이 연구는 1차적으로 기층시장인 농민시장이 어떻게 도시로 확산되어 근대적인 시장체제를 형성하고, 시장을 매개로 한 사회적 관계망의 복잡성 증대가 북한체제의 생존력을 높이고 있음을 복잡계 이론을 활용하여 설명한다. 다음으로 이 연구는 새로운 경제체제(시장경제)로의 이행과정에서 기존 농촌체제가 해체되지 않고 공생할 수 있으며, 또 위기에 처한 도시에 국가를 대신하여 농촌이 어떻게 사회안전망으로서의 기능하고 있는가를 설명한다. 마지막으로, 이 연구는 군(military) 우위의 사회체계를 유지하기 위해 농촌의 잉여가 징발되는 실태와 사회주의체제와 농업의 구조적 관계를 설명하는데 초점을 두고 있다. 이 연구는 국내외의 급격한 환경변화와 국제사회로부터의 고립, 만성적인 기근과 경기침체에도 불구하고 북한체제가 그럭저럭 버티기(muddling-through)를 할 수 있는 이유 중 하나로 시장화로 인해 사회적 관계망이 활성화되고 다양하게 분화되는 동시에 관계망 간의 상호연결성(또는 상호의존성)과 복잡성이 증대하여 북한체제의 생존력이 높아질 수 있다는 견해를 제시한다. 국가의 식량배급이 중단되고 가파른 경제침체 속에서 북한 주민들은 생존위기에 직면하게 되었다. 이때 농촌은 최소한의 사회안전망으로서의 역할을 하고 있다. 농촌의 가계경제와 도시의 부족소비를 보완하며 도시 주변부에 위치하던 농민시장은 도시 중심으로 옮겨 오면서 상설시장으로 전환되고 국가에 포섭되었다. 농촌은 시장의 상품공급처가 되고, 도시의 유휴노동력을 흡수하기도 하며, 농촌의 잉여는 군대 우선의 체제유지를 위해 국가에 강제 집중됨으로써 궁극적으로 북한의 체제위기를 완충하고 체제생존에 기여한다. 그러나 시장의 발달은 사회적 관계망을 복잡하게 만듦으로써 체제 생존력을 증가시키는 동시에 체제 도전적 요소들을 동시에 포함하고 있다.

This study is first to explain using the complex system theory how farmers' markets in rural society have extended to the cities or towns, which have formed the modern market system and eventually, the increase of complexity has heightened the viability of North Korean regime, with the markets mediating social networks. Next, the study suggests that the North's rural system will enable symbiosis without dissolution in the process of transition toward a new economic system and explains how the rural society functions as social security net to the cities instead of the state. Finally, the study is focused on analysing how to requisition agricultural surplus for supporting the military-priority system. The study suggests that the reason how North Korean regime has enable to muddle through despite the rapid internal and external environmental changes, the isolation from international society, chronic famine and economic recession is that an increase of complexity or interdependency among social networks and a differentiation of markets may heighten the viability of the North's regime. When the Public Distribution System conducted by the state had stopped and North Korean people has faced the survival crisis, rural society has played a role as at least social security net. The farmers' markets placed in the outskirt areas of towns or cities connecting a rural household economy and a shortage consumption of cities has moved to the center of towns or cities and has become standing markets under the control of the state. Also, rural society supplies the commodities to the markets, absorbs idle laborers of the cities, and provides 'patriotic rice' to support the military, which contributes to buffering systemic crisis and surviving North Korean regime.

This study is first to explain using the complex system theory how farmers' markets in rural society have extended to the cities or towns, which have formed the modern market system and eventually, the increase of complexity has heightened the viability of North Korean regime, with the markets mediating social networks. Next, the study suggests that the North's rural system will enable symbiosis without dissolution in the process of transition toward a new economic system and explains how the rural society functions as social security net to the cities instead of the state. Finally, the study is focused on analysing how to requisition agricultural surplus for supporting the military-priority system. The study suggests that the reason how North Korean regime has enable to muddle through despite the rapid internal and external environmental changes, the isolation from international society, chronic famine and economic recession is that an increase of complexity or interdependency among social networks and a differentiation of markets may heighten the viability of the North's regime. When the Public Distribution System conducted by the state had stopped and North Korean people has faced the survival crisis, rural society has played a role as at least social security net. The farmers' markets placed in the outskirt areas of towns or cities connecting a rural household economy and a shortage consumption of cities has moved to the center of towns or cities and has become standing markets under the control of the state. Also, rural society supplies the commodities to the markets, absorbs idle laborers of the cities, and provides 'patriotic rice' to support the military, which contributes to buffering systemic crisis and surviving North Korean regime.

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farmers' market, agriculture, complexity, complex system, viability, social network, social security net