The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has been a chronic aid recipient since its foundation. It has received a wide range of assistance from foreign states: from Chinese “volunteers” who fought in the Korean War, to friendly trade terms with the Soviet Union, to one of the World Food Programme’s (WFP) largest humanitarian aid appeals.

This seems at odds with the DPRK’s Juche ideology, often translated as “self-reliance” (though many have argued convincingly for more nuanced interpretations). No matter the analysis, massive amounts of foreign assistance do not mesh with the DPRK’s touted ideology. Yet, by digging past Juche