Comparing the Successions: Kim Jong Il vs. Kim Jong Un
By Luke Herman As the Kim Jong Un regime completes its eighth month in power following Kim Jong Il’s death in December 2011, there seem…
Why Are Fewer Women Defecting From North Korea?
By Clare Hubbard The 2012 Heritage Foundation/ Wall Street Journal Index of Economic Freedom ranks North Korea last, after Cuba and Zimbabwe, with an economic…
North Korean Decision Making Regarding Foreign Policy
By Nick Miller Main Actors within North Korea Decision Making North Korea’s political structure is a set of institutions built to sustain the Kim family….
Kim Kyong-hui’s Health and the Fate of Jang Song-taek
By Nick Miller The Korean Times reported on September 7th that Kim Jong-il’s sister, Kim Kyong-hui, was in ill health stemming from her past abuse…
Speculation Remains After North Korea’s Supreme People’s Assembly Fails to Announce Economic Reforms
By Nicholas Hamisevicz Initial KCNA and other reports about the September 25, 2012 Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) meeting indicate North Korea has made no public…
North Korea – Japan Talks: Caution on Overhyping Agreements
By Nicholas Hamisevicz Last week North Korea and Japan held their first government-to-government talks in four years. These discussions seemed to be a part of…
Jang Song-taek Returns From China
By Nicholas Hamisevicz Jang Song-taek, Vice-Chairman of North Korea’s National Defense Commission and uncle to Kim Jong-un, returned from China after several days of meetings…
Refreshing Our Understandings of North Korea before Approaching its New Leader Kim Jong-un
Why a misunderstanding of North Korea could lead to a miscalculation by U.S. and Korean policy makers.
North Korea’s Economic Diplomacy with Southeast Asia
As North Korea steps up its diplomacy in Southeast Asia, could it also be a new opportunity for economic engagement?
Navigating Contradictions in Asia
Perhaps the ultimate dichotomy in Asia is seen on the Korean Peninsula. Despite a shared history, North and South Korea are politically, economically, militarily, and to a growing extent culturally, very different countries.