Let Them Eat Concerts, II: Musical Diplomacy, the Ri Sol-ju Rollout, and Kim Ki-Nam
Analysis of the Moranbong Band as an instrument of DPRK cultural diplomacy, interaction with “First Lady” Ri Sol-ju, and the geriatrics of the Politburo.
Soft Power on a Hardened Path: On DPRK Musical Performance
SinoNK Performing Arts Analyst Jimin Lee compares the Moranbong Band debut to the performative politics of a missile launch. Intro by Adam Cathcart.
Free to be Controlled: Press and Protest under Park Chung-hee
A review of two recent works examining the role of the media and the development of protest culture in South Korea during the Park regime.
Amid Sanctions, a Sino-North Korean Rapprochement
With the passage of UN Security Council Resolution 2321, the US has managed to lock in UN implementation of a number of Treasury sanctions on North Korea. Will the PRC finally play the role of partner and ratchet up the pressure on the DPRK, or will it continue to say one thing but do another? Adam Cathcart considers the question.
On Reading North Korean Media: The Curse of the Web
In the first of a series based on evidence from more than two years spent mapping North Korean online media, Martin Weiser highlights patterns in how North Korean organizations operate and how human error and unchecked individual inputs can shape what we come to read.