This is the first in a five-part series by Dr. Andrei Lankov on his life in North Korea’s expatriate community in the North Korea of the 1980s.
It is sometimes surprising to notice the fact that you are getting old, so some events of your life have gradually drifted from the humble realm of private experiences to the loftier realm of history. The present author is 50 years old (alas!), and it has been nearly 30 years since I first arrived in North Korea. The date, to be precise, was September 10, 1984.
This is the first in a five-part series by Dr. Andrei Lankov on his life in North Korea’s expatriate community in the North Korea of the 1980s.
It is sometimes surprising to notice the fact that you are getting old, so some events of your life have gradually drifted from the humble realm of private experiences to the loftier realm of history. The present author is 50 years old (alas!), and it has been nearly 30 years since I first arrived in North Korea. The date, to be precise, was September 10, 1984.
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Andrei Lankov is a Director at NK News and writes exclusively for the site as one of the world's leading authorities on North Korea. A graduate of Leningrad State University, he attended Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung University from 1984-5 - an experience you can read about here. In addition to his writing, he is also a Professor at Kookmin University.