"What Is" Series- What is a Superpower?

I am no expert on N Korea; nobody in the world really is anyway, given the secretive nature of the state. But I am still very interested in this country, which really is a utopian project that turned into a political monster and human catastrophe.

I was inspired by this video on Youtube, which is typical N Korean propaganda.



The description says:

“A "superpower" should not be defined by its ability to dominate and project power, but to be capable of standing against every external threat. North Korea manages to do it successfully.”

The question that came to my mind is: “Really?”

First, to beg the question, what is a superpower? A superpower is a country with hegemonic power in the international system, with the ability to project power and influence beyond its political boundaries.
N Korea clearly isn’t a superpower. It doesn’t have that kind of influence. It never had. It never led the communist camp (it was the old Soviet Union) during the Cold War, nor was it a regional power (the regional communist power in Asia was, well, obviously, China).

Second, the ability to defend against any external threat. Well, any self-respecting country can do that. To be able to resist attack doesn’t quite count as being a superpower. If that was the case, then Singapore is a superpower. Of course, this is an exaggeration, but my point is, being a superpower has certain pre-requisites, and carries with it certain responsibilities.

Besides, if those propaganda videos were any good gauge of N Korea’s abilities, stock footage of the kind you see in the news (like the ubiquitous launch of the Taepodong missile, or the parades), outdated weapons and tactics are hardly a good indication of N Korea’s ability to defend itself.

Last, but not least, superpower status isn’t just military status, it’s economic status. Good try for N Korean propaganda, but stock footage from the 70s isn’t quite going to help, not to mention how far the rest of the region has gone ahead. S Korea, which was behind the north in the 70s and early 80s, China, after Chairman Deng’s reforms, and of course, Japan, which has gone beyond anyone could possibly imagine.

Just to digress a little, S Korea and Japan probably have N Korea to thank for their prosperity. The Korean War brought opportunities for both sides, especially Japan economically, as they became important for US interests.

Ultimately, superpower status is not something that can be fabricated from propaganda videos or political rhetoric. True power is something that can be exercised. Little wonder you don’t see the US needing to do all those military parades.