September 23, 2023

About the author

Oliver Jia

Oliver Jia is a Kyoto-based graduate student currently pursuing his PhD in international relations at Ritsumeikan University and a regular contributor to NK News. He previously worked as Social Media Editor for Korea Risk Group. His research focuses on Japan-DPRK relations and comparative foreign policy. Follow him on Twitter.

More articles by 'Oliver Jia'

Under pressure: Why Japan is pushing for a North Korea summit with new urgency

Under pressure: Why Japan is pushing for a North Korea summit with new urgency

Fumio Kishida says time ticking to resolve abductee issue, but domestic political concerns may also be playing a role

Under pressure: Why Japan is pushing for a North Korea summit with new urgency
Oliver Jia
Oliver Jia July 7, 2023
A Georgia town lays a Korean War veteran to rest, over 70 years after his death

A Georgia town lays a Korean War veteran to rest, over 70 years after his death

Luther Story received Medal of Honor for fighting against North Korea, but US only recently identified his remains

A Georgia town lays a Korean War veteran to rest, over 70 years after his death
Oliver Jia
Oliver Jia June 5, 2023
Ally to enemy: A Venezuelan poet’s brutal 7-year ordeal in North Korean prison

Ally to enemy: A Venezuelan poet’s brutal 7-year ordeal in North Korean prison

Even leftist bona fides did not save Ali Lameda when he angered regime, in case demonstrating its cruelty and paranoia

Ally to enemy: A Venezuelan poet’s brutal 7-year ordeal in North Korean prison
Oliver Jia
Oliver Jia May 2, 2023
The despot and The Worm: Remembering Dennis Rodman’s strange North Korea odyssey

The despot and The Worm: Remembering Dennis Rodman’s strange North Korea odyssey

Ten years on, the eccentric NBA star’s friendship with Kim Jong Un stands as one of stranger chapters in DPRK history

The despot and The Worm: Remembering Dennis Rodman’s strange North Korea odyssey
Oliver Jia
Oliver Jia February 27, 2023
Shinzo Abe’s posthumous memoir sheds light on North Korea diplomacy and Trump

Shinzo Abe’s posthumous memoir sheds light on North Korea diplomacy and Trump

Former Japanese prime minister explains why Trump sought summit with DPRK, criticizes ‘criminal’ Moon Jae-in and more

Shinzo Abe’s posthumous memoir sheds light on North Korea diplomacy and Trump
Oliver Jia
Oliver Jia February 22, 2023
Book review: The Korean War and the birth of modern American espionage

Book review: The Korean War and the birth of modern American espionage

‘Agents of Subversion’ reveals how the conflict provided a shot in the arm for a fledgling agency called the CIA

Book review: The Korean War and the birth of modern American espionage
Oliver Jia
Oliver Jia February 3, 2023
Kenneth Rowe, North Korean pilot who defected in Soviet plane, dies at 90

Kenneth Rowe, North Korean pilot who defected in Soviet plane, dies at 90

Rowe fooled the DPRK air force into thinking he was loyal to Kim Il Sung, all while he was planning his great escape

Kenneth Rowe, North Korean pilot who defected in Soviet plane, dies at 90
Oliver Jia
Oliver Jia January 9, 2023
The best North Korea books of 2022: A gift guide for the holiday season

The best North Korea books of 2022: A gift guide for the holiday season

Thrilling accounts of anti-regime activism and DPRK cybercrime join deep dives into history among the year’s top titles

The best North Korea books of 2022: A gift guide for the holiday season
Oliver Jia
Oliver Jia December 13, 2022
How a US veteran became a POW in North Korea 60 years after the Korean War

How a US veteran became a POW in North Korea 60 years after the Korean War

Merrill Newman’s ill-fated trip to the DPRK would reveal the ways in which for Pyongyang, the conflict never ended

How a US veteran became a POW in North Korea 60 years after the Korean War
Oliver Jia
Oliver Jia October 28, 2022
The Flower Girl: How a North Korean propaganda film achieved international fame

The Flower Girl: How a North Korean propaganda film achieved international fame

Kim Jong Il’s operatic passion project remains a nostalgic classic in China and elsewhere, 50 years after its release

The Flower Girl: How a North Korean propaganda film achieved international fame
Oliver Jia
Oliver Jia September 20, 2022
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