April 19, 2024

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicolas Levi

Nicolas Levi

Nicolas Levi is a senior researcher at the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Social Sciences from the  Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences. He is the author of eight books related to North Korea and a consultant on Korean issues for international organizations. You can follow him on Twitter.

Analysis

How North Korea’s diplomats navigate privilege and peril abroad

Staff at overseas missions enjoy more freedom than compatriots back home but must turn to illicit activities to survive

Nicolas LeviNicolas LeviDecember 25, 2023
Analysis

Why North Korea looked abroad for an education in international business

Outside educators have helped fill knowledge gaps and could again provide avenue for engagement once DPRK reopens

Nicolas LeviNicolas LeviJuly 6, 2023
Analysis

How North Korea embraced an obscure religion as a tool for Korean unification

Kim Il Sung praised Chondoism as a patriotic and native faith, allowing it to flourish relative to other religions

Nicolas LeviNicolas LeviJune 21, 2023
Analysis

How North Korea handles nuclear waste: From risky disposal to deals with Taiwan

DPRK’s waste management practices have been criticized as ‘atrocious,’ but Pyongyang has engaged on the issue before

Nicolas LeviNicolas LeviApril 20, 2023
Analysis

How Paris became the favorite European escape of North Korea’s elite

City of Lights has long held dark appeal for DPRK nobility seeking entertainment or just refuge from Pyongyang intrigue

Nicolas LeviNicolas LeviFebruary 14, 2023
Analysis

North Korea and France have no official ties. That doesn’t mean they don’t talk.

Despite diplomatic non-recognition, the two states have long found ways to cooperate in business and cultural exchanges

Nicolas LeviNicolas LeviJanuary 9, 2023
Analysis

What the exile of a North Korean prince reveals about power in the DPRK

Kim Pyong Il was once viewed as a potential successor, but the regime has undermined any claim he might have to power

Nicolas LeviNicolas LeviDecember 23, 2022
Analysis

The lasting legacy of North Korean orphans in Poland

DPRK sent thousands of children to the country after the Korean War in a move that has shaped bilateral ties to this day

Nicolas LeviNicolas LeviNovember 1, 2022
Analysis

Why Poland could play a key role in efforts to engage North Korea

Former communist bloc state maintains ties with DPRK, but EU membership and bilateral disputes complicate cooperation

Nicolas LeviNicolas LeviSeptember 5, 2022
Analysis

ANALYSIS: The impact of Jang Song Thaek’s ouster

So far no sign of a purge of Jang’s network or loss of other positions

Nicolas LeviNicolas LeviDecember 5, 2013