As Pyongyang undergoes an uncertain leadership transition and continues to confront the world over its nuclear weapons program, there has never been a more urgent need to understand North Korea than there is today. Park has brought together ten of the world's leading experts to look at the internal and external challenges facing North Korea from a variety of perspectives - economic, political, social, and historical. Insightful and timely, this is an outstanding collection on a topic of critical importance to the Northeast Asian region, and indeed to the international community as a whole. - Charles K. Armstrong, Director, Center for Korean Research, Columbia University
The analysis of North Korean foreign policy in recent decades presented in these essays combines a thorough account of changes in the DPRK domestic scene and the complex alterations in the international atmosphere. Thus, the reader benefits from an account that is both sophisticated and comprehensive. Differences of interpretation on some matters are inevitable, but given the reclusive nature of North Korea, the data presented here makes this a very valuable source for understanding both the essentials of DPRK policies and the abrupt changes that frequently take place in such policies. It should be read by both Asian specialists and those committed to international relations. - Robert A. Scalapino, Robson Research Professor of Government Emeritus, Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley