Proponents of sanctions against North Korea argue that sanctions are “smart” and effectively target the economic power of the North Korean elite. On the other hand, they also point to the need for sanctions because of the lavish lifestyles of North Korean leaders relative to the quality of life for the rest of the country. These arguments contradict one another. If sanctions — which have been in place for years and, in some cases, decades — effectively cripple the economic power of the elite, how is the elite able to sustain such lavish lifestyles?

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