Compliance with Global Norms: A Case of North Korea and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

This chapter examines why countries under sanctions comply with the international norms such as the implementation of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on the case of North Korea. Countries under international sanctions paradoxically comply with the sustainable development agenda by submitting Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), while also breaching other sets of international norms, such as universal human rights accords or non-proliferation treaties. With this in mind, this chapter addresses the question of why countries comply with international norms such as the SDGs, while having limited access to development assistance due to sanctions. In doing so, the chapter explores existing literature that addresses this issue and analyzes the case of North Korea by looking at whether the North Korean case is commensurate with others. Particular focus is given to the VNR for the purpose of comparison.