Author Archive

Back to the Party: Xi in Pyongyang, and Renewed Emphasis on CCP-WPK Ties

By | June 18, 2026

The Chinese leader dropped mention of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and instead focused on socialist politics in an apparent effort to sideline Moscow.

Wigs, Eyelashes, and Ore: Tracking the Trade Surge between North Korea and Liaoning

By | May 11, 2026

Resumption of trains, and high-level contact between Beijing and Pyongyang, drives soaring North Korean exports to Liaoning.

Seeking Sources: A Review of ‘Forever President’, by Michael Seth

By | April 07, 2026

One among a number of recent biographies on Kim Il-sung, this effort over relies on secondary sources, and covers little, if any, new terrain.

Chinese Initiatives and the New Yalu River Bridge

By | March 20, 2026

Dandong’s municipal government is aiming to finally open the long-stalled project sometime during the remainder of 2026. Will North Korea comply?

Righteousness and Punishment: Xu Kunlin and Xi Jinping’s Anti-Corruption Drive in Liaoning

By and | February 21, 2026

Liaoning party chief makes mark in border province with DPRK.