ABSTRACT
This chapter examines existing definitions and fragility indices to provide a better understanding of fragile states or the fragility of states and discusses the paradoxical case of North Korea in the context of discussion on fragile states. In the end, the chapter supports the argument put forward in previous chapters that North Korea is a fragile state in that it is a dysfunctional state but cloaked by the image of a strong regime and that we thus need to redirect our rhetoric and narratives from a focus on nuclear and security issues to a more productive stance that involves taking a differentiated approach to the aid regime for North Korea.
