When Kim Jong-il died in 2011, the world held its breath as North Korea entered uncharted waters. No other communist dictatorship in the last century – for that matter no other autocratic state that is not a monarchy – has been able to successfully transfer power to a third generation. Some analysts in Washington and elsewhere raised the possibility of the country collapsing in mere months.
But when that didn’t happen, a new theory arose – would he be the great reformer to lead North Korea to the community of nations? 8 years on, that has not yet happened either.
We still know so little about the North Korean leader – and so much of how we think of Kim Jong-un comes from media portrayals, the parodies, and assumptions amalgamated from our knowledge of other autocrats.
But a new book provides the first comprehensive and readable study of the incumbent North Korean leader. Written by the veteran Washington Post correspondent Anna Fifield, the exhaustively researched new book, titled “The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un” provides a more rounded picture of the first North Korean leader to meet the U.S. president.
Anna Fifield (@annafifield) came to KEI and sat down with KEI President Ambassador Kathleen Stephens – in fact, just before the Trump-Kim meeting on June 30, 2019 - for a brief chat.
Winning an Election during a Pandemic: Scott Snyder, Kang Insun, and Song Hochang
Going Together to Address a Pandemic: Marc Knapper
Public Health is Human Rights, Human Rights is Public Health: Ambassador Robert King and Greg Scarlatoiu
The Economic Fallout of a Pandemic: Troy Stangarone and Kyle Ferrier
The Rise, Stumble, and Rise of A Conglomerate: Geoffrey Cain
How Korea and the World Are (and Are Not) Fighting the Coronavirus: Amb. Kathleen Stephens and Mark Tokola
How an Isolated Country Fights a Pandemic: Troy Stangarone
Tackling the Coronavirus is Not Costless: Kyle Ferrier
Can North Korea take on the coronavrius? Not alone: John Grundy
[Rebroadcast] North Korea's Healthcare System: John Grundy
10 Issues for the Korean Peninsula in 2020: KEI Staff
Monetizing The Linchpin: Kyle Ferrier
Building a Better Future with Truth: Min Jin Lee
Representation and Community: Alexander Chee
Korea and the Persian Gulf: Troy Stangarone
Sharing the Burden: Song Min-soon
Impeachment, Part 2: Consequences
Impeachment, Part 1: Precedent
A Team of Their Own: Seth Berkman
The Korean Revolutionary in Cuba: Joseph Juhn
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free