Despite all the attention around the upcoming second summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, we in the United States still know very little about North Korea, its people, and their aspirations. There is, of course, no public opinion polling. Single-party rule means that there is no platform where the Korean Workers’ Party carries out an in-depth discussion on the direction of the country.
There is one exception: literature. As a result, state-sanctioned short stories and novels are the windows through which the outside world can begin to understand what North Korea’s leaders envision as an ideal society.
Of particular interest, what of North Korea’s promise to deliver a strong and prosperous country by 2012? How are they messaging the party’s accomplishments? Has it arrived - if it has, how does North Korea explain the economic challenges that people face? if it has not yet arrived - why should the people continue to have confidence in the Party?
Our guest today, Dr. Meredith Shaw, a researcher of North Korean literature from the University of Tokyo, will address these questions and more.
You can find her presentation at KEI here: https://youtu.be/uwUqeQMdwHM
You can also find her blog on North Korean literature here: dprklit.blogspot.com
[Rebroadcast] The Revolution will be Thumb Drived: North Korean Access to Outside Media: Nat Kretchen
When Cold Warriors Met to Talk About Peace: Mark Tokola
[Rebroadcast] Achieving Peace through Sanctions: Stephan Haggard
We Go Together: Ambassador Kathleen Stephens and General Skip Sharp
China’s Dream and The Korean Peninsula: Dr. Lee Seong-hyon
Neighbors not by Geography, but by a Shared Vision: Park Jae-kyung
Trade Wars Strike Back: Dr. June Park
What the Korean Wave Brought to the American Table: Michael Hong
Danish Furniture, Korean Skincare: Charlotte and Dave Cho
We Built This K-pop Community: Susan Kang
2018 in Review from the Korea Economic Institute
Children are our future, our present: Dafna Zur
Remembering President George H.W. Bush's Legacy in Korea: Ambassador Donald Gregg
How Koreans Define Koreaness: Christopher Green and Steven Denney
Across the Tumen River: A Journey through North Korea
[Rebroadcast] Home is Where Our Story Begins: Min Jin Lee, author of Pachinko
North Korea, The Global Arms Dealer: Dr. Bruce Bechtol
How Things Look from the Peninsula: WSJ's Jonathan Cheng
War's Impact on the American Homefront: Robert Powell and Sam Yoon
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