Essays

The Crossings and Encounters of Kim Jong-suk: “And did those feet in ancient times…”

By | April 09, 2015

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?

By | March 27, 2015

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.

Shin Dong-hyuk: Finally Poised For Effective Activism

By | March 23, 2015

Personal narratives are co-created by teller and receiver, and each is mutually responsible for the outcomes. According to Eric Foley, CEO of Voice of the Martyrs Korea, Shin Dong-hyuk’s extraordinary life story is like any co-created narrative, and only by taking a different stance toward it can we arrive at an honest accounting.

Footsteps and Deterritorializations: “And did those feet in ancient times…”

By | March 22, 2015

Rodong Sinmun reports on a wintery children’s pilgrimage to North Korea’s northern border, the place where, four score and ten years ago, Kim Il-sung crossed the Yalu. Political geographer Robert Winstanley-Chesters investigates the implications of their reenactment.

Moscow vs. Vladivostok: Prospects for a Russia-North Korea Summit

By | February 23, 2015

Did Kim Jong-un already meet Xi Jinping in northeast China? And will the North Korean leader show up in Moscow this coming May? A guest voice assesses the potential.