For decades, North Korea has operated as a prime example of a “hermit kingdom” – a nation ruled by a despotic family regime, where propaganda and historical, political, and economic theatre are a daily ritual for the country’s 25 million citizens.
In his book, North Korea Confidential, co-written by journalist James Pearson, Daniel Tudor gives us the rest of the story of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Looking at the failure of the state following the devastating famine of the 1990’s, Tudor describes the ways that “grassroots capitalism” has affected the people, culture, and the future of the DPRK.
Daniel Tudor is the former Korea Correspondent for the Economist and author of Korea: The Impossible Country. A columnist for the Korean newspaper, Joongang Ilbo, Tudor is a regular commentator on Korea-related topics for the BBC, Al Jazeera, and others. He joins us today via Skype, all the way from Seoul, South Korea.
