Essays
Armilliara and Sunshine: From Kim Jong-il’s Fungal Diplomacy to the Mushroom Institute of Pyongyang
Robert Winstanley-Chesters follows the trail of North Korean charismatic politics deep into the developmental realm, from fungus’ place under the Sunshine policy to the recently rebuilt Central Mushroom Institute.
Peacemaker or Political Hostage? Prospects for the Moscow-Busan “Iron Silk Road Express”
The promise of profit and increased political stability in Northeast Asia are attractive to Moscow and Seoul, but do the potential benefits of the “Iron Silk Road Express” outweigh the risks that come with investing in North Korea? Sabine van Ameijden evaluates.
Premonitions of a Disaster: Seeds of Ecological Collapse and Germination of Plans for Intensive Industrial Agriculture
In an exciting new essay, the author of the vibrant and informative DPRK Food Policy Blog, Yong Kwon examines issues of food security and seeks out the root causes of North Korea’s failure to feed itself down the years.
Defector Testimonies in a Polarized Society: From Implausible Story to Political Controversy
Nothing looms larger in the rear view mirror of South Korea’s democratic legacy than the South Jeolla Province city of Gwangju and the events that took place there in May 1980. That same democratization narrative was again abused in May 2013, this time along with some defector testimony of a most curious disposition.
Leader as Teacher, Leader as Scribe: An Introduction to North Korean Children’s Literature
Christopher Richardson follows up on Sino-NK’s critically acclaimed “Benoit Symposium” with an exclusive essay on the challenge of children’s literary cultural production, focusing primarily on the classic text, “A Winged Horse.”
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