Introduction -- Historical evolution of North Korea's monolithic political system and its main characteristics -- The historical origins and formation of the monolithic political system in North Korea / Kee Kwang-seo (Chosun University) -- The stability of the monolithic system under Kim Jong-un : an analysis / Kim Keun-sik (Kyungnam University) and Lee Gee-dong (Institute for National Security Strategy) -- The power elite of North Korea's monolithic system / Lee Ju-cheol (Korea Broadcasting System) -- Change in North Korean society from the view of economic policy and social transformation -- Potential for economic reform in North Korea / Kim Yeon-chul (Inje University) -- North Korean economy in transition : market feudalism / Han Jong-woo (Graduate Institute of Peace Studies, Kyung Hee University) -- The process of social change in North korea / Lee Woo-young (University of North Korean Studies) -- North Korea's foreign policy, perception of the United States, and its relations with the United States and China (G2) -- Surviving in the face of hegemony : North Korea's post-cold war American policy / Suh Bo-hyuk (Seoul National University) -- The formation and development of North Korea's understanding of the United States / Kim Kwang-un (National Institute of Korean History) -- The transformation of China-North korea relations and its implications / Lee Jong-seok (Sejong Institute) -- Twenty years of the North Korean nuclearization problem : the North Korean perspective / Lim Soo-ho (Samsung Economic Research Institute) -- The inter-Korean relationship, United STates and North East Asia -- Change in North Korea's policy toward South Korea and its implications / Chin Hee-gwan (Inje University) -- Understanding conflict on the Korean peninsula : a focus on the Yellow Sea incident / Suh Choo-suk (Korea Institute for Defense Analyses) -- Economic cooperation between the two Koreas : present and future / Kim Yeon-chul (Inje University) -- The irony of American policy toward North Korea : regime denial / Han Jong-woo (Graduate Institute of Peace Studies, Kyung Hee University) -- Conclusion.