Despite international sanctions and a strained economy, North Korea continues to spend scarce resources on a costly space programme. Hitherto, research has usually explained this continuity in terms of international security and/or international reputation. Accordingly, Pyongyang uses its space-related efforts as a pretext to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles and to enhance its international reputation. This article argues that these explanations do not suffice, and thus adds domestic motives for consideration. By engaging recent North Korea studies, which emphasise the importance of performance and symbol for the politics of the Kim regime, this article explores recurring actions and routinised behaviour by the leadership as symbolic practices that reinforce domestic legitimacy. The goal is to provide a conceptual avenue through which to better understand North Korean affairs. Taking into account domestic factors also has, as will be shown, practical policy implications for those negotiating with the regime over its space programme.

中文翻译：

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合法化的象征性实践：探索朝鲜太空计划的国内动机

尽管国际制裁和经济紧张，朝鲜继续将稀缺资源用于昂贵的太空计划。迄今为止，研究通常从国际安全和/或国际声誉的角度来解释这种连续性。因此，平壤以太空相关努力为借口，发展洲际弹道导弹并提高其国际声誉。本文认为这些解释是不够的，因此增加了国内的考虑因素。通过参与最近的朝鲜研究，这些研究强调了金政权政治的表现和象征的重要性，本文探讨了领导层反复出现的行为和常规行为作为加强国内合法性的象征性做法。目标是提供一个概念途径，通过它更好地了解朝鲜事务。正如将要说明的那样，考虑到国内因素对于与该政权就其太空计划进行谈判的人也具有实际的政策影响。