Borderlands
Chinese Contingency Plan: An Improbable Scenario
If the North Korean government collapsed, what would China do? After the leak of an alleged Chinese contingency plan, Dr. Jennifer Lind offers an assessment based upon extensive research.
A Bifurcated Review of De-bordering Korea: Tangible and Intangible Legacies of the Sunshine Policy
Seven full years have passed since the second and final “sunshine policy” president, the late Roh Moo-hyun, left office. Yet debate over the historic value of the decade of sunshine persists. In Sino-NK’s latest review, two members of the team look at a brand new Routledge edited volume that attempts to assess the social legacy of the era.
Of Eruptions and Men: Science Diplomacy at North Korea’s Active Volcano
Dr. Kayla Iacovino of the US Geological Survey was witness to a fascinating moment of scientific connection between North Korea and the wider world. Recalling her experiences getting to and working from the volcanic frontline at Mt. Baekdu, she considers the broader implications of cooperation and engagement with North Korea.
Public-Private Partners: Rethinking North Korean “Command Criminality”
Sometimes it is possible to forget that among all the narcotics and nuclear weapons, North Korea also engages in licit businesses. Much of it takes place in the country’s near abroad, and during Sino-NK’s recent AKS research trip to Manchuria, Christopher Green took time to think it over.
Bullet Trains and Wood-Burning Trucks
In an effort to cut down travel time and spur economic growth, China is lacing high-speed rail throughout its northeastern provinces. Lessons abound for North Korea, as this essay from eastern Jilin indicates.