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Articles on Kim Jong-Il

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Kim Yo-jong: now widely thought of as a possible successor to her older brother Kim Jong-un. EPA-EFE/Jorge Silva

North Korea: the rise and rise of ‘first sister’ Kim Yo-jong

The increasing prominence of Kim Jong-un’s younger sister has prompted speculation about whether she is positioning herself for ultimate power in North Korea.
Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in the Korean demilitarized zone in June 2019.

Did Donald Trump ease tensions with North Korea?

Donald Trump avoided a major crisis with North Korea. But the North Korean nuclear issue remains unresolved as the country continues to develop its nuclear and ballistic capabilities.
North Korea and Cuba have struck up a friendship that is particularly bizarre given each country’s attitudes towards children. North Korean children, left, live an Orwellian nightmare at the hands of its socialist government while Cuban children, right, are revered, supported and celebrated. The Associated Press

What about the kids? The worrisome Cuba-North Korea friendship

The new friendship between North Korea and Cuba is puzzling. The two countries should share values as socialist republics, but their brands of socialism are worlds apart when it comes to children.
North Korean women work at the cashier table of a bookstore in Pyongyang, North Korea. AP Photo/Ng Han Guan

Inside North Korea’s literary fiction factory

The state-produced stories, which include tales about apartment lotteries, theme parks and the Clintons, might seem absurd. But they offer a window into the regime’s priorities and anxieties.
North Koreans cheer in this November 2017 as they watch a news broadcast announcing Kim Jong-un’s order to test-fire the inter-continental ballistic missile Hwasong-15 at the Pyongyang Train Station in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)

The case for using military force against North Korea

Military options should, and must, be on the table if diplomacy fails to compel North Korea to de-nuclearize.
South Korean people watch a live TV report showing North Korea’s special announcement that it has successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at a station in Seoul, South Korea, 29 November 2017. EPA-EFE/KIM HEE-CHUL

For Beijing, the greatest threat to China’s national security is not the Kim regime: it is the US

China is reluctant to be more active in dealing with Pyongyang for fear of consolidating the US take over in the region.
North Korean leader Kim Jung-un inspects an outpost and Jangjedo defending force. REUTERS/North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)

What makes Kim Jong Un tick?

A scholar who has profiled the likes of Saddam Hussein and Vladimir Putin says there is a method to understanding the madness.

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