strategy, while the southern state has adopted a capitalist development strategy. Since the middle of 1948, the northern state has been called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea), while the southern state has been called the Republic of Korea (ROK or South Korea). They have experienced different urban and regional built environments in accordance with their different development strategies.;However, there has been a scarcity of research on North Korean planning. This study tries to explain North Korean urban and regional planning through examining how it has developed since 1945. Four principal factors (politics, the economy, military affairs, and social culture) are identified and the impacts on planning of each factor are uncovered. Moreover, the research examines whether Juche ideology, which has been considered a determinant in all social, economic, and political affairs in North Korea, has really influenced its urban and regional planning. Analysis of the relationship of Juche to each factor will explain whether it is a distinctive feature of the planning paradigm or a negligible component.;Upcoming reforms and the potential reunification with South Korea will bring about many changes in the socialist planning strategy. The scarcity of systematic research may distort the urban and regional built environment in North Korea during this process, as the former socialist country has experienced with the transition of its economic system. To prepare for the reform process current North Korean planning should first be examined and analyzed. The study will discuss the pros and cons of North Korean urban and regional planning, based on the assumption of upcoming reforms. Finally, the study will provide reference materials and data for future studies related to North Korean planning. As existing reference materials and data on North Korean planning are rare, this study will establish a baseline for future analyses. |
