North Korean university students bowing in front of the statues of former North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, Sept.5, 2015 | Image: NK News
Turkmenistan has been often called the North Korea of Central Asia. With an over-the-top cult of personality, heavy censorship, extreme secrecy and a legacy that extends back to the Soviet Union, the comparisons are abundant.
As Turkmenistan enters a new stage of dynastic succession this year with the “election” of leader Serdar Berdymukhamedov, it’s worth examining how these two illiberal states compare, what their relationship is, and what it may look like in the coming years under the two relatively young leaders.
Turkmenistan has been often called the North Korea of Central Asia. With an over-the-top cult of personality, heavy censorship, extreme secrecy and a legacy that extends back to the Soviet Union, the comparisons are abundant.
As Turkmenistan enters a new stage of dynastic succession this year with the “election” of leader Serdar Berdymukhamedov, it’s worth examining how these two illiberal states compare, what their relationship is, and what it may look like in the coming years under the two relatively young leaders.
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Nick Miller is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Korean studies at the University of Edinburgh. He previously worked as an all-source analyst within the United States Air Force for the U.S. Department of Defense, focusing on Northeast Asian affairs.