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The Impossible State: North Korea, Past And Future (2012)

by Victor D. Cha(Favorite Author)

3.91 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0061998508 (ISBN13: 9780061998508)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Ecco

review 1: Victor Cha served as the Director for Asian Affairs on the National Security Council for President George W. Bush and for his successes at the Six Party Talks, he received two Outstanding Service Commendations. Although Cha's purview covered South Korea, North Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Island nations, his primary focus was on North Korea and especially its nuclear programme. Cha writes with an experienced and authoritative voice replete with interesting anecdotes and strong analysis of the history, economy and politics of North Korea and the ongoing efforts to engage with Pyongyang concerning its nuclear programme. Cha looks both back to the past - the effect the Cold War and in particular the Korean War and Sino-Soviet Split had on North Korean... more interactions with the wider world - and to the future - the successes and failures of the Sunshine Policy and what the future of reunification of the Korean Peninsula looks like. Drawing on his years of experience, Cha aims to enlighten and inform the reader of the situation in North Korea (the ongoing political turmoil after the death of Kim Jong-il, possibly one of the greatest human rights disasters ever in the North Korean interment system, the regime's ideological upheaval after the Cold War's end etc.) and coupled with his own experiences, enables the reader to gain a greater understanding of the "Impossible State".In all, Cha has written a excellent account of the political history of North Korea and it provides a wealth of information about its systems and relations with the outside world. Cha's work for the National Security Council afford him great insight into this most-isolated state and his writing opens the eyes of the reader to peer behind the punditry and superficial news broadcasts to gain a greater understanding.
review 2: I learned a lot, and despite the super long chapters, it was for the most part an interesting read (not dry). I appreciated the author's opinions and experiences, rather than reading like a textbook. The repetition did get a bit annoying, though. I got more into some chapters than others (the economics didn't grab my attention as much as reading about the lack of human rights in the country), but those are personal tastes. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn about North Korea. less

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