The United States and Cuba moved to end five decades of hostility and agreed to revive diplomatic relations in December 2014 while US President Barack Obama finally made an official visit to Cuba on 20 March 2016 as the first sitting president to do so in 88 years. In contrast with the Cuban case, US–North Korea relations are only getting worse due to the North Korean nuclear program. The United States adopted new legislation for strong economic sanctions against North Korea after the country's fourth nuclear test was carried out on 6 January 2016 and its launching of a long-range missile on 6 February 2016. This study aims to find an answer as to why Cuba and North Korea are walking different paths in their relationships with the United States even though they have been subject to similar sanctions from the US. Recent analysis shows that factors in security, international and economic surroundings, geostrategic factors and domestic politics contribute to notable divergence between Cuba and North Korea in regards to their relationships with the United States.

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相似但不同的途径：美国-古巴和美国-朝鲜关系

2014 年 12 月，美国和古巴结束了长达 50 年的敌对关系，并同意恢复外交关系，而美国总统巴拉克奥巴马终于于 2016 年 3 月 20 日对古巴进行了正式访问，成为 88 年来第一位这样做的在任总统。与古巴的情况相反，美朝关系只会因朝鲜核计划而恶化。在朝鲜于 2016 年 1 月 6 日进行第四次核试验并于 2016 年 2 月 6 日发射远程导弹后，美国通过了对朝鲜实施严厉经济制裁的新立法。本研究旨在找出原因的答案古巴和朝鲜在与美国的关系上走着不同的道路，尽管它们受到了美国类似的制裁。