North Korea’s Strong Hand Against the U.S.

Commentary
, by — For Halloween, Kim Jong Un gave Donald Trump a trick, not a treat: North Korea fired two short-range missiles on Thursday toward the Sea of Japan. It was North Korea’s 13th weapons test this year—and the first since the Trump administration’s latest attempt to restart negotiations with North Korea quietly failed a few weeks ago. The first talks between the two sides in eight months broke down after only 8½ hours in Stockholm. The North Korean delegates stalked out, and Pyongyang subsequently said they wouldn’t resume the “sickening” negotiations with the U.S.

Soft Diplomacy, Hard Stance

Commentary
— In this episode, Andrew talks with resident North Korea expert Victor Cha, and Dr. Kang Choi, acting president of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. They discuss North Korea’s recent missile launch, South Korea-Japan relations, and more... In this episode, Andrew talks with resident North Korea expert Victor Cha, and Dr. Kang…

The Perfect Storm

Commentary
— In this episode, Andrew talks with resident North Korea experts Victor Cha and Sue Mi Terry about the failed U.S.-North Korea Stockholm talks and what they mean for the stalled nuclear negotiations... On July 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging Sue Mi…

Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site: Imagery Supports ROK and U.S. Government Reservations about Permanent Disablement

Military, Nuclear Weapons, Punggye-ri
, by and — Analysis of satellite imagery of the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Facility acquired during 2019 and more specifically on September 23rd and October 9th, 2019 shows the facility in caretaker status, likely being maintained by security personnel. While there is no evidence of current efforts to restore any of the nuclear test portals, several observations lead us to believe the facility has not been permanently disabled and that the detonations in May 2018 are not necessarily irreversible.

Piecing Together the North Korean Jigsaw Puzzle

Commentary
— In this episode, Andrew and CSIS’s Victor Cha welcome Anna Fifield, Beijing Bureau Chief of the Washington Post. Fifield is the author of the recent biography, The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un. They discuss the challenges of reporting on a reclusive state, the recent Trump-Xi summit, and the future of the relationship between the U.S. and North Korea. (Recorded from remote locations on Friday, June 21, 2019.)