Andrei Lankov is one of the leading Russian oriental studies experts. In 1985, he attended Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung University and currently works as a professor at Kookmin University, Seoul. Unlike lots of other pundits, Lankov does his best to analyse the DPRK issues impartially, ignoring propaganda of both sides. Exclusively to UWI, Andrei Lankov commented on the rumors of ...
By Stary Shakhtyor On the last day of our stay, we were taken to the famous Kondong greenhouses. They are 30 kilometers north of Pyongyang and, if I understand correctly, are considered a district of Pyongyang, kind of like Zelenograd is to Moscow. Earlier this year Kim Jong-un, the Grand Marshal and Chairman of State Affairs, visited them before us, ...
DPRK, The land of smiles and wonders – Pt. 6: The North Korean circus and indigo children By Stary Shakhtyor Once again, a bit of Juche in the morning, invigorating! Pathos, pathos speeches in lectures! Metaphorical sayings from two lecturers. “The DPRK has a satellite – an eye and a missile – a fist”. I remember the US formally protested ...
By Stary Shakhtyor Gosh, it turned out that our chaperones loved the song Shaman (Russian singer) performed at the Russian-Korean friendship concert. Not the ‘I am Russian’ one, but the ‘Let’s Stand Up’ one. Who wrote this beautiful song? – they ask. I advised them to listen to the industrial project Laibach, who re-sang ‘We will go to Mount Paektu.’ ...
By Stary Shakhtyor – How does that translate? – It’s ‘One for all and all for one!’ What a beautiful slogan! As I walk along, I ask the girl from the escort how this or that slogan is translated. Slogans in the form of red hieroglyphics are mounted on houses, or in the form of concrete panels on streets. They ...
The most misunderstood country on Earth The territory of North Korea, officially called the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), encompasses about half of the relatively small Korean Peninsula. It is one of the few countries on Earth that has never invaded another nation, and yet the DPRK’s very existence has been threatened with economic sanctions, military invasion, and even ...
By Mehmet Emre Öztürk The Japanese Ministry of Defense has published its Annual White Paper, a report formed by the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” strategy. The Japan-United States (US) alliance is widely covered in the white paper, in addition to subjects such as Chinese coast guard boats, the North Korean missile development program, earthquakes, space and cyber security. The Indo-Pacific ...
Following the QUAD meeting on presidential level between the US, Australia, Japan and India, the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken and Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin have started their first overseas trip. Both Secretaries are visiting Japan and South Korea, highlighting US focus on Indo-Pacific. In their meetings with Japanese and South Korean counterparts, talks were held also on ...