Author: Andrei Nikolaevich Lankov
What N. Korea’s peace proposal means
A train runs on the rail track, which the two Koreas hope to reconnect as part of an agreement reached in 2000, in the fog at the Imjingak Pavilion near […]
N. Korea still changing after Chang’s fall
In what can be described as the most public purge in North Korean history, Chang Song Taek– until recently the second most powerful man in North Korea – has […]
Korean rage over Dokdo not helping their claim
In late October, Korean and international newspapers reported on the military exercises the South Korean army held at the tiny Korean island of Dokdo. The picture was impressive: the soldiers […]
Is North Korea a ‘communist state’ or a ‘market economy’?
North Korea is often described as a ‘communist country’ by outsiders, and also officially describes itself as a ‘socialist country.’ But, what exactly is a ‘communist state,’ or (to use […]
Russia’s interests on the Korean Peninsula
The summit between South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Russian President Vladimir Putin has attracted much attention to Russia’s attitude toward the problems of the Korean peninsula. When it comes […]
Emergence of market economy in North Korea
What can we learn from the dramatic transformation that North Korea has undergone in the last two decades? I am afraid that many of my readers might not like my […]
Myths and facts about North Korea’s Great Famine in 1990s
When it comes to North Korea, one of the most common clichés is a reference to the 1996-99 famine which, as we are told, “killed two or three million people”. […]
Understanding S. Korea’s ‘386 generation’ and pro-north activists
As all our readers are surely aware, South Korea is now in the middle of yet another political scandal. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) recently produced evidence that seemingly indicates […]
N. Korea’s old tricks no longer work
So, these days North Korea is now in the middle of waging a ‘charm offensive’, which has suddenly superseded their belligerence campaign they conducted in March and April. In recent […]
When the nightmare of N. Korea’s diplomacy began
Everybody knows: North Korea is a difficult country to deal with. It is difficult for its adversaries, but it might be even more difficult for its allies. Perhaps, nobody knew […]