Author Archive

China’s Pragmatic Approach to the North Korean Problem: Andrei Lankov on What China Wants

By | April 11, 2012

For North Korea watchers and close followers of China’s ties to North Korea, the existence of a “special relationship” between Pyongyang and Beijing practically goes without saying.  After all, with the possible exception of Pakistan (more here and here and here), North Korea is the only country with whom China has signed a formal alliance […]

Spotlight on Kim Myung-chol: KCNA File No. 14

By | April 09, 2012

Click here to view KNCA File No. 14 (March 14 – March 17) in its entirety. Feeling the need to brush up on some Juche or Songun philosophy?  The North American Juche-Songun Ideas Study Group provides material that may be of use at their WordPress blog, operative since March 2012.  Of course, actually joining the group, […]

Acuto, Strategic Distrust and the Pivot: Weekly Digest

By | April 07, 2012

When it comes to North Korea and Northeast Asian security issues, analysis spilling from the pens of Western academics tends to focus on American decision makers and United States grand strategy in the region.  In this weekly digest installment, SinoNK focuses on three recent publications that deal with, in in some form or another, a […]

The Ideational Balance of Power: KCNA File No. 13

By | April 01, 2012

Click here to view KNCA File No. 13 (March 4 – March 10) in its entirety. Although Americans may be emphasizing values and the importance of ideational issues in an era of declining American power following two costly wars and an economic crisis, KCNA File No. 13 reminds our readers from North America and Europe that the ideational […]

Options Abound: Weekly Digest

By | March 31, 2012

 The big news around Seoul this week was the arrival of Barack Obama for the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, his visit to the DMZ (predicted several weeks ago on One Free Korea) and the flurry of stories related to North Korea’s planned rocket launch.  Given reports of US intentions to “overhaul its approach towards North […]