George W Bush once famously said, or mis-said: “They misunderestimated me”. Bushisms are easy to mock, but I agree with the novelist Philip Hensher that this time Dubya actually gave us a useful new word: meaning to mistakenly underestimate.
In that sense, perhaps no one in modern times has been so badly misunderestimated as Kim Jong Un. We all – me included – read him dead wrong, as recent events have amply proved.
George W Bush once famously said, or mis-said: “They misunderestimated me”. Bushisms are easy to mock, but I agree with the novelist Philip Hensher that this time Dubya actually gave us a useful new word: meaning to mistakenly underestimate.
In that sense, perhaps no one in modern times has been so badly misunderestimated as Kim Jong Un. We all – me included – read him dead wrong, as recent events have amply proved.
Try unlimited access
Only $1 for four weeks
-
Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
-
Year-one discount if you continue past $1 trial period
-
The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
-
Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
-
Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe
now
All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.
SHARE
COPY LINK
X
MASTODON
