Andrei Lankov | NK News
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September 21, 2026Sep 21, 2026

About the author

Andrei Lankov

Andrei Lankov

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.

More articles by 'Andrei Lankov'

The world’s poor unification record doesn’t bode well for the two Koreas
COLUMN

The world’s poor unification record doesn’t bode well for the two Koreas

History shows every unified state formed through negotiations has failed, in large part due to elite discontent

The world’s poor unification record doesn’t bode well for the two Koreas
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov June 12, 2026
Why military strikes on North Korea’s nuke program would have made things worse
COLUMN

Why military strikes on North Korea’s nuke program would have made things worse

An editorial defending the Iran war by criticizing conflict-avoidance with the DPRK fails to account for the real costs

Why military strikes on North Korea’s nuke program would have made things worse
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov | Justin Yeo May 25, 2026
Trump’s war with Iran has left prospects for North Korea talks on life support
COLUMN

Trump’s war with Iran has left prospects for North Korea talks on life support

Killing of Iranian leader is unsettling for Pyongyang, but its measured response suggests it hasn’t fully closed door

Trump’s war with Iran has left prospects for North Korea talks on life support
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov April 15, 2026
In a turbulent world, Kim Jong Un’s regime looks more secure than ever
COLUMN

In a turbulent world, Kim Jong Un’s regime looks more secure than ever

Great power competition and US retreat from exporting democracy have quashed hope for radical change in North Korea

In a turbulent world, Kim Jong Un’s regime looks more secure than ever
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov January 22, 2026
US-North Korea talks could be coming in 2026. But not the deal Trump wants.
COLUMN

US-North Korea talks could be coming in 2026. But not the deal Trump wants.

While arms control would benefit both, Trump will struggle to get more from a confident Kim Jong Un than he did in Hanoi

US-North Korea talks could be coming in 2026. But not the deal Trump wants.
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov January 2, 2026
‘I hate communism’: Why South Korea soured on a boy martyr killed by the North
COLUMN

‘I hate communism’: Why South Korea soured on a boy martyr killed by the North

Once a hero of anti-DPRK propaganda, Lee Seung-bok became an inconvenience when the ROK’s political tides changed

‘I hate communism’: Why South Korea soured on a boy martyr killed by the North
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov November 4, 2025
The true story of Lee Seung-bok, the boy slaughtered by North Korean commandos
COLUMN

The true story of Lee Seung-bok, the boy slaughtered by North Korean commandos

A failed attempt to foment revolution exemplified the intensity of Cold War struggle, and made a 9-year-old into a hero

The true story of Lee Seung-bok, the boy slaughtered by North Korean commandos
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov October 21, 2025
Why South Korea’s Left is embracing a two-state solution to North Korea
COLUMN

Why South Korea’s Left is embracing a two-state solution to North Korea

Chung Dong-young’s claim that Koreas are separate countries concedes a reality long papered over by political fictions

Why South Korea’s Left is embracing a two-state solution to North Korea
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov September 29, 2025
A North Korean general’s forgotten memoir illuminates the regime’s brutality
COLUMN

A North Korean general’s forgotten memoir illuminates the regime’s brutality

Firsthand account of Kim Il Sung’s purges shows how the DPRK turned to concentration camps as a tool of political terror

A North Korean general’s forgotten memoir illuminates the regime’s brutality
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov September 26, 2025
Kim Jong Un’s much-hyped show of unity with Xi and Putin masks deep divides
COLUMN

Kim Jong Un’s much-hyped show of unity with Xi and Putin masks deep divides

Ties between North Korea, China and Russia are defined by distrust, providing a shaky foundation for a trilateral axis

Kim Jong Un’s much-hyped show of unity with Xi and Putin masks deep divides
Andrei Lankov
Andrei Lankov September 11, 2025
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