Essays
Returning to the Courtyard: Rescaling Charismatic Landscapes in North Korea
Robert Winstanley-Chesters considers how human and critical geographies can be used as vectors for analysis of the viability of North Korea’s political landscapes.
How Not to Invest in a DPRK Special Economic Zone: The Case of Rason
Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are spaces of great potential in North Korea. Théo Clément evaluates the terrain, based on his own on-site inspection and a holistic reading of North Korea’s premier northern SEZ.
Ulan Bator’s Small Country Diplomacy: The Case of North Korea
The larger powers in East and Northeast Asia have done little to mitigate Pyongyang’s pursuit of weaponry or to dampen its supposed desire to unify the peninsula under the Kimist banner. Now, an important key to resolving the North Korean crisis may rest in an unlikely source: Mongolia. Anthony Rinna explores.
Cultures of Critique: Kim Jong-un on North Korean Deforestation
Kim Jong-un’s recent rhetoric lamented the deforestation of the North Korean landscape; Sino-NK assesses the challenges and possibilities for innovation.
Purges, Baekdu, and the Moranbong Band: Data Points around General Hyon
Using music as a medium, Adam Cathcart takes the field of debate regarding the alleged purge and execution of Hyon Yong-chol into the ultra-politicized realm of concert halls and power stations.
The Legendary Women of Baekdu: “And did those feet in ancient times…”
Robert Winstanley-Chesters concludes his essay series focused on the crossings, journeys and deterritorializations of elements of charismatic Kimism, arriving finally on the slopes of Baekdu with Kim Jong-suk.
The Crossings and Encounters of Kim Jong-suk: “And did those feet in ancient times…”
The second piece in a three-part series, Robert Winstanley-Chesters looks in detail at the de- and reterritorialization of charismatic authority in the story of Kim Jong-suk, the so-called “Mother of Military-first Chosun.”
Does a New Ambassador Mean a “Reset” In China-North Korea Relations?
With a deep dive into Beijing’s internal bureaucratic politics and Li Jinjun’s predecessors in Pyongyang, Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga sheds light on China’s evolving stance toward North Korea.
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North Korean Human Rights in the State of the Union
Leif-Eric Easley | January 31, 2018 -
What Inspired DPRK Invective against China?
Adam Cathcart | December 19, 2017 -
Chinese Discourse on the New North Korea Sanctions
Adam Cathcart | September 12, 2017
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Onward Migration: Why Do North Korean Migrants Leave South Korea?
Jay Song | February 26, 2018 -
Yongusil 93: Socialism’s Influence on Syngman Rhee and the Founding of the Republic
David Fields | August 5, 2017 -
Yongusil 92: A New Perspective on the Evolution of South Korea’s Developmental State
Jong-sung You | June 12, 2017
