북한의 기후변화 대응은 남북 모두가 지속적으로 관심을 가지고 협력해야 하는 과제다. 기후변화에 대한 북한 주민들의 인지적, 실천적 역량을 높이는 남북 교육 협력은 보다 심도 있게 논의될 필요가 있다. 이 연구는 북한 주민들이 어떠한 기후변화 교육을 경험하고, 어떻게 기후변화를 이해하고 있는가를 질문함으로써, 북한 주민의 역량을 증진시킬 수 있는 남북 교육 협력의 기초를 마련하고자 하였다. 북한 교과서 분석과 북한이탈청년과의 면접을 통해 북한의 기후변화 교육을 살펴본 결과, 북한에서는 중학교 이전 시기에 기후변화 교육 기회가 거의 없었고, 기후변화 대응 방안이 강조되는 한편, 기후변화의 원인이나 영향은 깊이 있게 다루어지지 않았다. 기후변화의 과학기술적 접근이 강조됨에 따라 북한 기후변화 교육에서 기후변화에 대한 사회적 접근은 부족한 편이다. 북한의 대표적인 기후변화 대응 실천인 산림녹화와 대체 에너지 이용은 애국 담론, 국가 발전 담론 속에서 독려된 측면이 있었으며, 회복탄력성을 높이기 위한 기후변화 적응 관점은 잘 다루어지지 않았다. 이 연구는 남북 협력을 통한 북한 기후변화 대응이 북한 주민의 역량을 강화하는 방식으로, 교육 협력과 함께 추진되어야 함을 시사한다.
Both South and North Korea should continue to pay attention to and cooperate with the task regarding North Korea’s response to climate change. The inter-Korean educational cooperation should be deemed more importantly to increase the cognitive and practical competency of North Koreans on responding to climate change. By exploring what kinds of climate change education North Koreans participate in and how they understand it, this study seeks to provide a basis for inter-Korean educational cooperation that would contribute to capacity building of North Koreans. Through content analysis of textbooks of North Korea and interviews with North Korean youth refugees, this study found that there were few opportunities for climate change education before middle school in North Korea. While measures to cope with climate change were emphasized, the reasons for or effects of climate change were not addressed in depth. Scientific and technological approaches to climate change were emphasized. Forest greening and use of alternative energy, which are North Korea’s responding practices for climate change, were encouraged through discourses on patriotism and national development. The view of adaptation to climate change to enhance resilience was not well addressed in climate change education in North Korea.
Both South and North Korea should continue to pay attention to and cooperate with the task regarding North Korea’s response to climate change. The inter-Korean educational cooperation should be deemed more importantly to increase the cognitive and practical competency of North Koreans on responding to climate change. By exploring what kinds of climate change education North Koreans participate in and how they understand it, this study seeks to provide a basis for inter-Korean educational cooperation that would contribute to capacity building of North Koreans. Through content analysis of textbooks of North Korea and interviews with North Korean youth refugees, this study found that there were few opportunities for climate change education before middle school in North Korea. While measures to cope with climate change were emphasized, the reasons for or effects of climate change were not addressed in depth. Scientific and technological approaches to climate change were emphasized. Forest greening and use of alternative energy, which are North Korea’s responding practices for climate change, were encouraged through discourses on patriotism and national development. The view of adaptation to climate change to enhance resilience was not well addressed in climate change education in North Korea.
