How Trump joins the list of notorious tyrants who praised North Korea's system



Features How Trump joins the list of notorious tyrants who praised North Korea’s system North's personality cult, state media controls have charmed dictators for decades Benjamin R. Young June 25, 2018 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Kevin Lim/THE STRAITS TIMES Last week, after meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, U.S. President Donald Trump told ABC News reporter George Stephanopoulos his thoughts on the DPRK in an interview. Trump said, “His country does love him (Kim Jong Un). His people, you see the fervor. They have a great fervor.” Trump added, “They’re gonna put it together, and I think they’re going to end up with a very strong country, and a country which has people — that they’re so hard-working, so industrious.” Trump privately praised North Korea’s state-run television and later said on the television show Fox © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

Features

How Trump joins the list of notorious tyrants who praised North Korea’s system

North's personality cult, state media controls have charmed dictators for decades

Benjamin R. Young June 25, 2018

How Trump joins the list of notorious tyrants who praised North Korea’s system

Kevin Lim/THE STRAITS TIMES

Last week, after meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, U.S. President Donald Trump told ABC News reporter George Stephanopoulos his thoughts on the DPRK in an interview. Trump said, “His country does love him (Kim Jong Un). His people, you see the fervor. They have a great fervor.” Trump added, “They’re gonna put it together, and I think they’re going to end up with a very strong country, and a country which has people — that they’re so hard-working, so industrious.”

Trump privately praised North Korea’s state-run television and later said on the television show Fox

About the Author

Benjamin R. Young

Benjamin R. Young, Ph.D. has taught at Virginia Commonwealth University, Dakota State University and the U.S. Naval War College. He was a 2024-25 Stanton Foundation Nuclear Security Fellow at the RAND Corporation. He is now an Assistant Professor of Intelligence Studies at Fayetteville State University. He is the author of the book "Guns, Guerillas, and the Great Leader: North Korea and the Third World" (Stanford University Press, 2021).

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