In this critical inquiry into the dynamics of the armament of North and South Korea from the period of the Korean War to the 1990s, Hamm (political science, Kyungnam U., Seoul) offers a close analysis of the armament processes of the two Korean states. Counting defense expenditure as the best indicator of armament, he generates new data re-estimating the North Korean defense budget, taking foreign aid and depreciation into account. He then argues that, contrary to popular opinion, the South has been superior in military capital since the mid-1980s and that North Korean military superiority is a myth, used by South Korean governments to legitimize military expenditure, consolidate authoritarian regimes, and mobilize popular support. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

1. Introdution 2. State and armament: theory and hypotheses 3. On military capabilities: facts and methods of assessment 4. Conflict and militarisation on the Korean Peninsula 5. Military balance and arms race between the two koreas 6. Resources, state power, and armament 7. Conclusion