Since North Korea solicited international assistance due to famine in 1995, the international community has provided billions of dollars of aid to the country. Despite multiple challenges from donors' perspectives, bilateral donors continue to extend aid grants that play a significant role in sustaining North Korea's dysfunctional economy. Nevertheless, there are great variations among bilateral donors in terms of aid amounts to North Korea. This article investigates the determinants of donors' aid allocation decision to North Korea and finds that dyadic factors – diplomatic ties, foreign policy similarities, and bilateral trade volume – are significantly associated with some donors' aid allocation to this country. It shows that, consistent with their aid allocations elsewhere, Nordic Plus donors have different aid policies toward North Korea compared to those of non-Nordic Plus donors. This article suggests the need for donors' concerted efforts to make changes in North Korean economy and society.

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为什么要帮助朝鲜？2002-2018 年对朝鲜及其决定因素的外国援助*

自1995年朝鲜因饥荒寻求国际援助以来，国际社会已向该国提供了数十亿美元的援助。尽管捐助者面临多重挑战，但双边捐助者继续提供援助赠款，这些赠款在维持朝鲜功能失调的经济方面发挥着重要作用。尽管如此，双边捐助者在对朝鲜的援助金额方面存在很大差异。本文调查了捐助者对朝鲜的援助分配决定的决定因素，发现二元因素——外交关系、外交政策的相似性和双边贸易量——与一些捐助者对该国的援助分配显着相关。它表明，与其他地方的援助分配一致，与非 Nordic Plus 捐助者相比，Nordic Plus 捐助者对朝鲜的援助政策不同。本文建议捐助者需要共同努力来改变朝鲜的经济和社会。