April 19, 2024

Columns

Columns on the latest North Korea issues from analysts, academics and renowned experts. Views expressed by our columnists are exclusively the authors’ own.

Despite mixed legacy, Moon Jae-in played key role to avert war with North Korea
COLUMN

Despite mixed legacy, Moon Jae-in played key role to avert war with North Korea

Failures of the last few years shouldn’t overshadow the outgoing president’s deft diplomacy in the days of fire and fury

Despite mixed legacy, Moon Jae-in played key role to avert war with North Korea
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov March 18, 2022
How a North Korean businessman’s high-rise dreams came crashing down
COLUMN

How a North Korean businessman’s high-rise dreams came crashing down

A defector’s memoir illuminates how private entrepreneurs, relying on bribery, drove a construction boom in Pyongyang

How a North Korean businessman’s high-rise dreams came crashing down
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov February 25, 2022
A North Korean assassination gone wrong and its continuing ripple effects
COLUMN

A North Korean assassination gone wrong and its continuing ripple effects

The attempt to take out former ROK leader Park Chung-hee killed his wife instead and drove his daughter into politics

A North Korean assassination gone wrong and its continuing ripple effects
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov February 2, 2022
Why North Korea won’t act on its threat to launch long-range missiles — yet
COLUMN

Why North Korea won’t act on its threat to launch long-range missiles — yet

Pyongyang hopes to pressure the US to make concessions, but without angering its ally China

Why North Korea won’t act on its threat to launch long-range missiles — yet
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov January 21, 2022
Don’t believe the hype: An end-of-war declaration won’t change a thing
COLUMN

Don’t believe the hype: An end-of-war declaration won’t change a thing

Multiple inter-Korean agreements since the 1990s have promised breakthroughs but failed to deliver

Don’t believe the hype: An end-of-war declaration won’t change a thing
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov December 23, 2021
Enhanced border controls hurtle North Korea into a new information dark age
COLUMN

Enhanced border controls hurtle North Korea into a new information dark age

The COVID crisis has helped authorities justify harsher measures that will likely persist even after the pandemic ends

Enhanced border controls hurtle North Korea into a new information dark age
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov December 16, 2021
In Biden’s Washington, North Korea barely moves the needle
COLUMN

In Biden’s Washington, North Korea barely moves the needle

Strategic patience dominates the minds of the decision-makers, and this is not going to change any time soon

In Biden’s Washington, North Korea barely moves the needle
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov December 10, 2021
Yoon Seok-youl’s rise doesn’t bode well for inter-Korean relations
COLUMN

Yoon Seok-youl’s rise doesn’t bode well for inter-Korean relations

Conservative candidate will likely take harder line on North Korea if elected, risking confrontation and freeze in ties

Yoon Seok-youl’s rise doesn’t bode well for inter-Korean relations
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov November 19, 2021
The stop and go success of a North Korean entrepreneur
COLUMN

The stop and go success of a North Korean entrepreneur

Even relatively successful people struggle to provide enough for their families in the DPRK

The stop and go success of a North Korean entrepreneur
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov October 22, 2021
North Korea’s perfectly logical strategy of missile launches and dialogue
COLUMN

North Korea’s perfectly logical strategy of missile launches and dialogue

The DPRK wants sanctions relief from the US and a Democratic South Korean president and is working to see both outcomes

North Korea’s perfectly logical strategy of missile launches and dialogue
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov October 14, 2021
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