Kim Jong-un
“The Interview” Enveloped in Storm of Netizen Criticism
“The Interview” has been met in South Korea with strident criticism for lampooning elements of Korean culture, with some netizens accusing producer Sony of deliberately seeking to undermine Korean claims to the Dokdo islets and the naming of the East Sea/Sea of Japan. Christopher Green translates.
Boondoggle on the Yalu: China’s Useless New Bridge to North Korea
A huge new piece of bilateral infrastructure on the Sino-North Korean frontier is to remain unopened for the foreseeable future. Sino-NK provides Chinese context to the news.
Communist Normalcy: How Authoritarian Leaders Disappear and Return
Kim Jong-un has now made a handful of public appearances since ending his 40+ days out of the public eye, and it appears clear that the young leader’s health was a major cause of his absence. This came as no surprise to analyst Nick Miller.
New Era, New Challenges: North Korea Analysis on Virgin Soil
We have more information now than ever before on the politics of the North Korean leadership. Using insights from the the politics of authoritarianism literature, this essay suggests the need for a robust framework of analysis to meet the challenges of the new era.
“Victory Day,” the Canonization of Kim Jong-il, and North Korean Succession Politics
Why did the North Korean commemorations of the July 27, 1953 Armistice dwell so heavily on Kim Jong-il, who was just a child during the Korean War? Adam Cathcart investigates how shifting histories in Pyongyang are laying the groundwork for ongoing succession narratives for the present leader.